040 june torrevieja outlook by Andy Ormiston

Torrevieja Outlook

NÂş 040- June 20167

040 June 2017

June calendar of fiestas - Alicante San Juan - 25 years of hogueras in Torrevieja Guardamar fiesta Archena - Moors & Christians - Valencia Corpus - Balloons - 125 years Seaside Bar Holiday health check Your Beach Beckons 300 years of Mail HELP I need somebody - La Marina Red Cross AFECANCER - Lives at Sea - Cooking (H)eating up - La Paloma - Golden Liquid - Spit it Out - Spain in Europe - AFA Bus campaign - Mayas at MARQ - Laguna photos - La Mata market move - Ciggy butts - Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On Foto: Darren Lillley aormi@icloud.com

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Photo: Raquel Lรณpez Martinez

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JUNE FIESTA CALENDAR IN ALICANTE PROVINCE

With the hot days of June there’s a wide variety of fiestas and events in Spain and on the Costa Blanca itself. And the summer heat finds its way into the hogueras of Alicante and many other towns. As the calendar butterfly photo shows there are many beautiful sights to be seen in nature. There are three prominent fiestas - San Juan Baptist with burning fires, Corpus Christi with religious processions (especially notable in Valencia city), and SS Peter & Paul with Moors & Christians in Rojales, Tabarca and other towns. Another festival is that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sagrado Corazón), usually held on a Friday, with many churches of this title holding fiestas in their own district. Torrevieja usually holds a week of events that include children activities, dancing with music, and religious processions. On the First Sunday of June Guadalest celebrates Fiestas of San Gregorio. In Benejúzar the patronal fiestas of la Santísima Virgen del Rosario are held. First weekend of June Ibi holds fiestas in Campos area. Second weekend of June Ibi continues fiestas in la Ciudad Deportiva. Weekend prior to the feast of Corpus Christi the Holy Trinity fiestas are held in Dénia.

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7 - 10 June Moors & Christians in Alicante in the San Blas district. 9th June Romería for Corpus Christi celebrated in Benidorm for 4 days. The week after Corpus Christi is a fiesta in the town of L’Alquería d’Asnar. 29th June the weekend nearest to this date is a fiesta in Banyares de Mariola. 12 - 16th June Novelda has fiestas in the Sagrado Corazón area. 13th June Romería in Banyares de Mariola. 14 . 24th June Hogueras in Xàbia. 16th June or nearest day, a Friday, is the Sacred Heart of Jesus with Fiestas in Dolores and in Torrevieja. On this moveable feast of Sacred Heart Parcent also hold a fiesta. 17th June Feast of San Antiono de Padua and the nearest weekend to this date is the time for fiestas in Altea. Third weekend of June the Moors & Christians in Teulada. Last weekend of month Ibi has a fiesta. 20 - 29th June Hogueras in Alacant 21 - 24th June Hogueras in Torrevieja and Catral. 22 - 24th June Catral patronal fiestas with Moors & Christians.

Enjoy a boat trip to La Tabarca Island from Alicante, Santa Pola or Torrevieja for the patronal fiestas of SS Peter & Paul on 29th June.

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24th June

Feastday of Saint John the Baptist. In Alicante on the night of the 24th is the cremà. Other places celebrating this fiesta are in Alcalalí; Altea; Beniardà; Benidorm; Benejama; Calpe; Santa Pola (Romería); Xàbia; Montforte del Cid; Dénia; Gata de Gorgos; San Miguel de las Salinas and Guardamar del Segura with pagan rites on the beach with fires ac companied by music and dance. 27th - 28th June Moors & Christians in Pego. 29th June Feast of Saints Peter & Paul. Celebrated in Rojales with Moors & Christians; in Dénia; Moors & Christians in Benissa; Moors & Christians in Agost; patronal fiestas on the Island of Tabarca. The Sunday nearest to the 27th June is a fiesta in honour of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro held in Almoradi. She is patron saint of the medical profession. Last weekend of June patronal fiestas in Pego. Youth festival in Sanet y Negrals with more events in Ibi.

The 9th June is the regional Day of Murcia (and of la Rioja) with many celebrations in the week leading up to this date in those regions. During the summer many communities and urbanisations take it upon themselves to have their own celebrations.

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Street bonfires The principal tourist fiestas of this month are those of Saint John the Baptist on whose birth, according to a tradition, strange mystic fires were burnt. This night of the 24th June is the summer solstice and the purifying pagan fire rites have been adapted to celebrate the corresponding Christian feast of St. John the Baptist. Fire plays an important part of many fi e s t a s throughout the year and during the days that lead up to his fiesta on 24th June, many towns build bonfires known as hogueras, that are ceremoniously burned on the saintâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feast day. It is also Midsummer and the shortest night of the year which has its own type of magic and the pagan fire rites have been carried over into Christianity. Fallas, fogueras, hogueras all roughly mean the same thing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a bonfire. But specialists underline that there is a technical difference as a falla tends to lean more towards satire content and has vivid colours whereas, a hoguera is more allegorical with pastel colors. The Hoguera is based on straight lines, symmetrical, while the falla seems to have finer features such as those of Lllado porcelain, with the ninots having a grotesque appearance..

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Other towns that celebrate hogueras include Benidorm, San Juan, Denia, Teulada, Pinoso, Calpe and Torrevieja. In some seaside towns the beaches have small hogueras and there are even some people who have white magic rituals on the beach with fire and water. In 2010 some Catral citizens recuperated this festival by building a hoguera in shape of a bullring with photos of local people and some well known people such as Juilio Iglesias. The mayor said that it was his intention that in 2011 there would be a municipal hoguera.

San Juan (Saint John the Baptist) Alicante is rightly famous for its hogueras; each year thee are about 180 of these traditional fires in the streets of Alicante. A museum in the town centre has been opened where those statues that have been awarded an indult prize have been saved for prosperity having been saved from the flames. We will have a closer look at Alicante’s hogueras as they are typical of others held throughout the year in smaller towns. The original Alicante hoguera celebrations were in 1928, organised by Don José María Pi y Ramirez de Cartagena. These are fiestas that literally fire the imagination of the whole population as illusions from the past year are realised in the figures of the hogueras. The figures are set-up in the various points of the city around about the 20th, only to be burned on the night of the saint’s day of the 24th June. In these figures you can see the pointed humour of the citizens as each one has its own lesson to impart before its final demise in the fires of ‘la crema’. Normally a

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plaque with a rhyme or poem satirizes the content of the hoguera, which is often relevant to local or national politics. As in most parts of Spain the hogueras celebrations ceased during the hostilities of the Civil War. In 1939 only one hoguera was built in front of the Mercado Central, but by 1940 there were 21 hogueras that have grown in numbers and quality over the years.

Barracas and Paellas At the beginning of the Alicante festivities there is a paella competition. Each hoguera has its own barraca, a place where people can gather to meet up, feast and dance each night of the hogueras fiestas. The original barraca was a typical Valencian or Murcian house; today it usually means a place of celebrations during fiestas. There is a competition in five categories for the best barraca including the design of the entrance to these barracas, how much entertainment they offer, how long they are open etc. This competition adds an extra dimension to the general hogueras of San Juan. Music and dancing are important elements as people forget their daily work, problems and hardships for these precious few days. This escape from the daily drudge is a fundamental element in all the fiestas held in Spain; it is amazing that this concept has increased, rather than decreased, with the arrival of television in the home, as one would think that most people would prefer to watch the world through the eyes of a TV camera. Of course you can watch Alicante television and see the programs relevant to the hegiras and on YouTube there are many videoclips.

Firework competitions These fiestas dominate the senses with the smell of gunpowder, the noise of rockets and crackers, the smoke and heat of the flames, the crush of excited bystanders, the colourful images and dresses, the music of bands and taped music. Fireworks are a staple element in every Spanish fiesta and here in Alicante there is yet another competition held daily, this time at 14.00 from 20th to 24th June for the aormi@icloud.com

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best Mascletas, the firecrackers set off amid a lot of noise and smoke. It appears that the origins of fireworks, particularly crackers, are because at many celebrations local militia would escort the parade and fire off their guns. On the night of the 24th a huge palmeral is set off above the Santa Barbara Castle. This splendid firework is, as its name suggests, is like a huge palm tree fireball and can take three months in its manufacture of the various components. Fireworks continue after the 24th until 29th on the Postguiet beach as another fireworks competition is held. These extraordinary fiery attractions terminate on the 29th with the correfoc which often takes place on the Esplanda. This year there will be 12 mascletas in the plaza de Luceros at 14;00 in the days of 3, 4, 10, 11 June. Then each day from 17 to 24 at the same time, the most spectacular being on the 17th June..

Flower offering Almost every day there is some form of parade in some part of Alicante. The fiestas may be in honour of San Juan, but the traditional Flower Offering is made to Nuestra Señora Virgen del Remedio; a procession that also brings in an element of competition as each of the hoguera committees of the various districts vie as to who has the biggest and best flower arrangement. Thousands of the city’s beauties parade in their beautiful colourful costumes carrying flowers to the plaza del Ayuntamiento where they are built up into a common floral picture in honor of the Virgen.

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The Flower offering is an important and colorful event in every Spanish fiesta

Another important parade worth mentioning is the Folklore one held on 23rd June. This is a long parade with groups of dancing girls in traditional colourful clothes of the countryside and fisherwomen. Other dancing couples dance intricate ribbon dances twisting and turning inside each other until the ribbons seem hopelessly tangled up, only to dance their way once more out of the apparent knot. Horses and their riders also participate with agile displays of horsemanship and dressage, with an occasional large carpet n the ground so that the horse can obey commands to “play dead” to the delight of the crowd. Parades would not be fun without the music of the local marching bands and one of these accompanies the “Bigheads”, the traditional representatives of Aragon, Castille and the Moors among other ones. These are heavy effigies carried on the shoulders of strong men who work in groups, taking turns under the clothes of the Bigheads. Also the beauty Queens of the Fires take part in the folklore parade sitting on huge floats of various designs such as a brightly coloured peacock.

Beauty queens An important figure in any of the fiestas is that of the Beauty Queen. The Queen of the Hogueras of Alicante is known as la Bellea del Foc. This title was instituted in 1932 at the suggestion of a Segovian journalist, Mario Guillén, that the town should have a figure to represent the women of the city. In 1961 the brocaded dresses used by the queens and their entourage were introduced by Torrevejense Don Tomas aormi@icloud.com

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Valcarcel who was in charge of the steering committee in Alicante for several years. This is not merely a figure of beauty because the Bellea has to be an ambassador for the city, traveling and speaking at other events in Spain and nowadays at an international level. Therefore, it is not just beauty that is required, but some brains and ability to speak in public. In 2002 one of the streets of the city was named la Bellea del Foc in honour of this position. In 2014 the 80th queen was elected, as there was a break in most fiestas at the time of the civil war. Nowadays the election of these queens is accompanied by a large spectacular concert, usually held in May where the candidatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parade, wearing not only the traditional colourful Alicante fiesta dress, and also in gala dresses. Each individual hoguera has its own queen and dames of honour elected, including many for children. These local beauties are important figures in the life of each of the districts and they dress in the beautiful traditional dress of the Alicante ladies of the past. But it is not only the Queens who dress up, a fiesta is an occasion for all the ladies to bring out lovely classic costumes and the men also to use the occasion to put on their traditional glad rags. As from 2008, the regulations in choosing a Bellea were altered so that women of any age above 18 could be picked, as well as permitting a transvestite to be chosen in line with the national Law of Equality. aormi@icloud.com

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Almost every traditional fiesta has its own type of music and the Alicante Hogueras Queen has music dedicated to them. This is the “Himno a la Bellea del Foc” written by Luis Torregrosa with words by José Ferrándiz Torremocha, first heard in the Plaza de Toros, Alicante on 22nd June 1933. Although it is considered a great honour to be the Fire Queen one of the saddest functions is to press the computerized button that sets off the final fireworks that ignites the hoguera and see something so beautiful destroyed in the flames.

Ninots Those specialists, who work all year round designing and making the various ‘ninot sculptures’, are justly proud of their handiwork and it must pain them to see so much hard work and illusion go up in flames. For months the chosen artists will be fully occupied designing and planning their work, aware that every detail will be highly criticized. A competition of these Ninots is held and judges decide which two are the best for saving from the flames and they will eventually find their way into

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the museum in la Rambla, Alicante. During May there is normally a collection of these figures in the converted Lonja de Pescadores in the harbour area.

A committee judges all the Hogueras, and those considered to be the best receive a prize. The streets are ablaze with streetlights throwing shadows in multi-coloured shapes. Hoguera celebrations play an important part in keeping alive the fire and spirit of the people of the city. The average amount aid for a hoguera is around 12,000 euros and this money comes from fund raising throughout the year by each hoguera committee with a grant from the town hall and donations from advertisers and sponsors.

Typical food In the past while the ninots were being planted in the streets, the workers were provided with pies (empanadas) which would have tuna fish and pine seeds. Today although this still continues, it has become a competition event among the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bakers as to who can make the tastiest and best presented coca amb tonyina. The rules state that the size must be 18 by 24 centimetres. The ingredients are flour, warm water, oil, anis, salt and pepper. The filling is tuna, onion, pine kernels plus aormi@icloud.com

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both black and sweet pepper. One of the secrets is that the pastry must be very thin without being broken in the process. Each coca is brushed with eggwash before being baked. Alongside bacores is another traditional fruit that is available at this time. This comes from the first harvest of the fig tree and locally is also known as a breva. It is in season in June and is pear shaped and larger than a fig, but not as sweet. The fresh figs come out in August and are delicious with fresh cream!

Window Dressing Competition Another aspect of these fiestas is the Window Dressing Competition where all the local businesses are invited to put on special window displays in the hope of winning an award and, of course, some free publicity. The window displays are earlier from the end of May and prizes are awarded on 22nd June.

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Bull fighting Bull fighting is an important ingredient in the Alicante fiestas and for a week some of the well-known figures in this typical Spanish sport can be seen in action in the Feria Taurina (Bull Fayre). Bullfighting is a touchy subject for many people and although there is a strong antibull fighting lobby, it is still a very popular spectacle at fiestas in many Spanish towns from Easter to mid-October the season. Everything about a bullfight is governed by very strict regulations. Hemingway’s book made into a film “Death in the Afternoon” offers a vivid description of the whole atmosphere of the arena dazzlingly brought the excitement of this event to the English speaking audience. The centre of everything is the arena, which as most readers will know means sand as that is what was used in Roman times at the Coliseum and other amphitheatres as it absorbed the blood spilt. The price of tickets largely depends on where the shade is as it is debilitating to stand or sit in the sun for several hours. You may see a bullfight on television and will see large gaps in the crowd, which is because that is where the heat of the sun is likely to fall and needs to be avoided.

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A brass band strikes up a stirring pasodoble, announcing the beginning of the corrida de toros; it is one of the few events that is likely to start punctually in Spain. Contests of strength, skill and bravery between man and beast are no recent phenomenon. The ancient Etruscans liked a good bullfight and had a god with a bull head linked with phenomenal strength. La lidia, as the art of bullfighting is also known, really took off in an organised fashion in Spain in the mid – 18th century. In the 1830s, Pedro Romero, the greatest torero (bullfighter) of the time, was at the age of 77 appointed director of Escuela de Tauromaquia de Sevilla, the country’s first bullfighter’s college. It was around this time too that breeders succeeded in creating the first reliable breeds of ‘toro bravo’ (fighting bull). There is a first class museum in Murcia city where visitors can obtain a greater understanding of this sport-cum-art. It is not simply a ghoulish alternative to the slaughterhouse, but the pitting of a man’s skills against a powerful beast. And don’t forget that sometimes the bull gores and kills an opponent as the pelotas joke emphasises. Aficionados say the bull is better off dying at the hands of a matador (killer) than in the matadero (slaughterhouse man). No doubt, the fight is bloody and cruel. To witness it is not necessarily to understand it, but might give an insight into some of the thought and tradition behind it. Many Spaniards loathe the bullfight, but there is no doubting its overall popularity. On the surface one has the impression that a bullfight is a cruel brutal business. It would be impossible, though many have tried, to express the innermost feelings that such a spectacle can arouse by the courage and dignity, the skill and dexterity displayed by all in the ring, including the bull. Bullfighting is not a sport that should be judged vicariously, or condemned on general principles. It is an experience that has to be tried and shared if one has to understand the mind of the Spaniard, his outlook on life, his attitude towards death. It is an attitude that can be seen in many of the fiestas of Spain. aormi@icloud.com

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at Guardamar

San Juan in Torrevieja The first known hoguera in Torrevieja was that of 1912 when neighbours got together to burn old furniture. It became a recognised event in 1942 after the Civil War. This year the town will celebrate the anniversary of the first recorded hoguera 120 years ago as well as the 25th anniversary of its resurrection 25 years ago. The fiesta of San Juan has become an important one in the festival calendar of Torrevieja. Twenty years ago there were four hogueras set up in the streets in different districts. Each hoguera had its corresponding Hogueras Queen and her court as well as a full programme of entertainment at the barracas set up. Today the district of Calvary or also called Molinos del Calvario has managed to keep the tradition going. The queens and assistants have taken part in the parade of fiestas

Guests in Valencia where the traditional salt boat of Torrevieja was presented.

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Eduardo Dolon received the honor of mantenedor

held in Madrid on 21st January, as well as guests in April at the Presentation of la Bellea del Foc i Bellea Infantil 2017 in Guardamar del Segura. Torrevieja had a Hogueras Gala on 20th May in the Paseo Vista Alegre. In March the hoguera association was invited to the floral procession in honor of la Virgen de los Desamparados in Valencia cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderful Fallas. I would expect that, although they appeared on the Gala day in May, there will be an invitation extended to the Fire Queens of other hegiras during the weeklong festivities in Torrevieja. A special award will be given this anniversary year to Eduardo Dolon Sanchez for his support over the years of the Calvario hoguera.

In the past the town hall had its own hoguera that was placed inside the harbour close to the wall and burnt safely and seen from the harbour walkway.

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On this night, all along the coast, private parties are organized with bonfires on selected beaches as old pagan cleansing rites are carried out with exuberant youngsters jumping over the flames or dipping themselves and each other in the sea. In the streets the firemen go round each hoguera as it is set alight around midnight to keep the flames under control and, as part of the general fun, turn the hosepipes on the crowds. In passing a big thanks must go to the firemen and security forces not only at the hogueras, but who faithfully attend all the fiestas throughout the year. In addition the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cleaning department whose staff warrant a special commendation for swiftly and efficiently cleaning up after all the fiestas, whether it be of Semana Santa, or the romero branches of Corpus Christi or as in this case the ashes of the hogueras.

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For the week preceding the 24th the adjacent street(s) will be blocked off to traffic and tables and bars will be set-up. Each night there will be live music, food and drink for those who want to take part in the nightly festivities.

Torrevieja’s Anis Candela The first falla raised in Torrevieja after the Civil War was in 1944 and put up in the junction of calles Chapaprieta and San Pascual. The subject was Anís Candela, the famous factory of liquors. It was in the shape of a bottle of anis guarded by two warriors and was so good that the company asked for the design so that a similar one could be constructed for the Alicante Hogueras, which actually one first prize there. The people of Torrevieja who had worked on the falla were awarded with several crates of booze from the factory. Nowadays there is plenty of booze each evening as live music and dancing are the rule of the night. The town hall always puts up a hoguera; but after one disastrous year it could not be burned because a stray cat had got on the top of it, the hoguera was saved and used the following year...and the cat was saved! SinFor a couple of years the town hall hoguera was placed on a raft alongside the rocky area within the harbour, which meant it not only can be burnt safely, the remains are in the rocks and water, but it can be seen by thousands of people lining the harbour wall. unfortunately this custom has died. The recent revival of San Juan festivities in Torrevieja has been thanks to the people of the Calvario district, who started it, so on this 25th anniversary we hope that they will be supported as well. However, it now requires to be enlarged as a tourist attraction and to include more districts of the town.

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Presentation of the Fire Queens in Guardamar

Guardamar del Segura In Guardamar the tendency is to call the fiestas of San Juan Fogueres as they usually speak Valenciano. Guardamar is a lovely town to visit at any time as there is history, culture and beautiful beaches. There is a guided tourist train tour explaining "THE PATH OF HISTORY". The meeting point wis at Guardamar Tourist Office and the route includes a visit to the Engineer Mira Guardamar Dune Reforestation Project (1901-1926), the ruins of Guardamar´s walled town on the castle’s hill behind the church, the pine forest, the archaeological sites of la Fonteta (including a Mediaeval Islamic Rábita or Monastery and the remains of the Phoenician Port), the River Segura’s mouth and back to the Tourist Office bordering the dunes and beaches of Vivers and Babilonia. Those interested should make their reservation with Guardamar’s Tourist Office calling 96 572 44 88 or sending an e-mail to: guardamar@touristinfo.net There is one only ticket price at €5. There is a hoguera on the Centro beach so that the fire and water rites can be carried out. This is in place for almost a week before the 24th June. On the magical night there is live music and entertainment as well as a magnificent firework display. Fishermen of Guardamar de Segura have a maritime procession on 29th June in honour of their patron San Pedro who was himself a fisherman. This is probably the only town in Spain which holds this type of fiesta on a day different from the 16th July, the Virgen del Carmen feast date. aormi@icloud.com

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Archena - history, spas, culture and fiestas

Archena is a town on the Rio Segura famous for its Health spa. Thanks tot the fertile lands and the river there have been a population there for over 4,000 years as we know from recent archaeological finds. The Iberians introduced new advances and there are remnants of ceramics from that period. Possibly the greatest influence was that of the Romans who used the area as a R & R zone for tired troops with orgies and hot water springs. The Arabs built a castle on the remains of a Roman fort and obviously thanks to their agricultural skills developed the lands further. Nearby Calasparra grows its own rice and the area has several bodegas with excellent wines. The river and offers rafting and other sporting amenities and the Valle de Ricote is famous for its natural beauty.

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Archena has a large balneario area with hotels and provisions for spas, massage and various health treatments set in lovely greens alongside the River Segura June is when the people celebrate San Juan and also Corpus Christi the two seeming to blend in together. Groups from other towns are invited to participate which adds to the colour as you can find people dressed in traditional costumes and bands playing anything from classical to jazz. Like many Spanish fiestas its a mixture of religious, civil and military entities all playing their part in the community festivities. For the Corpus Christi procession there are floral patterns in the street, cleverly made of coloured salt crystals with herbal flavours, representing allegories of Corpus Christi. Many women wear the spectacular white mantillas and first communion children turn out in their white dresses and sailor outfits. The Corpus fiesta was started in 1246

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Moors and Christians in June by Dave Stewart

The festivity of the Moors and Christians is a prime example of people´s longing to incarnate protagonists from the past. Most are based on the blueprint offered by Alcoy´s fiestas in April. The battle or storming of the castle is adapted to local history, the intervention of the patron saint of the town, the Moors entry (Entramoro) and The Relations (Las Relaciones) tells of the conversion of the Moors after the theft and recovery of a sacred image. Most of them have their origins in the 17th century although some may be earlier. 1571 is a date quoted as the year in which street processions commemorated the victory of the battle of Lepanto and «the Squadron of Utiel» enlivened the feasts by

simulating a combat between Turks and Christians. Each year towns holding these fiestas try to make them ever better and improvements are continuously made, sometimes groups borrowed from other towns.

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Several years ago Requena recovered «The Relations» which used to be held in the small hamlet of San Antonio, and is now played out on a stage in the town´s Teatro Principal with music and choreography bringing the story to life: this is held later in the year on St. Nicholas´ Day. Other Moors & Christians parades are celebrated in Elda (4th - 8th), Alicante’s San Blas district (8th - 12th); Teulada (12th-14th); Pego (29th-30th); Agost (24th-25th); Catral (24th-25th). Always check local tourist offices for up-to-date information.

An example is Moraira and Teulada 3 to 11: “Moros y cristianos”. in Moraira. gala parade 18: Corpus Christi. in Teulada and Moraira. Procession and traditional dances. 23 magical noche of “San Juan”. in Teulada and Moraira. traditional Hogueras with popular meal. Moraira: Playa de l’Ampolla Teulada: Plaza del Ayuntamiento. 17: Recital at Ermita Font Santa. 30 June 7 July: “Fiestas Font Santa”. at Ermita de la Font Santa

Photo: John Rook

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Torrevieja Outlook Nยบ 040- June 20167 Valencia Corpus Christi

by Dave Stewart

The largest Corpus Christi is in Sao Paulo in Brazil when over five million people participate in an exuberant procession. Corpus Christi is a feast celebrated in nearly every town in Spain with a procession. 2017 it falls on 15 June, always a Thursday, but it is normally passed over to the following Sunday. This usually includes white robed children, who have recently made their First Holy Communion, San Paulo scattering flowers and herbs in front of the Holy Eucharist carried by the local priest. However in Valencia it is a totally different event of medieval plays and dances depicting the continuous struggle between Good and Evil, Heaven and Hell. In many towns and countries a carpet of flowers in patterns are placed in the road of the procession.

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The nun Juliana of Liège used to have a strange vision every time she began to pray, which had been happening since her youth, in which a full moon appeared with its centre darkened by a shadow. Finally it was Jesus Christ himself who told her of the significance of the vision which had become an obsession for Juliana: the bright circle signified all liturgical celebrations and these were only darkened by the absence of a feast day dedicated to the exaltation of the actual presence of Christ in the eucharist, which at that time was questioned by several sectors of the Church. Official recognition of the feast day was given in 1246 in a synod called by Roberto de Torote, bishop of Liège. Urbano IV (who had been Archdeacon of Liège cathedral) issued a Papal Bull in 1263 in which he decreed that the date of the feast of Corpus Christi would be the Thursday following the eighth day of Whitsuntide. Finally, in 1317, John XXII ordered that the Body of Christ should be part of a solemn, public procession and from this time on, the feast of Corpus Christi became more and more widespread and popular. Normally it is held on the nearest Sunday to the actual Thursday feastday.

The feast day arrived in Spain sometime during the 14th century, but it is difficult to establish the order of events with regard to this, although it would seem that Girona and Barcelona were the first readily to accept it, followed by Valencia, Lleida, Seville and Toledo.

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Silk Exchange In the processions, the main feature is the Host, and this takes precedence over everything else, being housed in magnificent masterpieces of silverwork. But as said, flowers are an important element of the procession, either petals scattered or flowers in a patterned carpet on the road. Valencia is a wonderful city to visit at any time of the year, but if a visit can coincide with one of the major festivities then all the better. There is so much to do and see in Valencia with its modern blending with the old. There are innumerable museums and exhibitions and one of the loveliest buildings to visit is the old Silk Exc change building. Did you know that the mythical silk road came from China to the same city of Valencia? This link will lead you to the legacy of the silk road in Valencia. Once on the page click on the flag at the left hand top of the page to select your language.

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Valenciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corpus Processions processions which take place in Valencia are inevitably colourful, lively and baroque, dating from 1413 at least. Relevant to this feast day, mystery plays began to be performed and although they have not been handed down in their entirety,

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several important subjects have been added to the many representations. The struggle between Good and Evil, and between Heaven and Hell are performed in the dances. A group of dancers perform in each of these processions and have recuperated many of these old dances.

Roques All types of characters take part in the celebrations --members of guilds and brotherhoods (the feast of Corpus Christi has always been closely linked to the guilds), all the parishes, dance groups, devils, the virtuous, dwarfs, giants and eagles. In Valencia, mystery plays are performed on wooden floats called roques dating from 1413. In 1435 the Casa de les Roques started to be built as the chapel of the Roques.; this was completely renovated in 2004. This is a medieval type fiesta with wonderful gaily coloured costumes of that epoch and an emphasis on religious teachings...with fun. The building houses large floats known as Rocas, with a principal figure and other related characters.

Just before the actual feast date (which is a moveable one dependent on Easter) there are five small processions from the Casa de les Roques to the Plaza de los Fueros, next to the Torres de Serranos. The principal one is carried by a group of aficiandos accompanied by a medieval musical group. The others are drawn by horses. The first figure represents the Devil (Roca “La Diablera” - 1512) who is accompanied by a cartful of lesser evil devils. “Roca San Miguel” (1542) represents the Final Judgement, while “La Fe” (1542) is symbolic of the Catholic Church in Valencia. aormi@icloud.com

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San Vicente Ferrer is possibly the best known Saint of Valencian origins and a Roca is dedicated to him originally in 1512 with Samson and the Lion on board, but the present figure was constructed in 1817. In 1855 Vicente Ferrer was canonised and to mark the event the “Valencia” Roca was built. The Virgen Mary has two Rocas dedicated to her: “la Purisima”(1665) replaced a former ‘Maria del Te Deum figure’ (1542). A baroque style figure is that of the Roca “Mare de Deu dels Desamparats” built in 1995 for the Vth

commemoration of the initiation of this devotion by King Fernando the Catholic.

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“La Santísima Trinidad” (1674) has recently been restored and shows Adam and Eve up front and an Angel with drawn sword guarding the Garden of Eden. At the back of the float God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit are sadly watching them. The “Santa Cruz” float was introduced in 2001 with 33 drawings on its sides of Bible personalities who are in the procession. This float also has a reproduction of the Holy Meal of Juan de Juanes and there is an exact copy of the Holy Chalice kept in the Vaencian Cathedral. The Roca “La Fama” was costructed in 1899 and the following year took part with the seven existing Rocas in the Corpus Christi procession. In 1958 and 1959 the Rocas were all restored. More recently Roca “Del Patriarca” was introduced in 1961 for the canonisation of San Juan de la Ribera.

Ancient procession On the morning of the feastday of Corpus Christi the ancient procession takes place that originated in 1516. The peal of the bells of San Miguelete tower herald the beginning of the fiesta of Corpus Christi: this is the only time that all the bells are heard at the same time. At midday the cavalcade of “Degollo” from the Plaza de Manises through the intervening streets to the Plaza de la Almoina al Palau.

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The mounted section of the Local Police proudly lead the parade in their ceremonial uniforms, followed by the Bigheads who dance to the rhythm of the medieval music. There are three pairs and the dance comes in two parts, the first one rather sedate and ceremonial in style, the other part more like a fandango. In recent years old dances have been recovered and introduced. “Els Caballets” is a group of 8 children dressed as arabs with carton horses (which gives them their name). This dance goes back to 1615 and is related to the Kings who paid homage to the Baby Jesus and on this particular feast give testimony to the adoration of the Holy Sacrament. Another old dance ‘Las Polonesas’ (1846) is that of “Els Arquets” group of children with floral arcs used to good effect in this particular dance that symbolises the happiness of ordinary workers in the festival of Corpus. “Els Pastorets” graciously dance a representation of the Misteri del Rey Herodus, like shepherds before the infamous King Herod. The “La Magrana” dancers use ribbons as they represent the Jews respecting the Eucharist. They dance around a pole, each one with a ribbon attached to the pole, and weave intricate patterns. At the top of the pole is a giant pomegranate and at a crucial part of the dance a metal rod dangling from the fruit is pulled so that the pomegranate opens in sections to reveal an image of the Sacred Host of the Eucharist. Virtue and the Seven Capital Sins are represented in a dance by the group “La Moma i els Momos”. The central figure is La Moma, a man dressed as a woman vested in white, the face covered with a white kerchief. This dance represents the continuous battle of virtue and the final victory over sin. The Momos wear yellow and black with a picturesque hat, representing a dragon, and these characters dance around the Moma. These are only some of the dances recuperated in recent years with songs in Valenciano. Another figure is the Roca “San Miguel” representing the Final Judgement and also the expulsion of the Arabs from the peninsular. The Roca “La Fe” was originally known as “Pariaso Terrenal” (Earthly Paradies) constructed in 1542 and renovated in 1702. The present figure goes back to 1815 and represents the Catholic Faith in Valencia. In 1512 the Roca “San Vicente Ferrer” was introduced, but was replaced by a new figure in 1852: he is one of the best known Valencian saints and has a special holyday after Easter week.

Biblical Characters

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In the processions groups of figures representing Biblical characters appear; people from the Old Testamanet, the four Gospels and Saint John the Evangelist’s

Apocalypse books. A popular group is that of the long bearded Noahs wearing white robes, carrying a symbolic dove of peace in one hand and an olive branch in the other. This represents God’s love of mankind, His mercy and man’s need to strive for peace.

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St. Michael the Archangel appears with a flaming sword and a large shield: he marches along with a dark clad figure on one side, representing a soul in pain; on the other side a similar figure in a white tunic is a soul in Grace. Corpus Christi means â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Body of Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and this festival celebrates the Last Supper of Jesus and his apostles when he commanded them to follow his example and instituted the sacramanet of the Holy Eucharist. In effect through transubstantiation Catholics believe that Jesus offers a continual communion with him through the consecrated bread and wine at every Mass and in reality they are eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It is a difficult

concept to understand and requires a great deal of faith and, in fact, in the New Testament it is remarked that many found this to be a hard saying and left his company. As such bread and wine are important elements in this particular festival. Several of the characters in the procession carry bread and wine. Melchisedech, the great priest of the Old Testament, carries bread and wine as a symbol of the eucharistic sacrifice. Moses and Aaron carry the tablets of the Ten Commandments, important figures as aormi@icloud.com

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they were witnesses of the manna or bread in the desert miraculously sent down from heaven: another reference to the Eucharist. In fact all the Old Testamanet figures bear some relationship with the promise of the fulfillment of the Jewish Law by Jesus. Two figures carry the ladder of Jacob signifying the patriarchs ascending to heaven. Eight Jewish priests carry the Arc of the Alliance, a golden chest surmounted by two cherubs which hold the Tables of the Law. Seven angels are the figures of the the Apocalypse of Saint John and in the 18th century they performed a dance in front of the Altar of Sacrifice (which also appears in the procession). In fact there are too many figures in this procession to write down here as it would require a book on its own for Valencia’s Corpus Christi celebrations. It is full of allegories such as Santa Margalida with a parade of the ‘Cuca Fera’, a giant turtle that represents, according to the story, the devil dominated by the Saint herself. This is a great tradition in the Mediterranean countries. In fact you will discover many saints and legends that Anglo-Saxons have never heard of. Route The procession keeps more or less to the original route of 1355: Puerta de los Apóstoles de la Catedral, Plaza de la Virgen, Cabaleros, Tros Alt, Bolsería, Mercado, maria Cristina, San Vicente, Plaza de la Reina, Mar, Avellanas, Plaza de la Almoina and back to the cathedral.

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125 years a Seaside Bar by Pat Hynd

La Marina Bar celebrates 125 years. There are many anniversaries this year one of those is the 125 anniversary of Bar Marina in Torrevieja port area, directly in front of the Casino also celebrating 150 years of an important social input into local social and cultural life. This bar is tucked away on the harbour front, indeed if you go behind the bar there is still remains of the former Quay that was there. Recently the barrier was taken away and now the bar is more open to the people traffic along the paseo. The bar was built by Francisco Moreno Fuentes in 1892. Many famous people have passed through this busy little bar. The famous politician Trinitario Ruiz CapdepĂłn, Minister of Justice was guest of honour at a banquet organized by liberals on 17th July 1893. The original wooden structure was damaged by a fierce storm on the morning of 13 April,1958. With a stadium named after him, Santiago Bernabeu, president of Real Madrid FC visited the bar on 11 March, 1959, on a visit to the local supporters club. Thereafter the bar was decorated with the banners, photographs etc. of the Real Madrid. The famous author, Arturo PĂŠrez Reverte, frequented the bar on his many visits to Torrevieja. On a visit last year 26 August, he wrote about the amicable time he spent there in the company of Rafa Baeza, the present owner, and Manolo of the Real Club Nautico. Bar Marina is a nice bar open to the sea breeze and sun with an emphasis on seafood and tapas.

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Oh We’re off on hols by Pat Hynd

So you're ready for your holidays and made a check list, a what to do list, even a wish list. What about a health list? Should you have any particular infirmity or illness ensure that you have sufficient medication to cover the days away. Those traveling with a pacemaker or other body prosthesis should have the necessary document to pass through security checkpoints at airports and other exit and entry ports. Now they have body scans to check knee and hip replacements.

If you are traveling abroad check with your doctor or travel agency in case you require any vaccinations or that there are any particular health hazards, such as the Zika scare of the Rio Olympics. Fortunately Zika had now been declared as no longer a danger to visitors to Brazil. Travel in Europe is covered in an emergency by the EHIC card. It will still be valid for British travelers at least until other arrangements are made by governments. It is also wise to take out separate travel insurance that covers health and repatriation should it be required and includes a death repatriation. Insurance policies need to have the small print read to make sure you know what is NOT covered.

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When traveling by air it’s important not to become dehydrated; so drink plenty of water, but no alcohol and avoid tea or coffee as they can lead to dehydration. In hot countries drink plenty off water and get the habit of carrying a small bottle of water wherever you go. These common sense preparations and precautions are important especially if you suffer from Chrons or other intestinal illnesses. Travel can be stressful so it is advisable to have a small first aid kit that includes your normal medication be it an asthma pump, diabetic insulin or other specialized medical equipment. On board a plane ensure you drink a lot of water, move around the cabin whenever possible, wear suitable loose and light clothing to aid body circulation. When seated do not cross your legs as this blocks your circulation. Try to do small flexing exercises with your feet and legs and walk up and own he aisle when you can. Try to keep fresh and relaxed and a good idea is to have wipes. Pregnancy has its own potential dangers and medical advice should be sought prior to travel. Air hostesses are not permitted to fly and laid off for the full pregnancy and maternity time. Depending on the airline they are on full pay. If traveling from exotic destinations pay attention for at least a week afterwards to your physical condition as most (but not all) tropical diseases will manifest themselves during this time; if anything abnormal is noticed see a doctor and explain your recent travels and how you feel. Keep a note of flight details in case they are needed.

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Your Beach beckons by Pat Hynd

Alicante/ Elche airport has reached its 50th anniversary as a civil airport. Previously it was a military airport and civilians used the Valencia airport to reach Costa Blanca destinations. Today the airport deals with over thirteen million passengers, but is designed to cope with fifty million. Alicante is now the fifth busiest Spanish airport. The tourism statistics in the Valencia region show a continuous growth in visitors, especially British. In the first quarter of this year 1.3 million people descended on the towns of the zone according to the National Statistics Office INE. Almost half a million British tourists in the figures show an increase of 11percent. So we can expect an increase in summer visitors. Spain has been awarded with 684 Blue Flags (579 beaches, 10 for sporting and tourist ports). So Spain continues to lead the world in this class of tourism aimed at beaches and yachting. Greece, France, Turkey, Italy and Portugal follow up Spain. This means that one of every six Blue Flags flying in the world are on the Spanish coastline. The Castellon

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24. So thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of choice when you land at Alicante/Elche airport and drive south. An inland city Elche still has a glorious coast with beautiful beaches at Arenales del Sol-Sur, La Marina, Carabassa, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo and Calas del Este In Roman times Santa Pola was the seaport for Elche and today has a fine fishing fleet and several award winning beaches - Varador - Llevant, Tamarit, Calas Santiago Bernabeu and La Roqueta. Going south Guardamar del Segura has the Centre beach and El Moncaio flying Blue Flags. Torrevieja has several award winning beaches including El Cura, Los Naufragos, Caa Piteras, Los Locos and La Mata south beach as well as one of its three marinas. Then there is Punta Prima on the border with Orihuela with Cala Bosque at La Zenia,, La Caleta at Cabo Roig were you will also find the enchanting Capitan beach with its offshore island, a haunt of smugglers in the past. Orihuela is another inland city, but with a fine coastline of fine sand beaches and small coves with Blue flags flying at Campoamor, Barranco Rubio, Cala Estaca, Cala Mosca. Mil Palmeras is shared with Orihuela and PiIar de la Horadada a nice town that has the beach los Jesuitas, el Conde and Higuericas, which is the last beach on the Alicante province as continuing south we are in the Murcia region. This summer Torrevieja is supplying small reusable ashtrays with a message that smoking is bad for you, but if you have to don't throw the stubs away but put them in the ashtray and get ride of them elsewhere and not on the beach.

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Yellow and blue are the colors associated with the Spanish postal services that today offers a gamut of services. This year the company is celebrating its 300th anniversary. One of the earliest postal systems in Spain was that organised by the Romans, theÂ cursus publicus, with a chain of couriers, some on foot others on horseback, lining up with fast ships carrying government orders and letters. Â Augustus at first followed the previous Persian method known as the Royal Road, of having mail handed from one courier to the next, but he soon switched to a system whereby one man made the entire journey with the parcel. This meant that correspondence would travel about 50 miles per day. A good sailing vessel with favourable winds could take a missive up to 100 miles a day. These were government maintained and for official use and in later centuries it was governments that had the monopoly of postal services although some accepted private letters for a large fee.

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The Spanish postal system Correos is now celebrating 300 years of existence. Since 1716, it has been a public service and working for everyone and has a universalized communication. It became affordable by turning the stamp into a method of payment. It became faster with the introduction of the telegraph and telephone in Spain. The service became closer to home, installing mailboxes and post office branches and introducing residential mailboxes to reach and connect to citizens, traders, entrepreneurs, etc. from everywhere. And it is now reliable and secure thanks to the professional working force. 1756 saw the introduction of local postmen and in 1762 the first post-boxes were introduced. Payment by sticky paper stamps began in 1850 and previous to this rubber and ink stamps were used. The first pre-paid adhesive stamp was used in Britain. Englishman Sir Rowland Hill was interested in postal reform in 1835. Hill’s ideas for postage stamps and charging paid-postage based upon weight soon took hold, and were adopted in many countries throughout the world. From the beginning these were over-stamped so that they could not be used a second time.

In 1833 the Torrevieja census tells us that there was a local postman named, Antonio Samper García. Inevitably a postman worked in the place where he was born and knew everybody in town, so the post would have been promptly delivered or he would have complaints. It appears that Antonio was very popular. Spain’s postal system is still known as Telégrafos y Correos. On 30th June 1871, Torrevieja was granted the right of a telegraph station by royal decree and the telegraph became an important asset to the town. It was officially inaugurated in aormi@icloud.com

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1873 and opened a valuable connection with the rest of Spain and the world. In 1890 Correos was delivering over 75 million letters and packages. Over the years thousands of telegrams have been sent and received from the telegraph station. The sailors of Torrevieja working overseas were able to convey money home via the giro telegram system, which developed later. A telegram was an important event in the life of a family as it heralded news of births, marriages and deaths. Some surrounding towns, such as Almoradi, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a telegraph office, so those citizens had to travel, probably by train, to Torrevieja. Over the years different types of code signals were used - Morse, Baudet, Hugues, Creed, Morklum. In 1919 the first Airmail Service in Spain was introduced. By 1990 the full computerisation of the post office network had been undertaken. Eight years later Correos hd their first website: www.correos.es In 1999 Coreos launched their first Corporate Social Responsibility programme, although we had been collaborating with non-governmental organisationsâ&#x20AC;¨ since the 1970s. It became a State Limited Company and started working as a real company in 2001. The following year began the Automation Plan for the network of major logistics centres, with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology machines that sort at a rate of 40,000 mail items per hour. 2011 saw Automation Parcel Plan, with machines that classify up to 6,000 parcels per hour, providing the most comprehensive service on the market in terms of time and delivery options and with the best quality. Another new venture in 2001 was the Virtual Post Office on the Correos website offering a wide variety of services, from direct marketing campaigns to the management of databases. The stamp transformed postal communications in 1850 and, since then, Correos has not stopped being INNOVATIVE IN PHILATELY. Now, there are stamps with augmented reality using QR codes, new materials and textures, in 3D, thermal inks with unexpected light effects, with scent and even taste. We do not know how they will be in 300 years time but with MiSello, you can personalise your deliveries with whatever images you like.

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HELP I NEED SOMEBODY The Beatles hit the right nerve with this song when it is applied to the HELP association. The HELP association started over 35 years ago with a few British friends getting together regularly in what was then the Miramar Restaurant and now the Torrevieja Tourist Office. The idea was just to provide information about living in Spain and, where possible, help others who found difficulties. This especially meant those with documentation problems including when someone died and coping with the red tape necessary. This led to a close relationship with the British Consulate in Alicante, that still continues. In the days before computers some information leaflets were drawn up that helped enormously. Then the idea was obvious that HELP must have a more formal footing and the association was born as HELP Torrevieja, a registered charity, and later changed to encompass the whole of the Vega Baja and the main office was moved to larger premises at San Miguel de las Salinas with an adjoining shop to sell stuff and raise funds, so covers an area which includes La Marina and extends to Pilar de la Horadada.. There was a need for those who needed wheelchairs or crutches or other aormi@icloud.com

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HELP President, Michelle Masson signing n agreement with Francisco Fiestras, manager of the private Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja. This permits HELP members to a 10% discount of some of the hospital’s services, with special emphasis on preventive treatment. mobility equipment and this developed into another little section that rents out these sorts of items. A Friendship Centre at La Zenia started 13 years ago opens Monday afternoons between 2pm and 5:30pm.There is a Help Desk at La Marina, open each Thursday at the Hope Fellowship Church (Avda de Justo Antonio Quesada, Urb La Marina) OR IS IT every Wednesday between 2:30 to 5pm at The Posh Club. In addition there is a 24 hour Help Line (966 723 733) which is available every day of the year for non medical emergencies. A recorded message will provide the telephone number of a volunteer on duty. Today the HELP association has 1,600 associates who actively help in many ways as volunteers in the shop and the two information centres, fund raising that last year raised 26,000 euros, hospital visitors, helping those living alone, Diabetic and Parkinson support groups, craft classes, there is a social worker as well as the assistance of a lawyer when necessary. Books and talking tapes from the library are loaned to hospital patients at Torrevieja University Hospital and the Vega Baja Hospital free of charge. Funds raised are often donated to help other good causes in aormi@icloud.com

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the area such as equipment to the hospital, or money to AFECANCER The office in calle la Rambla de Juan Mateo Nยบ4, was closed and renovated and has been reopened to offer even better facilities for those who live in Torrevieja as well as a drop in centre for anyone visiting the town centre, as it is close to the promenade. HELP has also offered a few desks in this office that can be used by other charitable associations that lack premises. This office is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 13.30. Contact 966 723 733 or http://www.helpvegabaja.com, or on Facebook or the President Michelle Masson president@helpvegabaja.com The work of HELP is recognized by many Spanish town halls who work on some cases with HLEP volunteers, especially with social care needs. This is borne out by an award such as that by the small business association of Torrevieja APYMECO, that awarded a recognition prize to the association for their altruistic work. Every first Tuesday of the month a lunch is held, more recently at The Portico Mar Restaurant near Guardamar. Many friends, members and supporters of HELP attend and enjoy a 3 course meal including wine at a reasonable cost. The afternoon aormi@icloud.com

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Volunteers are delighted with the reopening of their office in Torrevieja in call Rambla Juan Mateo 4. They are quite willing to allow other charitable

is always well supported and a good opportunity to meet other Help members and make new friends. Book at least a week in advance by telephoning the office 966 723 733 HELP’s Diabetic Support Group meets on the last Wednesday of the month at Casa Tom, Avenida Jaca 31, San Luis, 03184 Torrevieja and is fully funded by the HELP Association of Vega Baja, so is free of any annual or monthly fees. Those attending are able to benefit from support, sharing experiences and information with others. This group benefits those who are recently diagnosed, as well as those who have learned to live with Diabetes. Every effort is made to keep up to date with developments in the treatment of diabetes. It also helps ‘carers’ who need a few hours on their own. How about volunteering for HELP Vega Baja, would you like to get involved? Can you spare a few hours a week? Why not come along and see what we do? There's a range of benefits for members that are updated regularly, such as a discount arrangement with the private QUIRONSALUD Hospital in Torrevieja for members. These benefits include a discount on the hire of orthopedic equipment, an Emergency Contact Scheme, a Helpcare Policy which provides assistance when members are discharged from hospital (when required), an interpreter service, help with the cost of preparing a will to name but a few. Qualifying periods and limits apply to some benefits and full details can be obtained from the San Miguel centre.

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Red Cross Office in La Marina BY PAT HYND

There is also an active social dimension to HELP members with a monthly lunch and the events throughout the year. Contact the San Miguel office for more information. HELP Vega Baja is a registered charity and helps people with all sorts of problems, particularly at time of crisis and emergencies and when police or medical services are involved. HELP Vega Baja offices are located in: Calle Lope de Vega 46, San Miguel de Salinas, 03193, Alicante. Tel: 966 723 733 open Monday-Friday 10am - 1.30pm. Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4, Torrevieja, 03181, Alicante. Tel: 965 704 2852 Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am - 1.30pm. Information Desk at: Office of the Urbanizacion, San Fulgencio Town Hall â&#x20AC;&#x201C; La Marina. Tel: 966 443 002 and ask for HELP Desk - Open Fridays 10am - 1.30pm. www.helpvega.baja.com. Emergency HELP (24/7) 966 723 733.

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On 16th May the Cruz Roja held an Open Day at their premises in La Marina Urbanisation. The day was well attended by supporters and friends from various associations. On show was the mobile unit donated by the Valencian Freemasons that provides a helpline to those with few resources or without a roof over their head. There is a telephone that links these people with the Red Cross who can then help them with food or even a shower as the van has two sections for male and female. It is fitted with four showers and equipment to help cover the basic sanitary and social necessities of the homeless in situ. i.e personal hygiene, alimentation and first auxiliaries. Another project is a project call "Family Reunification", and Red Cross help people to find relatives, especially after wars. But it is also used in Spain to track missing relatives. Present was Pedro Javier Domínguez Crego, a Red Cross representative who is working in conjunction with the British Consulate to try to assist British people in this part of Spain. He works out of the Alicante office, but will visit Guardamar and La Marina when required. The La Marina office will come under the administration of Guardamar assembly of the Cruz Roja. aormi@icloud.com

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At the Open Day HELP volunteers were delightedly surprised to relieve a thank you plaque from Red Cross volunteers in appreciation of the assistance they have received to get this new Project off the ground.

The new initiative gives residents of San Fulgencio, of which La Marina is a part, a place where they can find lots of information as well as a friendly reception. The La Marina office is a small house on the corner of calle San Juan de la Cruz with calle Berna and clear marked as Cruz Roja centre. Nicki Kilby-Foster, an experienced counsellor has agreed to work with HELP Vega Baja to offer a BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP for folks in the a Marina area. Continuing their aim to collaborate with other charities to benefit people who need support, HELP Vega Baja will have a HELP volunteer based with the Cruz Roja at their premises in La Marina, every Tuesday morning. Jacque Hooks, who has been a volunteer with HELP for many years has been attending the house for several weeks now to learn more about the Cruz Roja and will be pleased to help you with any advice, complete memberships etc for HELP or of course, where appropriate direct you to the Cruz Roja volunteers.

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A previous donation from HELP to AFECANCER few years ago

AFECANCER received a donation from Help president Michelle Masson for 2,000 euros which is a big boost to this association. AFECANCER provide support for cancer patients and families. So the donation will alleviate some of the daily needs that patients require and often unable to afford. It is an organization whose members have experienced the trauma of cancer and, therefore, are able to demonstrate a professional solidarity for cancer patients and their families. AFECANCER is a registered charity with a hands on system of helping and supporting patients and their families affected by cancer in one of its many forms, helping them to achieve a greater quality of life. Often individual cases are referred from local social welfare offices and AFECANCER members are able to offer a more intimate support. Several services are on offer from information, Orientation and support service, specific individual and also group psychologic support, a Labour integration service, Home-help programme, Leisure and free time activity programme, sometimes economic help for cancer patients. There is a service for carers with sessions for grief and coping mechanism. Often there are public campaigns talks to raise awareness of cancer. There is a health awareness promotion, especially in a Stop-smoking session. AFE Cancer are based in Calle Los Molinos 6 in Torrevieja and can be contacted on 965 074 375 or via their Facebook page. Like all charities they rely upon the generosity of the local community to support their work. Please contact AFE for more information aormi@icloud.com

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Nยบ 040- June 20167

Saving Lives at Sea

For a number of months we have had a Coastguard boat off the waters of Torrevieja with the aim to ensure more safety of fishermen, yachtsmen and the general public. Underway is another new initiative in conjunction with the Torrevieja branch of the Cruz Roja. This will require a new shore base for dealing with those at sea, but also with the intention of fighting contamination of the sea. It will also support the coastguard in the ongoing tragedy of illegal immigrants arriving by sea, which has increased by 77% in the past year. This new enterprise will count on four ships covering the coastline from San Pedro del Pinatar to Oliva. At present the Cruz Roja have bases in different towns - La Lima Sierra Denia, La Lima Sierra Tabarca with its main base in Denia, and Lima Sierra Pluton based in Santa Pola.

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of Spanish Cooking by Pat Hynd

June H(eating) Up

This month we celebrate the hogueras of San Juan, connected with the summer solstice and beachside rituals jumping over fire. The whole fiesta is connected with the heat of the sun, heat of fire, heat of human bodies and their desires. The Alicante is the place to be for this particular week of fun and an important part is eating and drinking. No doubt on demand will be a paella dish. There are many variations of paella whose name is connected to the original flat dish on which it was coked over an open fire in the Valencian countryside. The term comes from a Latin word patella. It was a flat dish, on which offerings were made to the gods. The dish has a large surface area that is important to spread the heat evenly so that the water in which the rice is

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Paella Valenciana with meat, vegetables and snails. Paella Mmarinera with seafood. Paella Vegetable

being cooked can evaporate. This produces rice sticking to the bottom of the dish and this is the much sought after socarrat. It likely originated in the Valencia hinterland when the agriculture workers had an open fire and a large flat dish on which they cooked the rice, adding vegetables in season, this is the paella Verduras, then snails, and if available bits of rabbit or chicken leading the paella Valenciana. Fishermen took it up, doing the same thing, adding vegetables that kept well at sea and throwing in seafood and fish. This became the paella Marinera and as sometimes the y used squid ink the rice became black. Popular today is a paella mixta, which combines both seafood and meat with the rice and vegetables. Paella is usually served on its cooking dish and placed in the centre of the table. In the fields the workers used wooden spoons and each helped themselves, but in restaurants normally a waiter would present it in all its colourful glory to the diners then proceed to serve it up in portions.

Elche has its own oven prepared paella style dish known as Arroz con Costra, as it has a delicious crust. Some cooks will use both chicken and rabbit, with leek, carrot, black and white butifarra and a sausage. Â˝ cup of cooked chickpeas 1 small finely diced onion 2 diced cloves of garlic a bay leaf a chicken cut into at least eight portions 150 grams of butifarra negro aormi@icloud.com

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3 tbs olive oil 100 grams smoked ham cut in cubes 400 grams rice salt & pepper ½ teaspoon mild paprika saffron chopped parsley 2 eggs 2 tbls breadcrumbs In about a litre and a half of water cook the chickpeas with the vegetables you’re using including the bay leaf. Add the chicken and sausage. Take out the bay leaf and simmer until tender. Drain the pan but KEEP the liquid (caldo). Heat the oil in a casserole dish and sweat the rice and ham until translucent. Pour in about a litre of stock with the seasonings. Boil for ten minutes. Slice the sausages and add in the chicken to the rice and simmer for five minutes. Beat the eggs and pour over the rice. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake in a preheated oven at 425ºF/225Cº until golden brown.

Orange Flan 1 cup granulated sugar  2 tablespoons water  Drop of lemon juice  1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk  1 teaspoon orange zest  1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice  1/4 cup half and half cream or milk   5 large eggs  2 drops pure orange oil (optional)   1/4 cup orange liqueur

Prepare Caramel:

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In a heavy saucepan over low to medium-low heat, combine 1 cup sugar, water, and drop of lemon juice (the lemon juice keeps the mixture from hardening or crystalling). NOTE: I find that maintaining a low heat, I have more control over the caramelizing process, as it is really easy to burn. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture just begins to simmer. After sugar dissolves and syrup is simmering, cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, without stirring. Hold handle of pan and gently tilt the pan off the heat to distribute colour evenly as sugar caramelizes. When sugar reaches a uniform golden brown (light amber) colour, immediately remove from heat and pour into individual ramekins or custard dishes, coating the bottoms evenly (tilt the dishes so that the caramel coats the bottom). Watch it carefully, it can go past the light brown stage quickly and burn. Set aside and let cool. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to middle position in your oven. In a blender, combine condensed milk, orange zest, orange juice, half and half, eggs, orange oil, and orange liqueur; process until smooth. Pour into individual ramekins or custard dishes. Place ramekins or custard cups into an ovenproof roasting or baking pan. If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of newspaper to ensure an even temperature on the bottom. Bring the water for the water bath to a light simmer on top of the stove; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come half-way up the sides of the custard cups. NOTE: The most common mistake people make in baking custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set around the edges, but still loose in the centre. The cooking time will depend largely on the size of the custard cups you are using, but begin checking at 20 minutes and check back regularly. When the centre of custard is just set, it will jiggle a little when shaken, that is when you can remove it from the oven (the flans will continue to set as they cool). Remove flan from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled. Remove cups from water bath and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. The prepared flan can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To unmould and serve, carefully dip bottom of each ramekin in a baking pan of hot water briefly. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin to loosen it from the inside of the bowl. Wipe the outside of the mould dry, place an individual chilled serving plate (topside down) on top of each flan. Invert the custard onto the plate and carefully lift off ramekin (shake gently to release flan), allowing caramel syrup to run over flan; pour any extra caramel remaining in the mould over the custard. aormi@icloud.com

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La Paloma de Torrevieja One of the most famous habaneras is that by Sebastián Iradier named “La Paloma” which was a favorite Carlota de Bélgica, emperatriz de México and wife of Maximiliano de Habsburgo. The La Paloma tipsy refreshing drink consisted of anise, water and lots of ice. These are the essential ingredients for the production of this traditional drink that used to be served in the summer bars of Torrevieja. Its origins stems from the traffic flow in the 19th century to North Africa, and the trade between the shipping of Oran, Algiers and Mazalquivir, so it blends French culture and the Levantine one.

In the 19th century the anisettes in Spain were considered as a healthy drink, similar to the gin in Victorian England. The use of anis in drinks varied with ingredients and place, for example the 'canary' elaborated with anise of paloma, lemon syrup and water, was favoured in the Vega Baja. It was seen as a bulwark against the cholera in the Iberian Peninsula in 19th century and turns a milky color when mixed. The supposedly anti-cholera properties ensured it became a popular drink in Torrevieja. In Monóvar, the drinkers adopted the name un mono

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(monkey) a diminutive of the national 'monovero', which Jose Boch adopted in Badalona, having registered the brand ' Anís El Mono'. Wines and spirits of Torrevieja made by Pedro Casciaro Lobato - a Gibraltarian who bought property in Torrevieja in the ' Cerco de San José (today Park of the Nations area, were awarded in the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona in 1888, and Paris, in 1889, emphasizing the ' soft anisette ' as a major product. In those days Torrevieja's low houses had cisterns to catch the rainfall coming off the slanted roofs. This water was then kept in earthenware drinking gourds, botijos, and anis added, popularly used as a medicinal drink, especially against the tapeworms that produced diseases. Torrevieja was not affected by the cholera, as the drinking water had no pathogenic microbes in it. In the early 20th century several bars in Torrevieja specialised in la Paloma. Francisco Torregrosa y Cª. produced in Torrevieja the branded anís ‘Torregrosa’ as well as a coñac ‘Maciá’, drinks distributed in the Vega Baja. Vicente Moscardó Barceló had a bodega with the brand of anis, ‘Colosal’; José Ballester Costa also distributed another anis, ‘Salas’ in Torrevieja with another one ‘Candela’, these two made in Monforte del Cid. Although the three competed with one another they co-operated in the local fiestas such as the hogueras of San Juan. Hoguera foto of 1949 sponsored by Colossal anis company By the 1960’s French Pernod and Ricard were more common as was fashionable drinks like a Bloody Mary, whisky, gin and tonic etc.

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Golden Liquid

Olive Oil: no nothing to do with Popeye’s girl friend, but this is one of the most important ingredients that characterises the Mediterranean diet, a diet that is praised and recommended by dieticians the world over. If you look on Amazon you will ﬁnd hundreds of books proclaiming the miraculous beneﬁts of this sacred oil of Greek and Roman mythology. The olive tree was indispensable in the early Mediterranean civilisations and in the Bible there are over 200 references to it, especially as a symbol of peace. The olive tree arrived in Spain over 3,000 years ago, which has been aKributed to the Phoenicians. As a kid in sunny Scotland my mother always had a small boKle of olive oil from Boots chemist for medicinal purposes and she used to rub it on my body in the long hot summers; I aKribute my lovely soft skin to this treatment. A European ruling that came into force a few years ago was that olive oil must be presented in sealed, tamper-proof packaging. This explains why you may be

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presented with an ungainly bottle of oil on the restaurant table rather than gracious curved cruets. It is part of a campaign to provide diners with sealed condiments of good origin preventing restaurants from substituting the real thing for a cheaper alternative But here we are talking about Spanish olive oil as the new sprigs have sprung in Spring and now the shape of berries have appeared. The flavour, colour and taste varies depending on the type of olives used, and like wine, the climate, place and soil affects the qualities of the olives and the subsequent oil. The type of olive tree and the ripeness of its fruit influence the colour of the oil. Some trees are developed to produce olives for eating, while others are produced to provide oil -‐‑ two separate types of tree. The variety picual is the most important in the world representing some 20% worldwide and 50% of Spanish production. It contains a high level of oleic acid and keeps well, as it possesses a good quantity of natural antioxidants.

La Arbequina is one of the best-‐‑known Spanish varieties with small olives containing a lot of oil. They make good eating as they are soft, light, and delicate with an almost almond ﬂavour. Hojiblanca is also well known and is used for salads. It has a sweet and fruity ﬂavour.

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Olive oil is cholesterol free and very h i g h i n o l e i c a c i d , a m o n o -‐‑ unsaturated faKy acid. This type of fat does not raise blood cholesterol levels the way animal fat or tropical oils from palm and coconuts does. Olive oil contains between 55% and 83% unsaturated fats as well as antioxidants that fight free radicals, elements that suppress the immune system of the body, and could be the cause of heart disease, cancers as well as the aging process. Olive oil also helps reduce blood pressure. Vitamin E is present in olive oil and this is a powerful antioxidant. Other vitamins A, D, E, K, are all found in olive oil. Apart from this olive oil is excellent for flavouring foods. However, there are various types of olive oil. Extra Virgin Oil is of the highest quality being the first pressing of the olives without the use of heat or chemicals. It has the lowest acidity quality. Virgin Olive Oil is from the second pressing and has a slightly higher acidity level. Olive Oil is produced from another pressing and the olives are heated to thin the oil so that it is removed more easily. Light Olive Oil is made from the filtered combination of refined olive oil and small amounts of virgin olive oil. It is not light in the sense of less kilo joules, just in texture and taste. In general virgin olive oils are used for salad dressings. It is used in cooking, as it does not break down when heated and actually forms a seal around food, sealing in flavour and minimising fat absorption.

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Those Crazy Days of Summer by Dave Stewart

Summer is a time of throwing away the normal routines of life and doing crazy things, so there is no surprise that this creeps into fiestas and culture. Olives are part of the very framework of Spanish cuisine. So it is no surprise that it has spilled onto fiestas and games. Here is an idea for your BBQ this summer – spitting olive stones as far as possible.

It is now spitting in New York as olive stone spitting is an annual event.

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Catalonia’s olive oil fairs are not just a chance to try and buy new season oils but usually to have fun, too. Apart from learning more about olive oil and its uses, they offer a chance to discover local gastronomy and culture and sometimes some unusual traditions. In terms of quirky fair activities it’s hard to beat olive stone spitting contests, where the prize goes to whoever projects an olive stone the furthest. One was held at the Terres de l’Ebre fair, attracting 50 entrants and many bemused spectators. Each contestant was given six olives to eat in order to obtain six spits, of which they spat three and had their two best distances noted. Organizers said black olives from Aragón were used, “but just because we had some.” The winner of the adults’ contest was Cristian Melero, with 10.77m, while Cristian Serett won the under-14 division with 5.45m. Pablo Delgado, last year’s champion with 9.87m, said the trick is “simply to blow hard.” For the first time in Israel, olive spitting contestants had a chance to break the world olive-pit spitting record (21.20 meters, or 96.5 feet). Israel´s first olive-pit spitting contest, organized in February, 2012, under the auspices of the International Federation of Pit Spitting, attracted both tourists and Israelis, each of whom got three tries. The clear winner was Itzhak Hazan with a 10.9-meter (35.7-foot) spit. aormi@icloud.com

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Organisers say that last year 25,000 people attended the annual Olive Stone launching competition on the Paseo in Cieza, Murcia. 285 people competed in the spitting competition. The so-called Hueso de Oro (Golden Stone) , went to a local PP councillor, Teodoro García Egea, whose 18.76 metres is the fourth longest recorded distance ever. The longest ever distance was set locally in 1998 by Mariano Martínez Béjar who reached 21.32 metres. This year is the 24th year. The goal is to eat an olive and then spit out the stone “without any aid.” The organizers say they have their sights set on Olympic recognition. A Guadia Civil agent, Pedro Ramos won the World Championship by spitting a stone 25,08 metros beating his own previous record in 2010 of 21,43 metros. Still a bit to go to compete with the longest spit of a cherry stone in competition which is 28.51 m (93 ft 6.5 in) by Brian "Young Gun" Krause (USA) Elche, in Alicante province, stages its own version, the "Golden Lungs" competition using not only olives, but locally grown dates as the city is famous for its palm groves. In South Africa, Bokdrol Spoek, roughly translated as “spitting kudu and buck droppings” is a quirky tradition that has people putting dung pellets in their mouth and spitting them as far as they can. Not recommended.

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The

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Tomatina

is probably the best known crazy contest that is now of International T o u r i s t Interest. It’s a fiesta that takes place in B u ñ o l ' s municipality, Valencia, and celebrated on the last Wednesday of A u g u s t , coinciding with the week of holidays to the boss of the c i t y. La Tomatina is not the typical patron saint holiday, since the principal attraction consists in the participants pelt tomatoes at each other. Such it is the success of this celebration that there has been declared in 2002 Holiday of Tourist International Interest.

Wacky Boats in Torrevieja Torrevieja’s wacky boat design competition is still on for the Virgen de Carmen fiestas in July. A similar affair has been held for many years on the Rio Bullant. Torrevieja also holds, on these seamen’s fiestas, a Cucaña competition with a horizontal greasy pole over the water near the fishermen’s wharf. It is held aormi@icloud.com

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in many coastal locations, such as Castro Urdiales in Cantabria, it is also to horizontal pole across water, which tends to hurt less when you fall off. The greasy pole event entails climbing a greased pole using only arms and legs and is held throughout Spain – Seville, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Cadiz and Orgaz have all tried it – it is also popular in much of Latin America.

Baby Jumping El Colacho (Baby Jumping) Festival, Castrillo de Murcia, near Burgos. In Castrillo de Murcia, in Burgos, the locals hurl insults at the colacho, who is in disguise and who tries to snatch one of his tormentors from the crowd. Later in the day, all the babies born that year are laid out in the town square, and the colacho jumps over them. The uniquely Spanish festival sees townspeople dress up in colourful costumes and form a queue to leap over a mattress laden with babies born during the previous 12 months. The ceremony rids the babies of evil spirits and guards against illness. This is one of the Corpus Christi festivals that are held all over Spain.

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Spain in Europe Andy Ormiston

Brexit is very much to the fore in daily news media, so many for and so many against. I was a British child, born at the outset of World War II in 1939. I witnessed so many men and women’s lives affected by the effects of not only that war, but subsequent one. In 1950, at the age of twelve, I could see the futility of war and its lasting effects on whole families as well as individuals. I wrote an article at school about the need of fusion of countries to prevent another war. So it was no surprise to me that there was a European Community formed years later. So if I as a child who could see the necessity of some form of unity, then did anyone else? The original dream of a free federal Europe did not originate in government chambers or university cloisters, or during debates among the military elite following World War II. Rather, it was inspired by the vision of an Italian journalist Altiero Spinelli when he was deported to the island of Ventotene for questioning fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s rise to power in Italy. In June 1941, horrified by the extent of the slaughter, communist sympathizer Spinelli wrote the manifesto for a free and united Europe on onionskin paper in very small handwriting. His vision would lead a decade later to Europe’s Coal and Steel Community, which was the precursor to the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Union. The 60 million dead from WWII made it imperative to find a way of avoiding a third global conflict. The first history lesson that aspiring diplomats at the College of Europe in Bruges used to receive always took place in the countryside. “I got there in 1973,” recalls Manuel Marín, former Vice-President of the European Commission and a key negotiator of Spain’s accession. “The first day of class, we were taken on a bus to a small hill overlooking a vast cemetery that was established there aormi@icloud.com

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after World War II. Our teacher, Mr Lory, pointed out the endless rows of white crosses and said, ‘If Europe exists, it's because of this’.” After a bitter civil war and years of dictatorship Spain has now experienced 30 years of union with other European countries and most people agree it is for the better. I remember when it was first discussed, a Spanish businessman told me, “We don’t need Europe as Spain has everything – good meat, fishing industry, our own wine, olive oil, coal, hydro electric power. We have everything” Twenty years later he admitted that Spain had developed rapidly because of its inclusion in the EU with far better road works, better train service, a far better electricity system, more trade opportunities and students able to study abroad. He himself had benefited with his own small business that he has now passed on to one of his sons after an early retirement. As for infrastructure, Spain has gone from having 483 kilometers of highway in 1986 to nearly 14,000 kilometers today, with 40% of these 14,000 kilometers funded by the EU. Europe has made an important contribution to the 2,500 km of high-speed train tracks and the modernization of airports; it spent €2.4 billion on Terminal Four in Madrid’s Barajas airport and €1.1 billion on the expansion of Prat airport in Barcelona, as well as investing €41 billion on the restructuring of Spain's financial sector. There is no sector in fact, whether economic, industrial, health, social or cultural, in which the EU has not intervened with grants, loans and other forms of financial help. Between 1986 and 2013, Spain received €151.4 billion from the EU, and that’s without counting the €45 billion that has been earmarked for Spain until 2020. Historically the fact of Spain joining the European union was a further step towards international recognition after the tragic civil war and the dictatorship of Franco. In a sense it was a growing of age with a great sense of national self-esteem. In June 1977, Spanish statesman Adolfo Suárez’s first democratic government applied for aormi@icloud.com

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membership, and the fact that there was general consensus on the issue facilitated Spain’s entry into the Council of Europe – an institution reserved for member heads of state – even before negotiations to join had begun. There were problems as Britain and France still had vetoes on Spain because of the civil war. President Kohl, the German chancellor, managed to win Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterand over, by paying off one and offering an agricultural fund to the other. In return, Spanish president Felipe González had to agree to host euro-missiles and a contingent of US troops on European soil because Germany feared that the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union threatened peace on the continent. Spain, through NATO and other agreements, has sent its troops to many countries in conflict and has seen many of its young men and women brought back in body bags. Spain is a frontier of Europe battling to keep its identity against so many new immigrants unwilling to merge into the national identity. Bringing in new culture is a great movement, so long as they are part of what is seen as national culture and do not try to impose their traditions on to native Spanish. Culture, in its various artistic aspects, can be the cement that binds people together. Has the bureaucracy of Europe gone too far? The leave vote in Britain underlined some of the discontent that many people of many nations had with faceless civil servants who wielded a certain amount of power in dictating edicts that affected everyday life for European citizens. In fact nearly every nation has shown its disenfranchisement with so many politicians who have been accused of corruption.   Another debate that affects Spain and UK, is that of nationalism as parties have grown up in every country with the idea that the nation or its individual regions, would be better off on its own. So many other people are looking with interest on the future of Britain as it goes it alone, as it could be a spectre of things to come. Mrs. Merkel has underlined the need for more unity as she pronounced that Europe can no longer rely on defense support from either U.K. or U.S.A. In today’s world there is a need for swift intelligence communications and interaction in the face of modern terrorism.

As far as the British living in Spain are concerned, it is in the interests of both Britain and Spain to come to trade terms as well as the treatment of their citizens in each other’s workplace. In a speech President Rajoy stated that British citizens in Spain would not be losers, but continue to receive medical health as it is in Spain’s interests to ensure that the British continue to be an important part of residential tourism and that Spanish citizens living in UK receive the same treatment. I am sure that it will turn out all right..unless we are faced with another major war.

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Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Forget the Bus by Andy Ormiston

An example of one of the vehicles of Alzheimers association in Spain cooperated by O.M.G. Vehicles Sociales Torrevieja branch of Alzheimers, AFA, with a busy day centre, is needing to buy a new 17-seater bus, specifically a Renault Master. Every weekday patients are ferried to and from from the centre that offers physiotherapy, psychological support, crafts, fun events and a lot of other facilities for patients. It is a much needed facility in the community of the Vega Baja as it give carers and families a bit of respite, as well as exercising the minds of the patients. Maria Purificacion Garcia Alvarez, the present president of AFA, has underlined the importance and quality required of this transport service as it makes a minimum four journeys a day transporting passengers from and to their homes. In collaboration with the Spanish Confederation of Family Associations for people with Alzheimers, it is intended to have this new bus very soon. It is being largely financed in conjunction with a Spanish business, that specializes in providing vehicles for solidarity associations. Recently the Alzheimers branch at Cox received a similar bus. aormi@icloud.com

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What is required for the final part of the campaign is publicity from businesses and associations that will be put on the sides of the bus for a minimum of four years. This will ensure the speedy completion of the purchase of this bus. Several town halls and associations have already pledged their support, but a few more advertisements are required. For four years of publicity on a vehicle - that travels the area from Pilar de la Horadada to Guardamar del Segura, and inland to Rojales, San Miguel de Salinas, Los Montesinos, - it works out very cheaply. The prices obviously are related to the corresponding space, for example a 60 x 32cms area is only 800 euros. The largest size is 75 x 32 cms. at 1,200 euros. The two other panels are 100 x 32 costing 1,300 euros, 109 x 32 at a cost of 1,400 euros and on the doors 107 x 50 at 1,900 euros. In some cases the publicity space can be expanded to suit the client and, of course, adjust the premium to be paid. Apart from the the advertising, donations are always acceptable and can be used, not only to buy the bus, but for other necessities, such as altering the bus to include a mobile platform for wheelchair users. The first association to offer support is HELP with 5,000 euros. This is one of those no loser situations as advertisers have guaranteed four years of advertising in the Vega Baja area, and the Alzheimer patients have a comfortable adjusted vehicle for their daily transport. Coordinator for the project is Maria Victoria Criado MuĂąoz of O.M.G. Vehicles Sociales, on 620 109 810, who speaks Spanish, and Matilde Sanchez 647 119 991 or Andy Ormiston 663 324 400 for English language.

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Possibly best known for their wonderful calendar that seemed to predict the end of the world a few years ago is the Maya civilization. In the MARQ Museum of Alicante from now until next January, there is an interesting exhibition about the Mayas of Guatemala, featuring their life, culture and religion. The Mayas occupied the Yucatan Peninsula then extended their domain towards Belize and Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras they built viable cities like Tikal, Palenque, Copรกn or Calakmul. A lot of the exhibits are thanks to the archeological remains of the Great Jaguar Temple in a restoration programme from 1992 to 1996.

MUSEO: TL:965 149 000 aormi@icloud.com

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Nicolás García Villalgordo (above) with his stunning view of the salt lake. Several local Torrevieja photographers have put together a small photographic exhibition in the patio of the exhibition center of Vista Alegre. Contributed by José María Andreu (Cano), Joaquín Carrión, Almarcha , Nicolás García Villalgordo and others. The theme is obviously Torrevieja “Our Lakes”

Torrevieja Lakes in photograph exhibition aormi@icloud.com

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La Mata Street Market to Move

Because of the amount of Wednesday traffic now encroaching on the coast, including the canal linking the sea to La Mata lake, the Costas department has ordered a change of situation for the popular Wednesday street market of La Mata. Soon bollards will be in place to prevent parking on the road over the canal. But the final judgement is that the market will have to find a new location. This will take some time as traders and local people will have to be consulted, as well as police response to traffic flow. This change is a necessity as there is a danger to the public if this bit of road should collapse.

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No,not a song and dance routine, but showing the new disposable beach ashtrays by Fanny Serrano and Javier Manzanares

Still with La Mata, work is underway replacing some of the boardwalk that is rotting and dangerous. The town hall councillor for beaches, Javier Manzanares, has also launched an initiative to encourage smokers not to leave their cigarette butts in the sand. This entails cheap, reusable cigarette ashtrays that can be stuck in the sand by the beach bums and then taken home with them or dumped in the nearest bin and brought back to the beach the next time round.

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Begins Friday 30 June to Sunday 30 July +34 968 19 15 88โ จ +34 968 19 15 68 festivales@sanjavier.es

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