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March 2014 Nยบ001 Welcome to Torrevieja Outlook which aims to bring you information about Torrevieja and surrounding towns.

Torrevieja is a holiday resort on the Costa Blanca, south of Alicante. As such it caters for visitors with a wide range of facilities including cultural and sporting events, fiestas and live music in many bars and restaurants.!

Sea, Sun and sand!

Torrevieja has an enviable micro climate a result of the sea and two inland salt lagoons. July and August temperatures are above 30ยบC and wintertime is normally mild with temperatures around 12-20ยบC. !

Semana Santa by Andy Ormiston This is Holy Week the week prior to Easter Sunday that begins with a Procession on Palm Sunday, with crowds waving palms and olive branches in memory of the day Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. In Torrevieja many people have palm fronds woven into magnificent shapes, others carry palms two three metres in length.

Most palms will come from Elche where there is a long tradition of palm weaving and sculpting. Every church holds blessing of palms service and procession. Among figures in this procession are Jesus

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Andy Ormiston; Pat Hynd; Dave Stewart.!

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The week long evening processions

begin

on

Palm Sunday, a short one setting out some of the main characters of Holy

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riding on an ass, St. John Evangelist, children carrying a the bible.

The palms are blessed at a mid morning Mass and the procession goes from la Inmaculada church to the Sagrada Corazon church.

Tronos are carried by men and women and can weigh as much as 3,000 kilos. Each trono or float has a theme from the events of Christ's last days and nights and they are all decorated with flowers and lights.

Take time to examine the embellishment of each trono, works of art.

Week. There are several cofradias or guilds that participate, some on one night others two or more times. The main cofradia is that of the Junta Mayor, whose

members

have

been planning the events since the previous year.

Each

guild

wears

costumes that vary in distinguishing

colours

and standard.

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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Suffering and Joy in the Semana Santa Fiestas !

After the riotous behavior of celebrating Carnival with extravagant costumes that can hide the identity of the revelers we move on into Holy Week processions (Semana Santa). These processions take place the week prior to Easter, which is a movable date dependent on the lunar calendar and is usually in March or April.!

These are equally flamboyant celebrations where once again the identity of those taking part is hidden, this time as ‘capirotes’ under penitential robes and a hood, the regalia of a variety of cofradias (brotherhoods/guilds). Each cofradia has its own colours and usually its own style of lantern which is a symbol of the guild’s devotion. Most cofradia groups will have a float with a statue representing their devotion, such as The Flagellation of Christ, which would be a figure of Jesus tied to a pillar and whipped. !

All of these floats are decorated with lights and flowers and are either carried on the shoulders of ‘costaleros’ or moved by a hidden cart underneath the folds of the cloths of the float. The costaleros carry the float with the statue on it and they can be dressed in the cofradia’s costume or in matching trousers and shirts. These are the ones who receive the most acclaim during the processions as each group, (from ten men (or women) up to a hundred), tends to play to the crowd, perhaps by lifting the whole float at arms-length above their heads, which is no mean feat as you are looking at over a ton in weight in some instances.!

In 2011 processions of Torrevieja were declared as ‘Provincial Tourist Interest’, the first in a series of attempts to raise the Semana Santa weeklong fiesta to be recognized at national and international level. The origins of the Semana Santa processions in Torrevieja date back to March 1807 when Don Antonio Blasco y Viudes donated a statue of la Soledad and this image was used in the first procession. Initially these fiestas were liturgical processions on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and the early morning Encuentro of Easter Sunday. In 1846 the town hall undertook the expenses of these fiestas and still provide some funding, but in the main costs are paid from donations and subscriptions of cofradias. In 1912 the week took on an extra splendour when the

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local carabinieri police marched in their ceremonial uniforms and ever since military personnel have appeared during the processions, sometimes as a musical band. By this time extra images donated by some of the town’s inhabitants had been added including the La Veronica, La Samaratina, San Juan, El Cristo Crucificado, El Nazareno, El Cristo de la Caida, Nustra. Señora de los Dolores, El Santo Sepulcro. Disgracefully all these images were destroyed in the Spanish Civil War and at the beginning of the Second Republic the processions ceased to take place. Afterwards in 1940 the women undertook the first defiant procession wearing their black mantillas along with the image of the Virgen de la Esperanza. This developed into a renovation of these fiestas, but in the 1960’s there were problems of identity so that in the 1970’s the programme included the local businesses and then in 1981 the Junta Mayor de Cofradias took charge, with the intention of this one body organizing all the various processions and allied events such as the Pregon, the introductory speech, order in the processions, saetas etc. !

This is what happens today, the Junta Mayor meet throughout the year and discuss innovations and improvements, each year learning from mistakes and mishaps of the latest Semana Santa processions.!

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Thanks to Javier Torregrossa for some of these photographs.!

Jesus meets the Samaratin woman at the well and he asks for water and she ends up asking him for the Water of Life. it's a story that talks of God's everlasting mercy.!

The Last Supper is a large heavy float carried by about 90 men wearing the traditional costumes. All 12 apostles plus Jesus are seen, each one with their story, only John was not martyred. This is an important moment in the final hours of Jesus as he shares the Bread of Life.!

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In Torrevieja, before Holy Week, those taking part in

Via Crucis

the have

annual

processions

several

other

obligations. Among them is the traditional ‘taking down from the cross’ and the kissing of the feet of the image of Jesus. !

Another religious event is the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) when a procession carries the image of Christ Crucified from the main church to the plaza del Calvario,

usually

accompanied by local musicians and choirs. The Way of the Cross is a popular devotion at this time and in the 1990’s the outdoor devotions became once again a feature of Torrevieja’s Lenten devotions. This devotion has fourteen ‘stations’, each denoting an aspect of Christ’s last journey to the Cross. In the Sagrado Corazon church there are wall pictures marking out the stations for costaleros carrying the trono of the Last Supper with 13 full sized figures of the Apostles and Jesus: they are wearing typical costumes of Murcia.

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those who like to use this type of devotion throughout the year; one difference is that the traditional fourteen stations end with the death and burial of Christ, the ones in this church have fifteen pictures ending in the glorious Resurrection of Christ. !

Many old towns have murals on the outside walls of some buildings that depict these stations and are used during the Lenten period for these religious processions.!

The first religious devotions of Holy Week start on the Friday before Palm Sunday. This day is dedicated to the Virgen Mary, the Dolorosa, who suffered so much for her son Jesus, and is easily identified with by mothers who often agonise for their own children.!

The principal processions begin in Torrevieja on Palm Sunday, with a blessing of palms at the morning Mass followed by a procession from the Sagrada Corazon church to the main la Inmaculada Church.

At midday the town centre streets are lined as Roman soldiers escort the guild of Saint John the Evangelist and the statue of Jesus riding on a donkey, representing his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Then around ten o’clock the first evening procession takes place. Each evening from Sunday through to Friday, different cofradias take part in the procession, all of which normally start around ten o’clock. One of the most popular groups in Torrevieja is that of the Roman legion whose soldiers escort Christ in his triumph and to his final destiny. One tradition has it that Pontius Pilate was born in Tarraco (Tarragona) and when appointed as Governor of Palestine took an attachment of local Spanish mercenary soldiers with him and it was these who were in charge of Jesus during his last hours, whipping and mocking him, eventually escorting him to his death.!

Every evening different groups take centre stage in the evening processions, each procession having its own distinctive differences; each year some new element, act or image is added. !

One of the most impressive procession is held on Maundy Thursday, which is a solemn silent night in Torrevieja where the very silence itself seems to break the night’s air. Local businesses put out their lights and signs, plunging the town into a certain darkness that adds to the solemnity of the occasion.

This procession is held after the Mass of the Last Supper and announces the coming arrest, trial,

Many people walk barefoot as a form of penance or as thanksgiving for a grace given or promise made to God when a person has been cured.

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suering and death of Jesus. As in other towns’ processions this is an awesome event that can deeply aect the soul.!

On Good Friday the longest procession held in Torrevieja takes place with some 2.500 people participating. There are now 15 cofradias in the celebrations, including 600 costaleros and among these latter there are two of the cofradias that have women carrying or pushing the tronos over a long and trying distance. Many penitents are carrying out promises made to God for graces received and walk barefoot. !

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The Encuentro or Meeting of Jesus carrying the cross, meets an image of his sorrowing mother in a very emotional scene. Below a section of costaleros carrying the huge Jesus in the Garden of Olives float; made up mostly of foreigners.!

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Semana Santa Museum!

Museo de la Semana Santa, C/ Formentera, Urb. Primavera!

(Behind Los Arcos Restuarante) Tel. 96 670 68 38 !

Holy Week annual processions take place with over two thousand people dressed in colourful robes with hoods, including over 300 children. They are formed into groups known as cofradias, each cofradia with its own distinctive colours and each devoted to some aspect of Christ’s last hours of life.

In these nightly processions statues representing some aspect of Christ’s final sufferings are carried.

Many of these are displayed all year round in the Semana Santa Museum, including one that is carried by a group of foreigners – the Garden of Olives. Others are kept in the la Inmaculada Church in the town square. Work is underway to build a new museum designed specifically for these huge floats closer to the town centre and the Municipal Archives. It is an opportunity to see up close some of the workmanship on the floats and accessories such as banners or lanterns.!

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!

Easter Sunday

The final! procession of the week is on Easter Sunday

morning

around 08.00 - Procession of the Encounter of Jesus with the Virgin with the following guilds: San Juan Evangelista, La inmaculada, el Santisimo bajo palio (escorted by the Roman Centurions, and the brass band “Union Musical Torrevejense�. This procession starts from the Inmaculada

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church then splits up into two groups each going in opposite directions to meet again at the corner of calle Fotografias Darblade and calle Concepcion. It does not take very much time only about 40 minutes.!

The San Juan group, and the Roman soldiers escort the priest carrying the sacred Host in its monstrance. This event follows a tradition that the first person Jesus visited after his resurrection was his own beloved mother, Mary. The procession is usually accompanied by ‘Alleluias’, which are printed on small pieces of paper that are thrown like confetti from balconies. The image of Mary is covered in a black mourning veil, which is taken off when she meets her son in the Blessed Sacrament. !

An organisational nightmare for ourdoor events is if the weather should become inclement; in which case a last minute decision has to be made to cancel processions, and either include these floats in another procession or not.

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La Mona Picnics by Pat Hynd The two Mondays following Easter Sunday are local holidays and many people take picnic baskets of food to the

dunes of

La Mata or Guardamar. Often groups stay camping over the weekend and there are many social events organised.

Traditionally la mona is eaten at this time, it is a type of cake with a boiled egg inside, representing the stone placed over the tomb of Jesus and which was rolled back.

The word mona comes from the Arabic word ‘mĂĄwna’ meaning a cake garnished with eggs that have been cooked along with it in the oven. It is associated with Easter and in Orihuela was a common snack during the Lenten period. For those pilgrims in Orihuela walking up to the hill behind the town there is mention of the mona in 1887.

There are two types of mona de Pascua: one is a cake adorned with elaborate chocolate figures that godparents traditionally give to their godchildren on Easter Sunday. Especially in the Catral area you will find this with cartoon characters in chocolate, animals, houses, farms castles of princesses from fairy tales. The other is a cake with a boiled egg inside and with sugar encrusted on top.!

The second Monday is a local holiday in Valencia region as it is dedicated to a Valencian saint, Vicente Ferrer, who ceaselessly travelled throughout the Valencian and Murcian regions preaching the gospel of Jesus and, en route, performing many miracles; he is patron saint of the Valencian Communidad. Schools start on the Tuesday and this saint is honoured for the education programmes he started in poor districts.!

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Semana Santa in Orihuela

by Dave Stewart

Orihuela's Semana Santa celebrations are one of the most important and oldest of its type and is considered to be of International Touristic Interest.

From Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday

morning the processions are full of colour, solemnity, music and really a museum of art in the streets. Most certainly Orihuela's Good Friday has to be one of the largest in Spain with ten cofradias composed of eight thousand capirotes in their gowns and faces ccovered with the veil falling from their cone shaped hats, around 1200 musicians, not forgetting the Roman soldiers.

Awesome is the Silent procession of Thursday, or Maundy Thursday as its called in England. !

Orihuela's images are spectacular, many of them the work of the master sculptor Francisco Salzillo. Unique amongst the images and in all the Spanish processions, is the crucifixion scene which has the devil at the base of the cross, boasting a woman's breasts and known as La Diablesa: presumably emphasizing the sin of lust. Orihuela is a city absolutely full of old churches, museums and fine buildings. Among them is one dedicated to the city’s famous Holy Week processions. The work recently underway to extend the museum to 1.150 metres makes it the largest such museum in Europe, if not the world. Here one can see the massive statues and 22 thrones carried in the annual processions by cofradias. These are works of art many of them by the famous Salzillo. Some of the ‘thrones’ on which they are carried are exhibited here and these are works of art in themselves. The city has a long history of Semana Santa processions that bring alive the Passion of Christ through these images and the annual involvement by thousands of citizens.!

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Murcia’s sea of colour

SEMANA SANTA is the most important fiesta of Murcia and the processions held throughout this week are of singular interest, with a sea of colour in blues, reds, purples, magentas, black and white, as the floats and images are carried - invaluable works of art, many by the master Salzillo. One magnificent example is the ‘Oración en el Huerto’ with life sized statues by Salzillo showing Jesus being comforted by an angel, while the apostles sleep. !

Here in the city streets you have a living museum processing before your eyes with a meditation on the ups and downs of life in general. In fact most of the guilds refer to some form of assistance to others:- Misericordis, Rescate, Caridad, Perdon, Salud, Refugio and Amparo, Retorno, Yacente (Pity, rescue and ransom, charity, pardon, health, sanctuary, return, burial and aid). !

On a visit to Murcia take time out to visit the Salzillo museum, which offers a great deal of information about the man and his works as well as wonderful images relating to Christmas and Holy Week – the birth and death of Jesus. Fifteen cofradias take part in Murcia city’s Holy Week.

Although Salzillo’s work is predominant other artists have their work including a recent throne “Angels of the Passion” by Hernandez Navarro. Another recent addition is a throne (float) of Cristó de la Sangre made in Seville. This cofradia also has three new Holy Week tunes recorded on a cd as part of the six hundredth anniversary of St. Vicente Ferrer who started the processions in Murcia. Another new image is "Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza" sponsored by the new association of this title and is the work of sculptor Ramon Cuenca of Cox, who has made other sculptures for other towns in the region. There are really far too many cofradias and processions to list in this simple article, but some of them can be seen in the Salzillo Museum.!

Semana Santa Museums show not only art images, but also examples of the colourful costumes and hoods worn by the capriotes.

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Statues by Salzillo by Pat Hynd!

The statues that are carried in the procession mark every procession as works of art. The majority of these are commissioned works and possibly the best-known sculptor is Francisco Salzillo who has works in Murcia, Orihuela, Cartagena, Crevillente, Lorca and Torrevieja among many other towns. There is a museum dedicated to this sculptor in Murcia.!

Francisco SALZILLO, (Born 1707, Murcia: Died 1783, Murcia), was a master of sculpture who set standards in a fresh style of art with realistic figures depicting a full range of human emotions from joy through to pain and sorrow. !

He was born in Murcia as his father, Nicolรกs, moved from his Italian homeland in Capua, to work in Murcia with another talented artist, Nicolรกs de Bussy. The elder Salzillo married Isabel Alcaraz of Murcia who bore him seven children, the oldest being Francisco. All the family worked in the family workshop and Francisco was able to study under the Jesuits, with special classes in drawing and painting from the artist/priest, Manuel Sรกnchez.!

Obviously of a spiritual nature Francisco entered the Dominicans as a novice, but, as they say, God works in mysterious ways and on the death of his father in 1727 Francisco took charge of the family workshop. His interest in religion found expression in so many of his works - a beautifully crafted Christmas crib, life size images for the processions of Semana Santa (Holy Week), commissions for churches throughout the region and in Alicante. He was invited by the Conde de Floridablanca to move and work in Madrid where the Court would better appreciate his talents. He decided to stay where he was and so knowledge of his work was relegated to life in a provincial area. Partly because of his hidden life in a regional town, his true talents were not widely known or really appreciated until almost a hundred years after his death, although he was recognized in Murcia during his life with an official position.!

This celebrated sculptor now has much of his work (and that of his disciples) in the Salzillo Museum. His figures are highly humanized, appealing to the popular audience that looked for sentimental realism, drama and pathos. Even to this day his work provokes a personal sense of the drama of the liturgy of Holy Week when they are seen in the highly charged atmosphere of the nightly processions. Perhaps if he had become a Dominican the world would have been spiritually poorer as it is unlikely that he would have followed his true profession as an artist. !

Today his sculptures and techniques continue to inspire artists to express the Christian spirit and tradition from the Nativity to the Resurrection through their work.!

One of the many Nativity scenes from the Salzillo workshop

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Passionate Music

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by Pat Hynd

Music during Orihuela’s Semana Santa!

Music plays a prominent part in the Holy Week processions of Orihuela. A male voice choir, with its origins in the 18th century, sings ‘a capella’ about the passion and death of Jesus. One musical group with precedents going back to 1926 is Los Cantores de la Pasión, a choir which has linked generations of Oriolanos, often having fathers and sons in the choir. The group takes to the streets of the town to sing the Passion of Christ. There is a second musical group named Los Cantores de la Primitiva Pasión Federico Rogel. In the Orihuela Silent Procession since 1940 the composition of El Canto de la Pasión de Orihuela is sung by two choirs - los Cantores de la Pasión and los Cantores de la Primitiva Pasión. This work was written in March 1880 by D. Frederico Rogel Soriano based on a codice of the 17th century!

Christianity is not merely a religion, but has been instrumental in encouraging art in all its disciplines, that has influenced and inspired so many artists, sculptors, giants of literature and musicians. Art comes in many forms - sculptures, drama, paintings, dance, film, music. Many of these works of famous artist in all branches of the arts have been centred around the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus,probably more than any other event. !

Several famous pieces of music are played and sung over the Easter celebrations. In its heyday the nobility and hierarchy were able to afford to commission works of art and for that we should be grateful that much of that has become our heritage.!

One of the most popular Passion characters is that of the Virgin Mary under her title of la Dolorosa, depicted in statues with daggers piercing her sorrowful heart and a dolorous

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expression on her face. She is particularly loved by mothers who can associate her suffering with their own when they see their children in trouble. !

A famous liturgical hymn used at this time of the year is the Latin words of “Stabat Mater” which is a reflection about the pain of Mary as she stands at the foot of the cross of her dying son. The original words were probably written by the medieval Franciscan poet, Jacopone da Todi. The words have been set to music many times by composers of the calibre of Rossini, Pergolesi and Haydn. “Stabat Mater” was one of the first religious musical pieces of Joseph Haydn, written in 1767: a soul lifting work with pauses allowing reflection on the words of the poem. Another of his Easter works is “The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross”. !

Throughout the Semana Santa processions local and visiting bands will also parade among the cofradias. Verdi’s work ‘Requiem’ is a popular piece played at this time and you will hear several renditions in many towns. Another emotive composition is the “Passion” of J.S. Bach. !

Christ’s final Passion has been a constant source of inspiration for musicians. Georg Phillipe Telemann is perhaps one of the most prolific composers in history, having written forty four Passion compositions. After his death another work was staged (the Contemplation of the ninth hour of the day of the death of Jesus). German preacher Joachin Johann Daniel Zimmerman also approached the Passion with an oratorio about the rending of the Temple veil, the earthquake, the laying of Jesus in the sepulchre and the final resurrection. Possibly the best known piece of music is the triumphant “Messiah” of composer Handel which is also sung at Christmas.!

Virgen Dolorosa

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Handel's Messiah!

Its a ironic that a whole week is spent on the suffering of Jesus, yet the most important aspect is the Resurrection that is almost passed over. But without the prospect of the resurrection then there is no Christianity and many composers have used the glory of rising from the dead to the sounds of angels trumpets and harps to write beautiful masterpieces.!

Most musical compositions are the result of years of training and hard work before a brilliant light of creativity is ever seen. An exception is that of Handel who in three weeks frenziedly composed his beautiful "Messiah" as he scribbled the first and final notes with a comment in the margin "22 August to 14 September 1741". This is recognized in retrospect as pure genius, but at the time caused tension and criticism from Charles Jennens whose idea it was, based on the texts of five oratios he had assembled for Handel to compose the music. He had approached Handel in 1738 to compose music for the text of the oratio "Saul" but enthusiastically Handel got carried away a bit.

Jennens was also annoyed that the first performance was held in Dublin on 13 April 1742, where the work was acclaimed as a great achievement and was hugely successful. Handel had already performed in Ireland at six winter concerts with local musicians and the Messiah performance was an extra sign of gratitude to the Irish for their acceptance of Handel and this new work raised four hundred pounds for Irish charity. !

Some English journalists gave the thumbs down to this new work before it was performed in London, which had been the original intention of Jennens. This was at the Theatre Royal Covent Garden in March 1743 and much of the criticism was the performance of a religious work in such a secular place. Jennens insisted including in the London performance extra material, notably the chorus at the end of Part II, "Their Sound is Gone Into All Lands".!

! !Handel's Messiah was first performed in Dublin prior to appearing in Covent Garden ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Ricardo

Gypsy Road by Pat Hynd One

of

the

most

in

Gypsies, mostly of the same clan,

Torrevieja is now known as Avenida de

occupied the majority of these houses

Ricardo

most

later and the British nicknamed the

influential figures in the local music scene,

road running by the houses “Gypsy

being a founder of the annual Habaneras

Lane”. But as the town prospered these

Certamen

houses

LaFuente,

which

travelled one

of

celebrates

roads

LaFuente

the

its

60th

became

more

of

an

anniversary his year, and he has written

embarrassment in a tourist resort.

many musical compositions. !

Gypsy Lane was one of the main roads

This road was formerly nicknamed by the British residents as Gypsy Lane because of the huddle of houses here, occupied mostly by local gypsies. This article is about the early history of this road and also dedicated to two groups of people who have done a tremendous amount of humanitarian work in Torrevieja - the Antonianas and Cáritas, which still offers support to those in need.!

of the town and these dilapidated cottages constituted an eyesore. The road (renamed Ronda) was destined to be a bypass road around the town centre. However, in one fell swoop the Bishop sold this land to a construction company on 25th February 2004, and the houses were demolished. For years they had become a blight and point of contention,

as

they

were

not

In 1968 a local wealthy lady, Maruja

maintained and were the scene of drug

Casciari, owner of the Finca Cerco of the

trafficking.

present Parque de las Naciones, ceded a

occupants of the houses 21% of the cash

piece of land to some other well off ladies

offered by the building company plus

who belonged to the association known as

some form of alternative housing. A

Las Antonianas. On this piece of land

further 21% of the cash was given to

! charity houses were built, which eventually ! came under the aegis of Caritas, and ! ultimately the Bishop of Orihuela. In the ! charity houses, on the road linking the ! Avenida de Paises Valencianos and the ! Crevillente Road, university students ! volunteered to give classes to children of ! several nationalities who were unable to go ! to school. ! ! ! !

The

Bishop

gave

the

the Caritas branch in Torrevieja for their ongoing charitable works. 50.8% was earmarked to construct two new parishes, which the town urgently required by this time because of the boom in population.

The remaining

7.2% was used to help poorer parishes in the Orihuela diocese.

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!

In fact by the end of the 20th century the population was growing so fast that several parishes evolved – the existing three: the original parish of Holy Rosary of la Mata, the Immaculate Conception in the town centre, the rebuilding of the Sacred Heart, were supplemented with the new parishes of SS Roque and Ana (Acequion area), SS Peter & Paul (Torretas), Virgen del Carmen (playa los Locos), and St. Saviour. !

The Torretas church has a side chapel used by the Ukranian community who also use the small church off los Locos beach. The la Siesta church and los Balcones churches are multidenominational churches used by the local Catholics and the growing Anglican community.!

When the 2007 financial crisis happened it was to Caritas that the new poor and unemployed turned to for help and received it in ever growing numbers. At the end of 2009 the national Caritas association was assisting over 800,000 families who were living under the recognised poverty level. Many British and other nationalities helped raise funds in a variety of events including food. The various Caritas groups attached to the parishes continue to draw on the general community to provide food and it is quite common to see large queues of all nationalities and religions outside the churches on set days to fill their trolleys with food. See page 24 For addresses of CĂĄritas in Torrevieja that materially assists those in most need in our community.!

SS Ana & Roque church, Acequion

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Nationally Caritas in Spain helped 370,251 people in 2007 with food, clothing and money, but by 2011 the numbers increased dramatically because of the crisis and the charity was supporting 1,015,267 people. The organization warned the government in a report that poverty was no longer a short term issue, but had become a long term problem. Rafael del Rio, president of Caritas in Spain, estimated that at the end of 2012 around 22% of Spanish households were living under the poverty threshold, and a further 30% had difficulties at the end of each month endeavoring to make ends meet. Grandparents have become the backbone of many families as married grown-up children and their own families find themselves homeless and jobless and are forced by circumstances to return to the family home, often dependent on the pensions of the grandparents. Obviously this puts stress on every family member. As social services face drastic cutbacks the onus on many social work falls on groups like Caritas. !

The owner of the Zara group of fashion shops, Amancio Ortega, donated twenty million euros to Caritas in 2012, a very rare demonstration of solidarity. In October 2013 it was stated that 307€ per month is the income line below which people are considered to be in dire poverty. Basic poverty is considered to those earning under 14,700€ a year or 1,225€. Almost one and a half million people in Spain receive some support from Caritas, so Jesús was quite right when he said that the poor will be with us always.!

Reach Out! At the beginning of 2010 a new association "Reach Out" has been born to supply resources that now included a social kitchen providing around 150 meals a day for those who needed it most; then in 2013 worked with "El Refugio" group that took meals into the street for the homeless: contact Karolina on 688 348 189 or visit their website www.reachouttorre.weebly.com !

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CÁRITAS CONTACT!

Caritas (Immaculate Conception Parish) !

C / Blasco Ibañez # 45 !

96 571 20 55 caritasinmaculada@gmail.co Sacred Heart Parish (Sagrado Corazón)!

Plaza de Oriente s / n !

Calle Ramón y Cajal, 33!

E-03180, Torrevieja!

Alicante, España!

Virgen del Rosario !

Plaza Doña Encarnación Puchol, s/n!

E-03188, La Mata, Torrevieja!

Alicante, España!

966 920 628 Parroquia de San Roque y Santa Ana! Av del Puerto, 11, 03183 Torrevieja, Alicante, Spain!

Phone:+34 966 70 39 65!

Parroquia San Pablo and San Pedro !

C / Jasmine s / n Urb La Torretas! http://www.caritas.es

Lady of Mount Carmel Parish !

C / Pola de Siero s / n !

Near Los Locos beach

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OF SPANISH RECIPES

march

by Pat Hynd!

For many foreigners looking at a Spanish menu the tendency is to plump for something easily recognizable such as pizza, pasta or hamburger. But Spain, ever since the discovery of the Americas and the importation of maize, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, chocolate, and all the other wonderful products brought over from the New World, has had a very rich gastronomy. Often certain recipes are found only in particular regions. The question what do we do if faced with something we don’t understand. We shouldn’t be like the ostrich and stick our head in the sand, but ask the waiter to explain any particular dish. Over the months we will give you alphabetical listings of the more common Spanish dishes and what you can expect to find therein. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list of Spain’s culinary delights, but only an indication of what can be expected. We hope that this will encourage foreign visitors to try out some of the gastronomy for which Spain is famous or that they will have a better knowledge of what faces them in restaurants. Obviously not all dishes will be listed, but it will be as comprehensive as we can make it. Likewise, many recipes have different names depending on the region, although the ingredients are basically the same. The common practice in Spain is to have three main parts to a meal - Primero Plato, Segundo Plato and Postres corresponding to a starter (which may be a meal in itself for some people); a main course, then a dessert that is often fresh fruit or ice cream.!

Acelga an excellent vegetable, chard, cooked similar to spinach, but with more iron.!

Alcelga Guisada is a recipe of stewed leaves with tomatoes, nuts or pine kernels and raisins.!

Acelga frita Boiled chard stalks, dried, dipped in flour, eggwash and breadcrumbs then fried.!

Acelgas a la Malagueña is boiled chard stalks fried in oil with garlic, raisins and pine nuts. !

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Aceitunas - Olives which are presented in many sizes, different ways such as stuffed.!

Adobo de Espรกrragos is a common tapa, being cold cooked asparagus in an oil and vinegar dressing.!

Aguacate con gambas a prawn and avocado cocktail with mayonnaise sauce.!

Aguacate Crema - liquidized avocado flesh with condensed milk, cinnamon and mint. !

Ajo (Garlic) - one of the mainstays of Mediterranean cooking.!

Sopa de Ajo - garlic soup!

Garlic Bread!

One of the most popular accompaniments to a meal these days is a good piece of garlicflavoured bread; something which is very simple to do.!

3 cloves of garlic!

225 gr. softened butter!

1 tbs chopped parsley!

Salt and ground black pepper!

1 large crusty loaf!

Place the garlic on a baking sheet and bake in the oven (230ยบC) for ten minutes: the skin will come off easy, then crush the garlic, either in a garlic press or under the blade of a knife. Blend the crushed garlic into the butter, and then add the parsley and seasoning. Put the bread in a hot oven (230ยบC) for 15 minutes. Slice the loaf, smother with the garlic butter and serve at once.

Alternatively, you can slice the loaf without actually cutting through the bread and carefully spread the garlic butter on each slice reshaping the loaf before popping it into the oven.!

Other suggestions: add a teaspoon of tomato frito to the butter and spread the slices of loaf with this pink butter before cooking. !

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Or cut down the amount of butter and replace with grated cheese: this is better when the loaf is cut into slices.!

Another simpler alternative, without heating the bread, is to rub garlic onto a slice of bread; next rub in the flesh of a ripe tomato, then dribble over with olive oil and a little salt.!

Ajo Harina is a dish of salt cod with potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and garlic sauce.!

Albaricoques (Apricots) Originally from China grows well in Murcia and Valencia. When dried

they are known as orejones. It is rich in fibre, minerals. especially potassium and phosphorus, and iron. It is also rich in vitamin A, building up the body’s resistance to infections. Apricots are in season from spring to August. Although eaten raw or made into juices, it is used in all sorts of recipes as fresh or dry or made into jams. Apricots are those beautifully orange colored fruits full of beta-carotene and fiber that are one of the first signs of summer. Although dried and canned apricots are available year-round, fresh apricots with a plentiful supply of vitamin C and are in season in Spain from May through August. The stones are poisonous. !

Albaricoques al Horno!

500 grams apricots; 2 spoons of sugar; 2 eggs; 50 grms sugar; 250 ml milk; 40 grms flour; pinch of cinnamon; butter to grease the mould. 1) Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.!

In the greased dish put the apricots (cut in half and de-stoned) with skin to the bottom of dish.

Sprinkle with the 2 spoons of sugar. !

2) Beat the eggs, the remaining sugar, the milk, then add the flour and the cinnamon then beat until you have a nice batter. Pour the batter over the apricots. Bake in the oven about 45 minutes.!

Albóndigas are small fried beef and sausage meatballs and when served in a sherry and saffron sauce is named Albóndigas en Salsa. However, they are more commonly presented in a tomato based sauce.!

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Dried Apricots (orejones) are popular in Spain during winter months and eaten as they are, but of course can be used in cooked recipes swelling with the water.

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Almost since it opened twelve years ago I have been a patient on and off at Entremares Rehabilitation Clinic, receiving treatment for various injuries. The clinic is in Torrevieja centre (71 calle Joaquin Chapapreta) and if you are a long term patient you will meet a wide range of people of all ages, from tiny new born babies to creaky-jointed old codgers. Many patients are recovering from prosthetic operations, coming to terms with a new shoulder, hip or knee joint. A lot of patients are young sporting types with injuries from running, cycling or athletics, such as an ex-professional rugby player who spoke excellent English. All the staff understand English and I have come to know several English people. I have had interesting chats with Spaniards and its surprising their various backgrounds and have gleaned some interesting information, such as 79-year old Esteban who lived and worked in Germany for 33 of those years and speaks German, Italian as well as Spanish. Vicente has had a bad stroke and is slowly making a recovery and loves telling jokes; during WWII his father escaped from Mauthausen concentration camp and managed to get home vĂ­a France and over the Pyrenees (not a joke). In this sense Entremares is something of a chat shop or unofficial social club, although the various treatments and techniques are professionally carried out by a very dedicated, sensitive and friendly team of qualified physiotherapists, some of them also trained nurses. !

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All very well, but what do they actually do? My first contact many years ago was for a frozen shoulder with massages, hot and cold treatment, electric pulses (TENS) for alleviating pain and stimulating the muscles. At the time I also had a pain in my heels and my doctor sent me to rehabilitation at the Acequion clinic where the specialist said it was my diabetes. MariTina, head of Entremares had a feel of my foot and said she suspected I had "spurs" growing. I had an X-ray at La Loma clinic, which clearly showed bone growing out of the back of my foot like spurs, so MariTina knew more than the specialist! I started treatment at Acequion, but abandoned it to return to Entremares centre where the pain went away after a few sessions of massage and sonic treatment, thus saving an operation. Most patients have health insurance cover for rehabilitation while others are private paying patients.!

Massage is a prime treatment in many instances and Entremares physiotherapists offer a wide selection of treatments including relaxation massage using aromatherapy oils (or even chocolate) accompanied by chillout music, and many people, especially ladies, swear by this as a means of improving their overall wellbeing and bettering their lifestyle. Other alternative treatments like acupuncture are used, as I discovered when I had double vision and had needles sticking out of my head and back while receiving normal treatment for my leg.

Whatever the problem patients are expected to do suitable exercises at home and not just rely on treatment sessions at the clinic. !

Over the past year I have been receiving treatment after three knee operations - one aecting the cartilege, then a knee replacement, and then the main tendon under the knee snapped and required careful sewing together. This led to complications as I had to spend two months in bed with a splint immobilizing my leg, which meant leg and thigh muscles became flabby and almost useless. Physiotherapist Marga of Entremares then visited me at home for a few weeks, working to strengthen the muscles of both legs, enabling me to move a bit with a zimmer, then onto a pair of crutches. I was then able to go to Entremares Clinic to continue the treatment using some of the equipment installed there. As a diabetic on three jabs a day I have to be careful doing exercise and one of the sta always reminds me to take a drink to keep the glucose levels right. Their approach is attending to the needs of the whole patient and not just the injury, therefore, in my case I have had back and shoulder massage and treatment as the crutches cause collateral damage. In the summer my mobility increased as I was able to use the communal swimming pool using exercises learnt at Entremares. Rehabilitation

is not a magical experience, no gain no pain is apt, it can be a short treatment or, as in my case and that of Vicente, a long haul where it is important to be positive to maintain progress and a final cure, or at least relief from pain and a reasonable amount of physical independence. !

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With or without chocolate..pamper yourself - a nice relaxing massage

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Bookshelf

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THE RETURN by Victoria Hislop !

This is an excellent novel for those seeking a simple background to the Spanish Civil War of 1936/39. It is well written and researched, although a little too much emphasis and bias on how good the Republicans were and how bad the Nationalists were. Both sides were guilty of atrocities!

The story is a bit slow to start with but once underway each of the characters has his/her own story and tragedies. The theme is a family running a bar in Granada at the time of the Second Republic and how each family member has his or her own dream, which involves some of the standard notions of Spain, such as flamenco dancer and the bullfighter. The writer’s descriptions of the passionate dancing is well worth reading alone, but the story does embrace various areas of Spain as the family is dispersed for reasons. The ending is a bit predictable, but nevertheless an easily read account of this horrific war and its effects on at least one family, with their individual hopes and aspirations, loves and misfortunes, sufferings and in several cases desperate deaths. Even today there are repercussions as the Historical Memory Law means that families are able to try to uncover the mortal remains of their family members who “disappeared”, most executed and buried in a common grave. !

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Civilians fleeing Andalucia from Nationalist troops

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!

Carnival

2014

Fun & Feathers

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Torrevieja Carnival seems to get bigger and better year after year. This year there were 30 groups plus individuals, all competing in different categories for a prize.The Torrevieja Carnival is of Fiesta of Provincial Tourist Interest involving 1,500 lovely people who don fancy dress and have fantastic fun. Beautiful white swan bonnets perched on the heads of ballerinas, black crows stood guard over Mr. Crow's entourage, golden rams' horns headgear were worn by the Challenge group, Payas dance school whooped and danced their way along like Maoris.

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Valencia - Fallas, Fireworks and Father's Day Father's Day in Spain is the feast of St. Joseph the carpenter, from which the tradition of huge fallas sculptures has arisen - 19th March. This was a national holiday but the government has chopped some of the fiestas but this is still a holiday in Valencia. In the past the guild of carpenters would set alight their waste wood and people party round it.Nowadays almost every district of the town commissions specialists to build huge and wonderful pieces of art that are destined to be consumed by fire. The week beforehand is a good time to visit the city, even though the feast is now no longer celebrated throughout Spain under the new laws relating to holidays off work.!

Valencia is both a city and province and is the capital of the Valencian Communidad, the other provinces being Castellon and Alicante. The coastline has dozens of first class beaches with activities to please any visitor, offering a wide range of sports on land and sea, unique Mediterranean gastronomy and normally matching blue sunny skies. Valencia is steeped in history and has wonderful old buildings and various museums that visitors require at least a week to explore it properly. On the other hand it is a modern city with a great network of roads, railway, metro, air traffic and sea ferries. Matching this are specifically designed modern buildings housing several museums that are a must on anyone’s itinerary. !

As an ancient city it is rich in culture and fiestas, which take place all year round being a university city with several theatres. In March all the hotels are packed, trippers flock in by rail and bus tours to take part in the exciting Fallas of Saint Joseph the Carpenter also Father’s Day. The city streets and plazas are home for a few days prior to the 19th March to the beautiful painted wooden sculptures known as Fallas with individual figures called niùots. It is exciting, but sadly these are burnt on the last night, apart from figures that receive an indult and are incorporated into the Fallas Museum.!

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There is no shortage of places to see and visit in the city with a very old area such as the market and the silk exchange, and modern museums, plenty of parks: when the river flooded the whole city it was decided to divert the river and in the dry river bed there is now a range of parkland.

There is a good metro system, although it is fairly easy to visit the central area on foot.!

These fiestas are well-known internationally as the most spectacular and important held in Valencia city with the Crema on the 19th March. In the Valencia province you have - Valencia city, Albalat, Alboraya, Alcasser, Algemesi, Algenet, Azira, Benaguasil, Benifaio, Betera, BuĂąol, Catarroja, Dos Aguas, Gandia, Manises, Oliva, Ontenient, Otos, Paterna, Picassent, Puzol, Sagunto, Silla, Sueca, Tavernes de la Valldigna, Torrent,Utiel, Xativa among others. !

Other places that celebrate with Fallas are: Alicante city, Denia, Calpe, Guardamar del Segura, Pego and Benidorm. In Castellon Province - Burriana, Vall d’Uixo, Peùiscola and Viver. In Murcia region Mazzaron has Fallas. !

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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! are two floral processions. each bunch of flowers built into the cape of There this!enormous statue of the Virgin Mary, each year a different design. !

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ART SCENE - WHEN A WEEK BECOMES A NEW LIFE! In this interview we have invited two fellow artists for their comments on Maurice Thacker, a local artist plus much more. !

MAURICE THACKER - MORE THAN JUST AN ARTIST!

by TJ Miles – Ireland - artist and poet.!

It would be lax of me to simply label Maurice Thacker as an artist in the classical sense. Indeed, this short introduction barely touches on the skills and talents acquired by him in over 80 years of lifetime experiences. Painting, singing, dancing and playing too many musical instruments to quote here, it beggars belief how he ever had time to fit it all in!!

During his working life, each evening, upon return from work, he would go straight to the studio and continue his true passion - painting. Not only did he hone his painting skills during those years, but also perfected his musical abilities on various instruments. From being a featured dancer on the much lauded television series '6-05 Special' to winning numerous awards for his artworks, thankfully he didn't hide his light under a bushel, but shared it willingly with the world around him.!

His generosity knows no bounds, whether it be teaching music to others or passing on his sage advice in subjects artistic. His artworks mainly cover the classical styles and movements, though more contemporary work often challenges the eye, and shows a level of skill often lacking in others. The award-winning portrait of John Wayne is absolutely flawless, for example, and a personal favourite of mine. Since retiring to Spain a number of years ago Maurice continued with his painting and his style of art has fitted in perfectly with the Spanish taste and temperament. His paintings are held in private and public collections in various countries throughout Europe and further afield.!

Therefore, he can truly be called a renaissance man - international artist, accomplished musician, celebrated raconteur of note, and most importantly to me, a dear friend.!

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Maurice Thacker - A Many-sided Man!

by Danish Artist Rita Hee! Maurice Thacker is not only notable as an artist. During his 80+years he has been extremely creative in other areas also. He was a featured dancer on a well know U.K. tv series, and indeed, is still to be seen on stage in the Virgen del Carmen in Torrevieja, whether it is as part of a tango performance or doing an Elvis tribute. He plays several musical instruments and is more than happy to share his skills with others.

Painting, however, is his great passion. Maurice has been painting for many years. Every day, returning home after work he would put on his painting clothes, find is brushes

Artists - Rita Hee and T.J.Miles

and begin his other life. He continues to paint the most fantastic oil paintings, whether it is be portraits, landscapes or animals. There is no limit to his imagination or talent. !

After Maurice moved to Spain he continued to paint and has had several well attended exhibitions on the Costa Blanca. Maurice is, in all ways, a very generous man and with his hospitality and open mind, he and his partner Alma make everybody feel very welcome in their home in Torrevieja. An evening in the company of Maurice is never boring. Thanks a lot, Maurice, for the way your are.!

Art of Ageing by Andy Ormiston!

“I’m bored”, is something I see on Facebook by youngsters and I usually send them a reprimand, as, although I have never met them, they are great grandchildren of my own siblings. Always they admit that they are just feeling lazy and don’t want to do the things they really should be doing. Internet has been a great tool for me and although some elderly people shy away from the idea Maurice Thacker is a good example of the “you’re never too old” brigade. Maurice has celebrated his 83rd birthday with a wide variety of family and friends of all ages and many different nationalities. Thanks to taking some lessons he

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is now able to use the Internet for sourcing music, art, history, keep in touch with friends abroad including using Skype to see and talk to them directly. He now has his own webpage (www.Maurice Thacker.com), which he uses as a catalogue of some of his oil paintings. !

His early life was marred by the war, so he had little formal schooling, being bombed twice out of home and three times out of schools. Maurice is the middle offspring of sixteen children and as both his father (piano) and mother (mandolin and Scottish dancing) were talented, all the children learned to play musical instruments, sing, dance or be acrobats. They never had time to be bored, as life was a continual adventure, at one time living rough in Epping Forest until the council found a house large enough for them all, another story apart. !

Although he is well known for his paintings that cover a wide range of subjects, portraits, animals, panoramic scenes of places and seasons, he has also painted book covers for a few projects by writers. Despite losing the sight in one eye, thanks to a botched operation, Maurice delights in painting subjects that require a lot of detail, such as lace dresses of queens and Spanish beauties alike. Through his painting he has learnt a lot about history as he researched people and events, such as his oil of Napoleon crossing into Spain. He may be retired, but he is never bored.!

In his threescore + 23 years he has a long list of anecdotes including the one when he was a “waxie� of the Kings Troop of horse and innocently volunteered when an archer was required. This meant that he was assigned to take out the arrows from the target board of an officer. However, most of the arrows ended up in nearby grass and bushes. When the officer asked

Maurice Thacker loves a show, whether an impromptu concert with his 'bones' clacking along with Manolo at the May Fair or an impression of Elvis the Scot on stage in the Virgen del Carmen at a St. Andrew's Gala.

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him what he thought, Maurice replied that he thought his job was to pick arrows from the target and not search for them in the undergrowth. The officer challenged him to do better, so Maurice shot three arrows directly into the gold; he has made his own bows and arrows and was a county champion archer later.

Maurice is handy with his hands and as the “waxie” in charge of the leatherwork of the troop, he also made leather saddles and bridles, including a magnificent silver studded Mexican saddle for an officer. !

At the end of his military service he worked on the railway and years later in Ford’s car factory. He continued to paint and sell them to fellow workers and also had a pitch on Bayswater Road at weekends.

But he also made items out of metal and wood including working models of horse-drawn carriages and even a working Navy Colt revolver, which blew a hole in the ceiling of the factory when he tried it out. He and his wife loved dancing and bowling and he jived his way on to the television series “6.05 Special”.

Maurice and his sister also won prizes on Carol Levi’s Discovery programme, he came first for his singing and dancing, his sister came second as a contortionist and fifth came Max Bygraves! !

In his retirement he is still a much wanted dance partner, has danced in the Tango Café show, plays various musical instruments including the organ, harmonica, guitar and his speciality is “bones”, made by himself and sound rather like Spanish castanets. Maurice came to Spain a year after the death of his wife for a week’s holiday, loved it and decided to stay and since then, in the past nine years, has participated in art exhibitions and several charity concerts in which he has played different parts, including a humorous Scottish version of Elvis Presley. Several paintings have been donated to charity and churches, including The Virgen of Consolation to the Torretas SS: Peter & Paul church. In these years he has developed a large group of friends of different nationalities – Irish, Scottish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Spanish, Argentinean, Guatemalan, Paraguay etc. all with a common interest in music, dance, art and loving life for it’s own sake. He is a great example that life begins at forty and goes on and on…!

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Love Gifts at Hospitals - A new enterprise! !

Torrevieja and Vinalopo Hospitals are twinned in many ways. A new initiative is the insertion of an association called Regalos de Amor or Love Gifts. The idea is that trained volunteers will be on hand to assist and accompany hospitalised people on their own, or disabled or suffering. !

In the Torrevieja hospital there are several groups of hospital visitors such as AEEC for cancer patients, two hospital chaplains with lay volunteers. Incidentally, the Anglican chaplain Rev. Christopher Scargill is in the SS Peter and Paul Chaplaincy and the Catholic chaplain, Fr. Angel, is a Polish priest of SS Peter and Paul parish in la Torreta. The hospital chapel is open all the time and there is a visitors request book on a side table should any patient require a chaplain's visit or receive the sacraments while in hospital.!

The difference with Regalos de Amor is that volunteers are prepared to offer patients needing their support 24 hours a day if necessary. If anyone is interested contact Maria del Rosario, the President, on 634 270 103 or email: voluntarios@regalosdeamor.org!

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Women in March by Andy Ormiston International Women's Day was celebrated throughout the world as Working Women's Day since the first decade of the 20th century, but altered in 1975 to its current name. Originally this day is associated with the place women played in the Russian Revolution that led to the down fall of the Tsar. Plans are already underway to celebrate this recognition of the place of working women in 2017, the centenary of the Russian's revolt. One of the ideas is that women will down tools on 8th March, 2017, and also have a sexless day, so men are warned in advance, but we don't know how this will affect lesbians.!

Torrevieja Women's associations have celebrated this day for a number of years and this year the joint action of the town hall social services, the widows' association, and the house wives association, have selected three women to be recognized for their dedication and work. There are three categories - Fina Sanchez as the recipient of the 2014 Homage to Women; the PROFESIONAL Y PERSONAL 2014 award has been given to María del Carmen Sirvent, owner of the Sirvent clothes shop near La Plasa market; Businesswoman of the year goes to dentist Lucretia Botella. !

Fina Sánchez is a well known widow who has sunk her seemingly endless energies into various activities and societies. She headed the local Red Cross social services introducing home visits to the lonely, tele assistance programme, and other ideas to help those isolated or in need. This group also run classes in Spanish for foreigners, computer and book keeping classes aimed at supporting immigrants to integrate and even start their own business. Fina has also served as President of the local Rotary Club and during her watch a charity fund raising DVD of Torrevieja was re-released. I have known Fina for about eighteen years when a campaign to raise funds for an ambulance was initiated among foreigners under the title of ARC, and the vehicle still runs around with its rainbow logo as a people carrier. I have known her to turn her energy onto several other projects for disabled children.!

María del Carmen Sirvent has headed her shop supplying men and Women's clothing for a number of years and it says a lot that she still has a good business in these difficult years. It is a large corner shop in calle Joaquín Chapaprieta 7, in the town centre with a wide range of formal styles to beach wear.!

The third award is to a younger woman, Lucrecia Botella, who has her own successful dental clinic in the town centre, which is notable for its all-female staff of dentists, hygienists and dental assistants, plus multi lingual receptionists. I can personally vouch for the high standards of the clinic as I have been a patient since it opened in its present location in calle María Parodi 15/17. Lucrecia uses a complete digital system of Clinical data, radiographs and intraoral and extraoral photographs are stored in digital. All the patients’ records are digitalized - clinical data, x-rays, intra and extra oral photographs with almost immediate and painless diagnosis and treatment.!

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History in Black and White by Andy Ormiston During the Spanish Second Republic women received the right to vote for the first time on 22nd November 1933, six million new voters. Some liberalized women paraded through the streets of Torrevieja in men’s clothing wearing trousers as a defiant gesture of their new found freedom.

Later when civil war broke out many women took an active part in the conflict as soldiers wearing trousers. This breath of sexual freedom and equality was the equivalent of the “burning of the bra” episodes by later generations. This reform of the Civil Code was well overdue as it replaced ideas of “honour” such as the right of a man to kill his wife if she was caught in the act of adultery.

However, this and the right of a man to kill his children under 23 years of age if caught in the act of adultery, was reinserted in the penal code after the civil war and not repealed until 1963.!

In May 1913 British Parliament was still discussing women's rights and giving the right to vote to women over twenty five, female homeowners and wives of householders. The argument for enfranchisement was the number of young women whose social position had changed because of the industrial revolution. The argument against was that if women were permitted to vote then it would be difficult to keep them out of Parliament, as obviously they were unfit for such positions. No doubt some would argue that Margaret Thatcher proved the case for both arguments. Women’s emancipation in Spain really began in 1931 shortly after the achievements of suffragettes in Britain and decades ahead of many other European countries.

Years ahead of the world in general, brave women of foresight like Victoria Kent drove feminist laws through the Spanish parliament, such as legal divorce through mutual consent, laws that were later overturned by Franco’s regime so that by 1939 women’s status reverted to pre-1931.

Another fighter was Republican Clara Campoamor who fought for women’s voting rights: there is an association of women in Orihuela dedicated to her aims. She was typical of many children of the era in that on the death of her father, when she was 13 years of age, she had to take up employment. She worked as a seamstress, in a shop, as a telegraphic operator and then secretary of a daily newspaper, “The Tribune”. She was determined not only to better her own situation, but that of other women as she saw discrimination in every walk of life. As late as 31 years old she started tackling her studies for her bachelor’s degree and took up politics seriously. By the age of 36 she had terminated her studies in law and opened her own office in Madrid. She

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maintained that marriage changed the status and personality of a woman in exchange for a legalized love. Clara Campoamor expostulated for divorce and also for the legalization of prostitutes, something that is still being debated. During the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera she was offered a medal that she refused. She also objected to the men-only attitude of the Athens Club in Madrid; she applied as secretary for the club and became the first woman to beat down the walls of this masculine bastion. Along with Victoria Kent she was elected as a delegate for Madrid, where she asked for equality in civil rights of matrimony and also for the investigation of paternity where the man had left the woman holding the baby. Ironically her Republican ideals and her opposition to the clergy (as men) were also ideals that the right wing saw as an outrage that influenced them in the civil war: a woman had only one place, and that was in the home under the thumb of her husband. In 1936 she wrote the book, “The feminine vote and me - My mortal sin�. For 17 years she was an exile in France, Switzerland and Argentina, earning her living as a translator, but finally died in Lausanne in 1972. Prior to the Second Republic it was customary for many women to wear a veil over their head that sometimes covered the face, rather like the Muslims, and they could not have a passport without permission from their male guardian - be it father, brother or husband. A forerunner to these two remarkable women is Concepcion Arenal the first woman to gain a university degree in Madrid in 1841, but had to disguise herself as a man first. As can be imagined she led a very eventful and difficult life, at one time having practically nothing to her name, but used this experience to found an association to help the poor and later an organization to construct affordable housing for workers.!

Over the centuries women have generally been viewed as inferior to men, irrational, physically weak and their main role is in the procreation and continuing survival of the species.

Advances in thinking go slowly and today in many countries, but not all, women have the recognition of being at least complementary to what a male does, even though women have shown they are equal in many spheres. By 2007 Spain was considered to be the 10th ranking country in the world supporting women’s rights, although a lot more has to be done to accept those rights in a still macho society, particularly as so many women are being attacked and murdered by their partners and lobbies have been organized against generic violence. The Socialist government of 2006 elected the cabinet in equal proportions of men and women and introduced a law of equality (nicknamed the 40% law) stating that by 2015 all public company boards must have a 40% representation of women. We wait to see.!

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St. P atric 19 M arch

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From Dave Stewart: Now an annual feature on the Costa

k Da

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Blanca, Irish residents lead the way on painting the town green, with three-day long events, live music etc. Until then here are some Paddy witticisms.!

Three dead bodies turn up at the mortuary, all with very big smiles on their faces. The coroner calls the police to tell them what has happened.!

First body: Pierre Dubois, Frenchman, 60, died of heart failure while making love to his 20-year old mistress. Hence the enormous smile, Inspector', says the Coroner.!

'Second body: Hamish Campbell, Scotsman, 25, won £50,000 on the lottery, spent it all on whisky. Died of alcohol poisoning, hence the smile.'!

The Inspector asked, 'What about the third body?'!

'Ah,' says the coroner, 'this is the most unusual one. Paddy Murphy, Irish, 30, struck by lightning.'!

'Why is he smiling then?' inquires the Inspector.!

'Thought he was having his picture taken.'!

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My mate Paddy rang me and said he's just got this bargain coat from House of Frazer. Originally it was £400 but he got it for just £25. He said it was supposed to be slightly imperfect but he's had a look all over and the only thing he can find is one sleeve slightly longer than the other two!!

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Paddy & Mick stagger out of the zoo ! with blood pouring from them..!

"B*ll*ks to that" said Paddy !

"That's the last time I go lion dancing"!

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Paddy and his brother, "Donkey" walk into a pub and Paddy gets the first pint in and says, "I'll have a pint of guinness for me and a pint for Donkey."!

The two guys drink their pints anPaddy says, "Right donkey your round; I'll have a pint of Guinness."!

Donkey walks up to the bar and says, "2 p p p p pints of g g g g Guiness p p p please."!

While donkey gets the pints, Fred goes to the toilet and the barman says, "Say, you shouldn't let him call you that stupid nickname."!

Donkey replies, "I know. He aw.. he aww... he awwwwww, he always calls me 'Donkey.

Paddy says "Mick, I'm thinking of buying a Labrador."Bugger that" says Mick "have you seen how many of their owners go blind.!

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Snippets by Dave Stewart !

Madrid Train/bus connection!

Work is well underway to alter the Torrevieja interchange bus station near the Eras de la Sal to be ready when the express bus from Villena to Torrevieja comes into action. !

Torrevieja and Benidorm will use the same train link from Madrid to Villena and then passengers will change to express buses to the two resort destinations. Passengers will be able to book direct tickets from Madrid to Torrevieja/Benidorm and vice versa.!

The new interchange bus stop is in the Torrevieja town centre with the chance either to board another bus to a local destination or hire a taxi. Trees are planted to act as a noise baffle for the benefit of nearby housing and also to make the area look prettier.! prettier.

Me speakum Inglish Inglish!

A very useful volunteer group of English language speakers in Torrevieja is working with young Spanish students helping them to improve their English speaking skills. The volunteers meet the young people in the CIAJ offices on the seafront regularly and this is a help to both the young peoples’ skills and the older folk who know they are doing something useful. More information if required from the CIAJ office near the statue of the Hombre del Mar. !

Dialysis on holiday!

Torrevieja’s hospital has an excellent dialysis section, which is at the far end of the building with its own entrance and reception area. Over the winter it has been extended to make the unit more comfortable and accessible for kidney patient requiring attention. More chairs and equipment has been added making this one of the best renal departments in Europe using the latest technology.

There are six nephrologists, thirteen experienced nurses five auxiliaries and two more dealing with administration.!

Part of the plan is that people who visit on holiday and require dialysis treatment can safely come to Torrvieja area knowing they can continue dialysis treatment.!

For more information contact 965 721 349, in working hours 08.00 to 15.00 horas, from Monday to Friday. !

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Quit Smoking Workshop!

Afecancer are organising workshops to assist people who are trying to stop smoking. Smoking is one of the known reasons that people contract cancer of the lungs which kills hundreds of thousands of smokers every year. !

For further information contact AFECANCER at their centre in calle Los Molinos nº9 bajo, Torrevieja, or phone 96 507 43 75 or email info@afecancer.org.!

English Movies Club!

English language films every Thursday night at 7.00pm in Cines IMF, Torrevieja, inside the Ozone Centre, opposite Habaneras Commercial Centre.!

Films in English, with no need for headphone. Cost of annual membership is just 10€!

Cost of admission to each film 5€!

For non members 7€!

Special dinner and movie deal, raffles and competitions to win admission tickets and film posters plus other fun stuff.!

Special prices for popcorn and drink combos!

More fun stuff and discounts to be added!

Projected start date: April 3rd, 2014!

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Diamond Habaneras by Dave Stewart!

In July this year Torrevieja celebrates the 60th edition of the International Habaneras and Polyphonic Music competition and concerts. This makes it a special reason for celebrating and putting on a really good show at the outdoor theatre of the Eras de la Sal. !

Habaneras are songs connected with Cuba and this year's poster illustrates the connection that Torrevieja has with the sea and subsequently with Cuba and Havana (hence the name) as Torrevieja sailors sailed for Cuba and South American with cargoes from Spain, returning with cargoes of wood..and habaneras. These songs were a link not only with Cuba but with home as many of the sailors' habaneras were adapted to speak about the waiting lover in Torrevieja and is part of the town's heritage.!

Among plans for this year is the guest appearance of the Donostiarra Choir, directed by Jose Antonio Sainz Alfaro, from the Basque country. The organizational committee of this year will cooperate with the national Cervantes Institute, which develops the language and cultural heritage of Spain. It is likely that the concerts will once again be recorded by the Spanish television network RTVE for broadcasting internationally, but plans are afoot to use the internet to broadcast it live.!

In April the 20th Junior Habaneras Certamen takes place on 4th and 5th in the municipal theatre; an event that promotes the continuance of this aspect of Spain's cultural background. A popular event in July is the Habaneras on the Beach evening concert that brings people together, complete with watermelon and drinks, for a party atmosphere while typical habaneras are sung.!

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Calle Antonio Machado - history of music, literature and war.

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By Dave Stewart!

Most readers know that things can change overnight, especially in Spain. This happens all too often with street names as political changes can and do affect the street where you live, and it may cost you in the change of address details, business cards, publicity etc.!

An example is calle Antonio Machado whose name was altered in 1979 by the lady mayor Rosa Mazón Valero from its previous dedication of calle García Morato. Both names are associated with the Spanish civil war: Antonio Machado was a staunch Republican poet and writer, whereas Joaquín García Morato was a Spanish ace pilot on the side of the rebel Nationalist air forces.

February was the 75th anniversary of the death of Antonio Machdo. In this article we can only look at a few facts of these so different people..but all Spanish to the core.!

The earliest popular name of the street was calle del Aire, supposedly because of the gusty winds that blew down it. Afterwards the same street had been dedicated to a famous Spanish/Catalan statesman and President Francisco Pi y Margall, a well known writer, philosopher and jurist, who was in charge of the central government of the First Spanish Republic in 1873 for only a month. Pi was the son of a working-class textile worker in Barcelona and was born on 29 April 1824. He became a prodigious writer and was involved in many newspapers and magazines with a political content and intent. He wrote about poetry, painting and history, finally he died in Madrid on 29 November 1901. At the end of the civil war the street name was again altered, dedicated to a war hero.!

Joaquin Garcia-Morato a Nationalist ace pilot and Republican poet Antonio Machado

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Joaquín García-Morato y Castaño, was given the title of the 1st Count of Jarama (4 May 1904 – 4 April 1939) by Franco and he was the leading Nationalist fighter ace of the Spanish Civil War. He is credited with 40 air victories, four gained while flying Heinkel He 51s and 36 with the Italian Fiat CR.32. Prior to this he was flying in Morocco in the Rif War; he excelled in aerobatics, and instructed instrument flying. He was on holiday in England when the Civil War broke out and became commander of the Spanish air forces, liaising with the German Condor Legion and the Italian air forces. The only time he was shot down was on 3rd October 1937, by a novice pilot he was training. Shortly after the civil war, on 3rd April 1939, he was performing low aerobatics for newsreel cameras, when his Fiat CR.32 crashed, killing him.!

Antonio Machado is one of several well-known poets and writers with street names dedicated to them. He belonged to what was known as the literary giants of the '98 Generation, leading thinkers of social and political ideas. To give him his full name - Antonio Cipriano José María y Francisco de Santa Ana Machado y Ruiz, known as Antonio Machado (26 July 1875 – 22 February 1939) was born in Seville a year after his brother Manuel. In 1901 he had his first poems published in the literary journal 'Electra'. His first book of poetry was published in 1903 with the title "Soledades" and was amended and added to over the subsequent years. In Soria he met Leonor Izquierdo, daughter of the owners of the boarding house Machado was staying in. They were married in 1909: he was 34; Leonor was 16. Early in 1911 the couple went to live in Paris where Machado read more French literature and studied philosophy. In the summer Leonor was diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis and they returned to Spain, but, on 1st August 1912 Leonor died, a tragedy that brought forth a torrent of tragic poems by the distraught poet. When General Francisco Franco launched his coup d'état in July 1936, thrusting Spain into a civil war, Machado was in Madrid, a Republican stronghold. The war separated him from his brother Manuel who was trapped in the Nationalist (Francoist) zone; a good example of what occurs to families caught up in any civil conflict. Antonio Machado was evacuated with his elderly mother and uncle to Valencia, and then to Barcelona in 1938, then as exiles crossed into France at Collioure. It was here, on 22nd February 1939, that Antonio Machado died and was buried, his mother died three days later. In his pocket was found his last poem, "Estos días azules y este sol de infancia"; many of his works have been translated into English.!

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President Francisco Pi y Margall

Palace of Music

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The long Antonio Machado street was divided in 2002: the part in front of the Palace of Music was renamed calle UniĂłn Musical Torrevejense after the local musical band that deserves a separate article, but suffice to say because Antonio Gil Lucco, founder of the band lived in this street and also the house which gave way to the present building (shaped like a brass musical instrument) was used by the UMT. The top end of Antonio Machado at the bus station had been renamed in the 1980's as the Avenida de las Habaneras, continuing the musical connotation of the street. I leave you with a rough translation of some Machado thoughts on life:!

Wanderer, your footsteps are! the road, and nothing more;! wanderer, there is no road,! the road is made by walking.!

By walking one makes the road,! and upon glancing back! one sees the path! that will never be trod again.!

Wanderer, there is no road—!

Only wake-trails upon the sea.!

- Antonio Machado.!

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XXXI Medio Maratón “Ciudad de Torrevieja” 2014!

Around 900 runners entered this year's 31st half marathon (10 kilometres), enjoying a beautiful February morning and a course that took them close to the seaside a good part of the way. Prizes are awarded for various categories including age groups and wheelchairs. The route was manned with volunteers offering bottles of water and led by police and marker car.!

Nice watching the race from a seaside bar encouraging runners that they too can enjoy a beer when the race is finished dave

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Lessons in Life -Men Getting Older!

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A group of 40-year old friends discussed where they should meet for dinner.!

Finally, it was agreed upon that they should meet at the Ocean View! restaurant in Torrevieja because the waitresses there had tight pants and big tits.!

10 years later at 50-years of age, the group once again discussed where they! should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed that they should meet at! the Ocean View restaurant because the food there was very good as was the! wine.!

10 years later at 60-years of age, the group once again discussed where they! should meet for dinner. Finally, it was agreed that they should meet at! the Ocean View restaurant because they could eat there in peace and quiet! and the restaurant had a beautiful view of the ocean.!

10 years later, at 70-years of age, the group once again discussed where! they should meet for dinner. !

Finally, it was agreed that they should meet! at the Ocean View restaurant because the restaurant was wheelchair! accessible and they even had an elevator.!

10 years later, at 80-years of age, the group once again discussed where! they should meet for dinner. !

Finally, it was agreed that they should meet! at the Ocean View restaurant because they had never been there before.!

Dementia will come and, though its not funny, we still have to laugh 51

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Some Torrevieja Cultural Events in March! !

Sunday 2nd March!

Concert by the Choir Bella Torrevieja!

19:00 in the Palacio de Musica tickets 3€! !

First in a series of anniversary events - Concert to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Certamen Internacional de Habaneras!

20:00 at the Teatro Municipal, tickets 2€! !

3 to 9 Rice Gastronomy!

Tuesday 4th March!

Opera - Figaro!

20:00 at the Teatro Municipal, tickets 25-35€! !

Friday 7th March!

Music between the Conservatorio de Torrevieja and Elche!

21:00 at the Teatro Municipal, free with advance reservation! ! !

Dance by the talented Paya's School of Dance 21:00 at the CC Virgen del Carmen, tickets 3€! !

Concert by top singer Sergio Dalma 22:00 at the Auditorio of Torrevieja, tickets 25-45€!

Photographic exhibition of Torrevieja weather and skies 14 March - 6 April Virgeen del Carmen!

Sunday 9th March!

Charity Gala in aid of ADIEM! 12:00 at the Teatro Municipal, tickets 5€! !

Sunday 16th March!

Rocieros Choirs in Memory of maestro Ricardo Lafuente!

18:00 Teatro Municipal, tickets 4€! !

Tuesday 18th March!

Extraordinary Concert for Fathers Day. !

20:30 at the Palacio de la Musica, free with advance reservation but well attended.! !

Wednesday 19th Spanish Father Day Fallas in Valencia all the preceding week.! ! !

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Friday 21st March!

2nd International Festival of Winter Music "Pasion for theTango"!

20:00 at the Palacio de la Musica, tickets 15€! !

Saturday 22nd March!

Concert by the choir Nuevo Amanecer!

19:00 at the Palacio de la Musica, tickets 3€! !

Dance Show Flamenco de Vino y Rosas!

21:30 at the Teatro Municipal, tickets 15€! !

Sunday 23rd March preparing for Holy Week with the!

Play "La Pasion" by a Callosa de Segura theatre group!

18:00 at the Teatro Municipal, tickets 6€! !

1st Cycle of Winter Jazz Concerts!

19:30 at the Palacio de Musica, tickets 10-25€! !

Thursday 27th March!

Gala in aid of World Theater Day! 21:30 at the Teatro Municipal, free with advance reservation! !

Friday 28th March!

Music El Maravilloso Mundo de la Opereta!

20:00 at the Teatro Municipal, tickets 20€! !

Soloists from the Lirica Internacional group!

21:00 at the Palacio de la Musica, tickets 6€! !

Saturday 29th March!

Concert by the choir "Crescendo" and Lingby Kammerkor!

19:30 at the Palacio de la Musica, free with advance reservation! !

Gala for the 60th anniversary of the International Habaneras and Polifonia!

21:00 at the Auditorio Internacional de Torevieja, tickets 6-15€! !

Sunday 30th March!

Free Open Air Concert in the Jardin de Dona Sinforosa. !

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