Gran Alacant Advertiser November 2018 by Gran Alacant Advertiser

NOVEMBER

2018 ISSUE 166

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE SINCE 2005

ADVERTISE WITH US

PHONE - ENGLISH : 865 663 993 Lou&Ged PHONE - ESPAÑOL: 676 741 983 Camila

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NUESTRAS NOTICIAS LOCALES AHORA ESTÁN EN ESPAÑOL

EMAIL: info@granalacantadvertiser.com

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Hi everybody!

We would like to thank the TOURISM COUNCILLOR for enabling Jose Manuel Blasco to join our magazines monthly column. Many of you will surely have met Jose at the Tourist Information Counter in Santa Pola. He always exudes enthusiasm for all that is happening in our area. Here are his suggestions of “Where to visit” and ‘What to see” for this month

Just a few words to let you know what’s going on this month, as always. There are no Moors and Christians parades in November, however there is still something to go and have a look at - the biggest fair in the Costa Blanca that takes place in Cocentaina from 1st to 5th November. Cocentaina is next to Alcoy. The fair is divided in many areas: medieval, street market, agriculture trade, typical products, food etc… You will be able to find all kind of products there. You will need, at least a whole day to see it all. There are fiestas in Benidorm from 10th to 14th with music and fireworks. I suppose you know how we, Spanish people, go to cemeteries to take flowers to our lost relatives. On that day, the first of November, the cemetery becomes an impressive place with all these thousand of flowers. Also there are pilgrimages and local fiestas in La Nucia, Tibi, and Onil. Bye- bye friends this is all for the quietest month of the whole year.

Hello Everybody, The evenings are darker sooner now the clocks have gone back, but there are lots of events to enlighten your nights this November with numerous offers and special events, meal deals and live music performances in bars and restaurants all over Gran Alacant. Please check magazine pages for all offers available. Have a good month, Ged & Lou Our little dog Zia and our cat Casper have hidden themselves away in the magazine, can you find them? Last month Zia was on page 46 and Casper on page 74

THIS MAGAZINE IS NOW IN ITS 13TH YEAR. TRUST US. WE MAKE YOUR ADVERT WORK.

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We at your Gran Alacant Advertiser continue to bring you all of the NEWS, including that from a representative from the Town Hall, as we have since May 2005.

If you have any QUESTIONS or PROBLEMS you would like us to discuss, please just email them to us at the magazine - granalacantadvertiser@hotmail.co.uk Airport Bus: Hi Ged &Lou, Looking in the October issue of Gran Alacant Advertiser I noticed that the new bus timetable from Vectalia does not list bus services from Gran Alacant to the airport. I enquired at the ticket office in Santa Pola bus station and they were quite surprised by this. They gave me a small Vectalia leaflet (copy enc - you can find the aerport bus timetable at the back of our magazine).

disgraceful that we pay to have Gran Alacant looking its best for holiday makers and locals but there are people who own properties and turn them into this!!!!! A very unhappy owner!!! Jan

Considering the problem of being unable to easily get a licensed taxi to the airport (as reported in the same issue of the magazine) maybe it would be a good alternative means of transport for some people. Worthy of adding to magazine every month? There is also the 1B bus service from Arenales Del Sol to Elche stopping at the airport almost every hour and for a fraction of the cost of a taxi. I hope you find this useful. Peter, NovaMar 6 Fly tipping in own garden: Good afternoon Ged & Lou, Just a couple of photos of the garden in Puerto Marion belonging to one of the restaurant owners at the GA. How

BARRYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BITS OF NEWS Q: Post office: When will we have a proper post office on Gran Alacant. At the moment we have what is barely the size of a very small room. Once around 3 people can queue in it, the rest of the queue have to stand outside in the elements, mostly the very hot Spanish sunshine, or, even in the times here that it might rain. *Could a canopy be installed to help solve part of the post office problem?

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*La Marina have a nice post office installed in a vacant business premises, of which there are many such empty commercial buildings to choose from on Gran Alacant.

This is what happened (read below). The manager at Mercadona refused to call the police and told the lady to go to Santa Pola to report this.

Townhall Answer: Regarding to this hot issue, it is being difficult to find a proper place in order to replace the Post Office, which will be bigger and will offer more services. Both, Correos and Town Hall, are trying to give more services (including new timetables and more space) to the citizens living in Gran Alacant. By now, all the services, which are given at Post Office in Santa Pola, are now available for Gran Alacant. Furthermore, the Town Hall is now studying the option of rebuilding a bigger Post Office, with a proper entry for lorries and cars. ********** Q: Beggars: Please can the Town Hall stop the beggars we have hanging around our supermarkets and even outside the health centre. It is very intimidating for shoppers, especially the elderly, to have to pass these people on a daily basis. Most of them look better fed than the majority of shoppers who have to abide by them! Townhall Answer: The law, related to beggars, is clear: it is not a felony to ask for money in the streets. That is why Police Department cannot act. However, if anyone could feel annoyed, or even in danger, the Town Hall encourages everyone to ask for the police aid. In addition, there is also the local Social Actions Department, which will try to help those people, by providing a place where to sleep, especially now that winter is coming. ********** I know I know. We see it all of the time, and it is not always the fault of our bin men. Some people just like living in a pigsty. Went to recycle our paper waste to the relevant bin and found it full of garden cuttings. The waste disposal people must want to give up!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A shopper in Mercadona commercial centre caught some bloke with his hand in my bag. He had dark hair, dark shirt, and middle aged. He said it was mistake, nothing was taken, so, just be wary when shopping!â&#x20AC;? The most worrying thing was that the lady was told to go to Santa Pola by the manager

********** Be careful shopping at the Commercial Centre. READ THE MAGAZINE EVERY MONTH AT www.granalacantadvertiser.com

of Mercadona. He said that only the Santa Pola police could look at the CCTV! So this poor lady would have to go to Santa Pola and pay for a translator to report what happened to the police. ********** Please take care anyone driving to Alicante airport for early morning flights, or evening flights when it’s dark! My next door neighbour was driving to the airport at 7:20 this morning, a car with no lights on appeared behind him as he turned off the AP7 to the airport. A brick was thrown from this car, shattering my neighbours back window, this car then tried to overtake and pull in front of him forcing him to stop. My neighbour, although shaken up, accelerated and drove into the airport and the other car drove away at speed back onto the motorway. My neighbour had his wife and grandchild in the back seat of his car and it was very lucky they weren’t injured. This has been reported to the airport police and a denuncia issued, but the police say they are aware of a band of these robbers operating in the area. There were 4 or 5 of them in the car!! Too dark to get any details. My neighbour thinks he was tailed from the garage near the airport. Please be vigilant.....and DO NOT stop!! ********** A proposition has been put forward to extend the existing school on Gran Alacant as the area has already been given all permissions to use this plot for educational purposes. 24 more classrooms will be provided and the complete centre will accommodate 1,120 pupils. There is already absolute chaos in the area of the school when cars

arrive to pick up young children. If this project goes ahead can an inroad from the fountain roundabout connect traffic with the area around the school itself (see picture below). ********** Walking Football Update: Gran Alacant Walking Football club, who are now in their second year, played their third away friendly winning at Lo Crispin by 4 goals to 3. Thanks go to Doug Kemp who looks after and organisers all of our away friendlies. Below is his report from the game. The ‘oldies’ took on Lo Crispin in Algorfa, and after a goalless first quarter and also after conceding the opening goal, managed to claw their way back to a 4-3 win. It was hard fought with a few meaty challenges but our goalkeeper, Mark, and defence were immense holding the more experienced players of Lo Crispin at bay. Clive scored the winner early in the final quarter from a very narrow angle after a poor clearance by their goalkeeper. Cherleys with two goals and Doug were the other scorers. We have a pretty reasonable pool of players now for these games and when we can get the best of them together we will be a difficult team to beat.11 Gran Alacant players took part v Lo Crispin Mark, Malcolm, Jim, Michael, Ian, Doug, Cherleys, Sergio, Jon, Johan and Clive. If you would like to supply news and info for our next edition, please email: info@granalacantadvertiser.com

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ZEST RAISED 490€ FOR MACMILLAN NURSES

Zest located in Urb.Sierra Mar raised 490€ for MacMillan Nurses from coffee morning, tombola and raffle.

“An Afternoon of Colour” at LoungeD

Local artist Stuart trained and worked as a graphic designer in Canterbury gaining a fine arts degree in graphic design. He worked as a probation officer for 34 years and in 2004 Stuart and Sheila moved to Cyprus where Stuart began to paint again. Exhibitions were successful and Stuart’s work became collectible. Stuart and Sheila moved to Gran Alacant in March this year and are happy to be here. The first art exhibition “An afternoon of colour” held in LoungeD, MASA Square was well received and attracted many viewings.

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Gran Alacant Advertiser ahora en Español! Para Información sobre precios de publicación contactanos al 676 74 19 83 Las noticias locales traducidas del ingles por Camila. Todas las fotos se pueden ver en la Información redactada en Ingles

Autobús del aeropuerto: Hola Ged & Lou, Mirando en la edición de octubre del Gran Alacant Advertiser, noté que el nuevo horario de autobuses de Vectalia no incluye los servicios de autobuses de Gran Alacant al aeropuerto. Pregunté en la taquilla de la estación de autobuses de Santa Pola y quedaron bastante. Me dieron un pequeño folleto de Vectalia. Teniendo en cuenta el problema de no poder conseguir fácilmente un taxi legal para ir al aeropuerto (tal como informaron en la misma nota del mes pasado), tal vez sea un buen medio de transporte alternativo para algunas personas. ¿Digno de agregar a la revista cada mes? También existe el servicio de autobús 1B desde Arenales Del Sol a Elche que se detiene en el aeropuerto casi cada hora y por una fracción del costo de un taxi. Espero que encuentren esto útil. Pedro Nova mar 6 Desastre de jardín: Buenas tardes Ged y Lou, Solo un par de fotos del jardín en Puerto Marino perteneciente a uno de los dueños de restaurantes de Gran Alacant. ¡Qué vergüenza que paguemos para que Gran Alacant tenga el mejor aspecto posible para los turistas y los locales, pero hay personas que tienen propiedades y las convierten en esto! Una vecina muy descontenta. Jan

NOTICIAS DE BARRY Q: Oficina de correos: ¿Cuándo tendremos una oficina de correos adecuada en Gran Alacant? En este momento tenemos lo que apenas es del tamaño de una habitación muy pequeña. Dentro sólo pueden hacer cola unas 3 persona, el resto de la cola queda fuera del edificio, generalmente bajo el muy cálido sol español, pero incluso de vez

en cuando, aquí también puede llover. * ¿Se podría instalar una cubierta para ayudar a resolver parte del problema de la oficina de correos? * La Marina tiene una bonita oficina de correos instalada en un local comercial vacío, hay muchos de estos vacíos para elegir en Gran Alacant. Respuesta del ayuntamiento: Con respecto a este tema candente, es difícil encontrar un lugar adecuado para reemplazar la oficina de correos, que será más grande y ofrecerá más servicios. Tanto Correos como el Ayuntamiento están tratando de brindar más servicios (incluidos nuevos horarios y más espacio) a los ciudadanos que viven en Gran Alacant. Por ahora, todos los servicios, que se prestan en la oficina de correos en Santa Pola, ahora están disponibles para Gran Alacant. Además, el Ayuntamiento ahora está estudiando la opción de reconstruir una oficina de correos más grande, con una entrada adecuada para camiones y automóviles. ********** Q: Mendigos: Por favor, ¿puede el ayuntamiento ayudar a los mendigos que tenemos alrededor de nuestros supermercados e incluso fuera del centro de salud? Puede llegar a ser un poco intimidante para los compradores, especialmente los ancianos. Respuesta del ayuntamiento: La ley, relacionada con los mendigos, es clara: no es un delito pedir dinero en las calles. Es por eso que el Departamento de Policía no puede actuar. Sin embargo, si alguien puede sentirse molesto, o incluso en peligro, el

THIS MAGAZINE IS NOW IN ITS 12TH YEAR. TRUST US. WE MAKE YOUR ADVERT WORK.

Ayuntamiento alienta a todos a pedir ayuda policial. Además, también está el Departamento de Acciones Sociales local, que tratará de ayudar a esas personas, proporcionando un lugar donde dormir, especialmente ahora que se acerca el invierno. ********** Tenga cuidado al hacer compras en el Centro Comercial. Esto es lo que pasó. El gerente de Mercadona se negó a llamar a la policía y le dijo a la señora que fuera a Santa Pola para denunciar esto. “Un comprador en el centro comercial de Mercadona atrapó a un tipo con su mano en mi bolso. Tenía el pelo oscuro, camisa oscura y de mediana edad. Dijo que fue un error, no cogió nada, así que, ¡ten cuidado cuando vayas de compras! ” Lo más preocupante fue que el gerente de Mercadona le dijo a la señora que fuera a Santa Pola. ¡Dijo que solo la policía de Santa Pola podía mirar el circuito cerrado de televisión! ¡Así que esta pobre señora tuvo que ir a Santa Pola y pagar a un traductor para informar de lo sucedido a la policía! ********** Por favor, tengan cuidado si viajan al aeropuerto de Alicante para los vuelos de la madrugada o de la noche, cuando está oscuro. Mi vecino de al lado, estaba conduciendo hacia el aeropuerto a las 7:20 de la mañana, un coche sin luces apareció detrás de él cuando cogió la AP7 al aeropuerto. Le arrojaron un ladrillo a la ventana, rompiéndola, este coche luego

trató de adelantarlo y tirarse encima, obligándolo a detenerse. Mi vecino, aunque sacudido, aceleró y condujo hacia el aeropuerto y el otro automóvil se alejó a toda velocidad por la autopista. Mi vecino tenía a su esposa y nieto en el asiento trasero del coche y fue muy afortunado de que no resultaran heridos. Informó a la policía del aeropuerto y se emitió una denuncia, pero la policía dice que está al tanto de una banda de estos ladrones que operan en el área. ¡Había 4 o 5 de ellos en el coche! Estaba demasiado oscuro para obtener cualquier detalle. Mi vecino cree que le siguieron desde el taller cerca del aeropuerto. Por favor, estén atentos ... y NO se detengan! ********** Se ha presentado una propuesta para ampliar la escuela existente en Gran Alacant, ya que al área ya se le han otorgado todos los permisos para utilizar esta parcela con fines educativos. Se proporcionarán 24 salones más y el centro completo tendrá capacidad para 1,120 alumnos. Ya existe un caos absoluto en el área de la escuela cuando los coches llegan para recoger a los niños pequeños. Si este proyecto sigue adelante, ¿puede una carretera desde la rotonda de la fuente conectar el tráfico con el área alrededor de la escuela? Si desea enviar noticias o información para la próxima edición, envíe un correo electrónico a: info@granalacantadvertiser.com

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PLAZA MAYOR

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PLAZA MAYOR

THE BELFRY ON THE SQUARE

Would like to announce the appointment of new Head Chef Tim Johnston. Tim has cooked from the picturesque coves of Cornwall to the fine dining environment of central London cooking modern Mediterranean food. Tim has just finished touring Europe with well known bands in the music industry.

Relaunch Night

Jazz Night 20€

Thursday 1st of November 7pm

Thursday 8th of November 7pm

FREE to local businesses and

3 course meal included

residents in Gran Alacant

Flamenco Night 20€

Night of Musicals 20€

Thursday 22nd of November 7pm

Thursday 29th of November 7pm

3 course meals & live performing singer included

Christmas Menu 1st of December

Festive Christmas Menu Available

Singer performing music from famous musicals

Pie Night 15€

Thursday 6th of December 7pm A choice of homemade pies with live entertainment

Bookings Required 18

PLAZA MAYOR

Monday - Closed Tuesday

Full A’la Carte Menu with Daily Specials

Wednesday

Mini Carvery 10,95€

Restaurant for Fine Dining Wednesday & Sunday Carvery

& Full A’la Carte Menu

Thursday, Friday & Saturday Full A’la Carte Menu

Sunday Carvery 1 course 10,95€ 2 courses 12,95€ 3 courses 14,95€ Booking Advisable

Take Away Menu Available

(Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri & Sat)

Breakfast Full Breakfast Service Starting

2nd of November Christmas & New Year Bookings Now Available

Plaza Mayor, Calle Holanda 9, Tel: 865 669 797 / 07961 831 777 ONLINE BOOOKING RESERVATIONS www.thebelfry.es / info@thebelfry.es Opening times and prices subject to change, please call to confirm. PLAZA MAYOR

PLAZA MAYOR

MONTEMAR BOWLS & SOCIAL CLUB

Sponsored by The Belfry, The Pub, Bowling Abroad, Avalon, LoungeD & Rogers

MONTEMAR BOWLS & SOCIAL CLUB

Sponsored by The Belfry, The Pub, Bowling Abroad, Avalon, LoungeD & Rogers

Why Not Try Something New This Winter At Monte Mar BOWLS & SOCIAL Club ? As our name suggests we are both a Bowling and Social Club which is open all year round. You can find us on Calle Luxemburgo just behind the Dialprix Supermarket. Our Club is a very friendly place for you to start a new hobby like bowling and get plenty of exercise or you can just enjoy the many social events that we arrange for our members. You will meet with your new friends and enjoy a warm welcome every time you visit the Club. As a new bowler you will be entitled to free tuition and use of the club equipment for the first month so why not give it a try.

On the social side, we also organise a multitude of regular events such as nights out at local venues, a weekly Quiz Night and an occasional Dinner/Dance. The Club also arranges excursions to other parts of Spain and short holiday breaks which are great value and very popular with all our members. You don’t have to be a bowler, you can join our Club as a Social Member (just €10 a year) and enjoy all the benefits of the Club’s social activities throughout the year.

CLUB TRIP TO GRANADA September 19th - 22nd Forty-two bowling and social members enjoyed a four day trip to Granada. We had a full itinerary for the four days with a very good tour guide called Alejandro. On arrival after checking in at the hotel, Alejandro took us on a tour of the Cathedral of Granada followed by a tour of the Street of the Tapas of Granada. Every day there was a guided tour to different areas, so there was plenty to see and do. Day three was a two hour hiking trip and nature route up to a waterfall which descends from the Sierra Nevada mountains. The two hour hike ended up being four hours with rope bridges to cross. I think everyone who did it felt quite proud of themselves. On the way home we stopped off at the white villages of the Alpujarras, Pampaneria and Trevelez. Trevelez is famous for its hams, so we enjoyed wine tasting with ham and cheese. The afternoon was finished off with lunch at the local restaurant.

THIS MAGAZINE IS NOW IN ITS 13TH YEAR. TRUST US. WE MAKE YOUR ADVERT WORK.

MONTEMAR BOWLS & SOCIAL CLUB

Sponsored by The Belfry, The Pub, Bowling Abroad, Avalon, LoungeD & Rogers

Our recent trip to Granada

You don’t have to be a bowler, you can join our Club as a Social Member (just €10 a year) and enjoy all the benefits of the Club’s social activities throughout the year. MONTHLY CHICKEN RUN Sunday 30th September The September chicken run was a great success and a lot of fun. We had a bumper turn out with forty members bowling and a number of others just watching the fun. The eggs as usual were donated by Julia and Ian Hamilton, for the ladies Jean Chamberlain won the eggs and for the men Bill Judd. Wendy Sheridan won the ladies chicken with twenty-eight shots and Chris Harding won the men's chicken with twenty-six shots. SUPER SERIES Monday 1st and Saturday 6th October This years annual super series between Monte Mar and La Marina was played on the 1st and 6th of October. Monte Mar lost on both days by a total of forty shots, so La Marina hold the cup for the second year running. Well done to La Marina and better luck next year Monte Mar. TOURING TEAM Sunday 7th October We welcomed our first touring team from Campsie Bowling Club Glasgow. Our visitors had a very enjoyable mornings bowling in lovely October sunshine. After

the match we all enjoyed drinks together, followed by a buffet lunch at LoungeD. Thank you Lou and Ged for for a delicious buffet.

TOREADORS Monday 8th October The Toreadors played their first match of the new season against the Matadors. Winning on three rinks but losing on shots, a good result as both teams are from Monte Mar. well done to the winning rinks of Sue Bounds, Les Bounds and skip Graham Smyth, Jean Chamberlain, Ian Hamilton and skip Mick Soars, Jan Soars, Phil Goble and skip Rod Chamberlain. Shots Toreadors 76 – 86 Matadors Points Toreadors 6 – 6 Matadors WINTER LEAUGE Wednesday 10th October Our first match of the season didn't go

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MONTEMAR BOWLS & SOCIAL CLUB

Sponsored by The Belfry, The Pub, Bowling Abroad, Avalon, LoungeD & Rogers well against a very strong team from San Miguel, we lost on all rinks. After the game everyone enjoyed a lunch a chat and a few drinks. Shots Monte Mar 51 – 112 San Miguel Points Monte Mar 0 – 12 San Miguel LADIES AFTERNOON TEA. Thursday 11th October We held our first ladies afternoon tea, attended by forty bowling and social members. It seems to have been a great success, as there have been a number of requests for another one. After enjoying the food and drinks most ladies were up dancing. Not to be out done the men had an Afternoon Binge, which also seems to have been a success. All in all its was a enjoyable afternoon for everyone concerned.

For more information please contact: Les Bounds (Membership Secretary) – 966699130

Also check out our website for everything you need to know about our Club at www.montemarbowls.com or you can email to info@montemarbowls.com

COLIN ARMITAGE 1943 – 2018 In October the Montemar Bowls and Social Club lost one of their bowlers when Colin lost his battle with cancer. His passing is a sad loss to our club. Colin was a member of the club from when it was opened in 2005 and over the years he was Club Chairman, Secretary and Club Captain. He was also an Umpire and Marker in addition to being a coach. Colin always had time for others and tried to improve things for the club and the members whenever he could. Our thoughts are with Lynne, Nicola, their family and all his friends at this time. We will all miss Colin.

The Royal British Legion

Caring and campaigning for our ex-Service community. The Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch meets on the First Monday of the month 18:00 at “LoungeD, Plaza Mayor (MASA Square) Gran Alacant.

AGM: Nov 5th at 18:00

New members always Welcome and you Do Not need to be Ex Service to join. Further details from – Chairman 96 669 5423 or Treasurer 639 917 971. Email:granalacant.secretary@rbl.community

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The Reiki Room

COMMERCIAL CENTRE

Harmonious Healing

with Jackie Canale

International Practicioner of Holistic Medicine, fully licensed & insured

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS?

• Avoid eating any large meals at night, people may think this will relax them more by “feeling satisfied” but in truth it can promote a high insulin release in the body which could lead to low blood sugar during the night resulting in the body releasing adrenaline which is the cause for waking up and feeling restless for the duration of the night, however, this aside, don’t go to bed hungry either, try and eat before 8pm at night and try and have a small meal.

Hi All, Hope all is well with you this month and you are enjoying the quiet calmness over Gran Alacant. This month I want to talk to you about sleeping! With winter approaching it is important more than ever to try and get our proper 8 hours to avoid the seasonal blues. Do you struggle to drift off to sleep most nights? Or maybe manage 3 hours of deep sleep then awaken and for the rest of the night toss and turn? I find nearly as many as 50% of my clients are restless sleepers, which is clearly a very frustrating problem. Here are a few tips on how to combat this if you also find yourself like this from time to time:

• Avoid caffeine after 5pm (or switch to decaf). Its not just tea and coffee, also chocolate, cola, cocoa and any other products that may contain it. • Avoid eating cheese at night and (dare I say it) alcohol. This also dehydrates the body and causes a restless night, so ditch that “night cap”. • Eat more lettuce in your evening meals, it contains the natural sedative lactucarium, which will encourage a deeper sleep. • If you find you are a worrier (a very common cause of bad sleep) and your

NOVEMBER SPECIAL OFFER A FULL REFLEXOLOGY FOOT TREATMENT FINISHED WITH AN AROMATHERAPY FOOT MASSAGE USING THE BLEND “SERENITY” TO CALM THE MIND AND AID A RELAXING SLEEP

FOR ONLY 20 EUROS!

THIS MAGAZINE IS NOW IN ITS 13TH YEAR. TRUST US. WE MAKE YOUR ADVERT WORK.

The Reiki Room Harmonious Healing

with Jackie Canale

International Practicioner of Holistic Medicine, fully licensed & insured brain refuses to settle at night try taking a B-Complex every morning in with your supplements, it helps to support your nerves and keep you calmer, also try a chamomile tea at night and avoid electronics an hour before bedtime. Instead try reading a good book, something you don’t need to think too much about, a relaxing novel. • Exercising on a regular basis can improve sleep patterns, try to do it in the mornings or mid afternoon at the latest so the endorphins have plenty time to calm down before bed time. • Meditation is a powerful tool to use, it will help you completely relax your whole body inside and out (I find it is up there with my “crucial me time”), and when you are about to try and sleep, lie flat on your back, hands resting over your solar plexus (in-between ribs, just below the chest) and concentrate on your breath, take deep breaths, if your mind wanders to worry mode, think of a deep colour to block that thought and bring it back to your breath. • Some essential oils best for aiding sleep and calming the mind would be Lavender, Clary Sage, Marjoram and basil or my favourite is the Serenity blend by doterra. Try a massage with these oils into your monthly routine or get a roller ball blend to have at home and apply at bedtime. Or you can purchase your own oils and add a few drops to a relaxing bath or get yourself a diffuser.

• Try and keep a regular bedtime and wakening routine, even if you are off work the next day, at least until your sleep balances itself out. • Reflexology or acupuncture have also proven to be very useful treatments for restoring natural sleep patterns. I hope something here comes in useful for you and you get yourself a good restful sleep every night. Until next month, Jackie x Learn and buy some essential oil products: www.mydoterra.com/jackiereikiroom

Harmony at The Reiki Room is now here ... TEL: 693 018 046

The little gift shop with a lot of soul- feel free to come and see my range of beautiful gifts. Add my Facebook to see the new stock. FREE DELIVERY service in Gran Alacant

Email- thereikiroom40@gmail.com Facebook: The Reiki Room-Harmonious Healing

The Reiki Room is situated in Don Pueblo, close to the Farmacia in Gran Alacant READ THE MAGAZINE EVERY MONTH AT www.granalacantadvertiser.com

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SIERRA MAR

HIKING WITH HEIDI & OLLI THE PATHS LESS TRAVELED

Parque de montaña San Cayetano, Sierra de Crevillent

My name is Heidi and I come from Helsinki, Finland. With my husband Olli-Pekka and our 3 dogs we live in Gran Alacant and enjoy the brilliant Mediterranean climate and possibility of discovering new hiking routes all over our Alicante province and sometimes even a bit further.

Driving Time: 1hour Walking Time: 4hrs/7,5km Google maps directions: Parque de montaña san cayetano, 03339 Crevillent, Alacant

Once you drive to the road next to the canal you will see a forbidden driving direction sign. Ignore that. That is the only way to the park and you are allowed to visit.

Ironically, I have a fear of heights, but I love the views from tops of the mountains too much to stay away. Our dogs are getting older so all the hikes need to be suitable for them too as they always go on our adventures with us. I also love photography and always take load of pictures from our hikes. Sierra de Crevillent is visible to Gran Alacant most of the days. Have you ever thought about going on top of it? Cooler air in November will make this route better to visit. This hike is harder and it is not recommended to those who seek easy walks. It does not require any actual climbing but sometimes you might need to help going up with hands.

Choose bridge 10 over the canal. You’ll see the little signs indicating the right way to the park. Soon the road will turn into a dirt road. Just continue. You’ll continue past the greenhouses. The end

THE PATHS LESS TRAVELED

HIKING WITH HEIDI & OLLI THE PATHS LESS TRAVELED I’ve been told that if you choose the St. Juri route over the ridge of the mountain it will be much easier and you will come to the same point as this route. So choose that if it feels better for you.

of the road was in pretty bad shape so it will take time to get there. There’s a nice parking place with stunning views at the end of the road. Continue up and you’ll find the sign post to the wooden stairs that lead you to the path PR-CV 110.

Once you start going down you’ll walk past some fields. Continue right and you’ll be able to stay on route. Soon the route will take you to the other side of the canyon and the rest of the hike is relaxing walking in the canyon. You’ll arrive back to Els Anouers recreational area with picnic tables and garbage bins. Fantastic mountain to visit!

You can also just drive to the parking lot and walk a few hundred meters to the picnic area and enjoy your day there. In the park there are 3 different routes. We follow PR-CV 110 for a small circular route. The others (108 & 109) are significantly longer. The origin of the park is in an old hermitage dedicated to San Cayetano. This is a perfect place to enjoy a complete day in the mountains. First section of the route is a good climb up. That’s nearly all the climbing you will do on this route. Once you are up turn right. This is one of the spots on this route that was poorly guided. You continue right along the ridge of the mountain (kind of going back to your car) and you will soon see the possibilities of the route choices. We chose the original route, which was pretty scary for me. The path was narrow and the drop was steep. All I could do was to keep my eyes on the path and continue. I could not look down nor sides. But I did make it. And after that I thought that I want to do it again too!!!

Next month we go on foot again. Hasta luego, Heidi & Olli

CHECK LIST

Always when going on hikes check that: • Your Mobile Phone is fully charged • Water - climbing up is hard job & you will need it • Snacks (Remember to take all the garbage back down with you!) • Have good shoes for walking • Have small first aid kit with you • Have layered clothes. Up hill might be very windy and cold, even on a warm day. Coming down might be chilly, so extra dry t-shirt to change into if needed is not a bad idea • Always tell someone where you are going and when you’ll approx. be coming back

THE PATHS LESS TRAVELED

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COMMERCIAL CENTRE XIII CROSS POPULAR ABEL ANTĂ&#x201C;N 2018

... and they are off! The 11th event of the Abel Anton Cross Popular gets underway at the Commercial Center in Gran Alacant., October 7th, 2018

The winner Luis MiĂąarro Ayala from Santa Pola Athletic Club with 35 min 17 sec, followed by Javier Lopez Alonso with 36 min 20 sec and Jesus Garcia Aguilar who finished the race with 36 mins 58 seconds

The fastest woman to finish was Maria Oliva del Valle with 43 mins 57 sec, followed by Desiree LLedo Martinez with 46 mins 07 seconds and Marie Canals Garcia with 46 mins 20 seconds. Our personal congratulations goes to our friend Claudia Esing from Germany who decided to take part whilst on her holiday in Gran Alacant and finished 3rd in Veterana B category with 52 mins 37sec. Well done Claudia x You can find more photos on our website www.granalacantadvertiser.com

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COMMERCIAL CENTRE The 11th Edition of XIII Cross Popular Abel Anton 10k race took place on Sunday 7th of October starting at the Commercial Centre in Gran Alacant. The race is held every year and is named after Abel Anton, the Spanish long distance runner who won gold medals in the marathon in 1997 and 1999 World Athletics Championships. He was also the first Spanish runner to win the London Marathon in 1998.

For Riders Bike Shop lead the race

For Riders Bike Shop lead the race and while the runners where on the course, the Gran Alacant Life Dance Academy kept the crowd enthralled! A total of 190 senior athletes and also 300 from other categories took part in 2018 race. It was good to see familiar faces ...

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. . . t u o b A Out & La Piazza’s “Fitn ess & Food” Bootcamp The first fitness bootcamp held in MASA square wa s well attended and enjoyed by all who took part followed by lunch at La Piazza. The 2nd Bootcam p will be on 6th of November. Reservations need ed due to popular demand!

ss Tribute Complete Madne e’s at Miley O’Rourk

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MIRROR CORNER FIGHT THE WINTER BLUES Leaves are falling from the trees, and your dog starts covering all seats of your car with his hair, the alarm starts ringing at 6am and there is not even a slightest sign of the sunrise?

¨problem¨ because their primary focus is on survival and living the everyday life the way it is. WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? I encourage you to make a ¨Winter Kit¨. Time for ACTIONS ¨BeACTIVE¨… COLD SATURDAYS: Make a list of things that you didn’t fancy doing in the heat of the summer. Let´s take a look!

After your breakfast things start the same way as yesterday, and you know today will be the same as tomorrow. Looking at the dark morning, you suddenly feel a growing sense of emptiness inside you, which you are hoping to fill in some way or the other. The empty hole is growing during the day and you find yourself in the same murky mood. You go through a list of things you were supposed to have done, but didn’t … your energy starts to drop and you put blame on many things around you. While glancing at the darkness from your window at 6p.m. with a box of chocolates in your hand you may come to conclusion you lead a miserable life! Well, my dear friends … this is it! Time for “winter depression”, one of the most common depressions, has arrived! WHY IS THIS? Depression comes because we humans have the habit of thinking about things; it is a neurotic reaction to the events and their impact on our lives. Animals don´t have this

A, If you like cooking: perhaps it is a good idea to finally try that new recipe you had read in the magazine and making a special dish for your loved ones. This keeps you active and allows you to share a new moment with them. If you live alone, perhaps you can invite a group of friends to show off your culinary skills. You could make it your resolution to try to make one new recipe every week. After all, wintertime is a perfect time for cooking! B, If you like reading: finally find time to read that book you got for your birthday or pop into the library and browse through the books until you find a few that catch your imagination. Create a comfy corner at home, snuggle up with a blanket, make a cup of tea and just relax and enjoy the story. Make a list of books you would like to read this winter and stick with it. C, What about films? In the summer time we spent most of our time outdoors making the most of warm evenings and late night BBQ’s with our friends. Wintertime is the perfect time to catch up with movies, with a bowl of popcorn in front of cozy fire. Movie nights are a perfect way to enjoy your cold winter Saturdays!

MIRROR CORNER

PS.BEATRIZ COTA PONCE

MASTER HEALTH AND MASTER JURIDIC PSYCHOLOGIST Num Colegiados- CV12623 y MU03895

Santa Pola Gran Alacant http://beatrizcota.com

beatrizcotaponce2016@gmail.com

Want to ask Beatriz a question? Email: beatrizcotaponce2016@gmail.com

or book an appointment.

Your information will be kept in the strictest confidentiality. D, and what can you tell me about walking along the sea or in the forest? You can finally do it without the stress of the heat of the summer. Wrap yourself up in a warm scarf and take in the fresh air. It will not only refresh your mind, but it will also turn into the fitness adventure for your body. Try it! It will make you feel better for the rest of the day. DAILY ROUTINE (If don’t have one, it’s a good time to make it!) E, Do you have a dog to walk? Excellent! He or she will prevent you from being lazy! If you make an effort to get up early, you can watch the sunrise. It is always a very nice moment to start whichever day with. Relax, let yourself feel what you need to feel, close yours eyes for a moment and try not to stress … F, Make 20 minutes of the day YOURS! You need them to think about the things you need to do. If you are working, it’s good to organize things to do in some order. If you are not working, it’s a good time to think where to go and what to do that day. It’s very important to plan your days because the early darkness will balance with your “personal agenda” which means ACTIONS. If you keep active, depression is less likely to appear. G, If you live in the coastal area where the work is more seasonal, winter might be a period when the work load decreases. Sometimes, this fact alone makes you worry and you start piling up worries and unproductive thoughts. Perhaps this is

a good time to devote the extra energy into some activity you always want to do but never have time for. Take up a fitness activity or start learning new language, enjoy free time to go to the theatre, visit a museum or whatever activity you fancy. Trying a new activity will give you a sense of fulfillment and on top of that you will also meet new people. Social activity is also another very important factor for fighting the winter depression. Perhaps you will come to a conclusion that you have many interests that you would prefer to bring to your life. Balance the pros and cons and “be” honest with yourself. Winter is a perfect season for being introspective in a positive way. Thinking about things to change and you don´t know where to start? Take a sheet of paper, a pen and start. Perhaps it is a perfect moment to start some psychotherapy and put things in order. Going to the sessions is a very good way to start new ways. Hoping these simple pieces of advice make you live a better winter season. I am as always thankful for your response and the warmness of your opinions. Wish you the best!! BEA xxx

I would love for you to suggest to me some topics you want to know about, for sure I will have had some real topics related to it during my past work history, I have twenty years of folders to investigate. You can ask me any questions, and I will give you my contribution in the form of suggestion, hoping it can help you.

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Ending it There I was, sitting at the bar staring at my drink when a large, trouble-making biker steps up next to me, grabs my drink and gulps it down in one swig. "Well, whatcha' gonna do about it?" he says, menacingly, as I burst into tears. "Come on, man," the biker says, "I didn't think you'd CRY. I can't stand to see a man crying." "This is the worst day of my life," I said. "I'm a complete failure. I was late for a meeting and my boss fired me. When I went to the car park, I found my car had been stolen and I don't have any insurance. I left my wallet in the taxi I took home and then I found my wife with another man ... then my dog bit me." "So, I came to this bar to work up the courage to put an end to it all, I buy a drink, I drop a capsule in it and sit here watching the poison dissolve; and then you show up and drink the whole damn thing!

Silent Treatment A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment.

But, enough about me, how are you doing?"

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:0 0 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper,'Please wake me at 5:00 AM. He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, 'It is 5:00 AM. Wake up.'

AVDA.MEDITERRANEO

Mayka’s Kitchen

SIERRA MAR

Mayka’s Kitchen

Verdina Beans with Clams

Hi All, Rain and cold weather are finally here! I know it’s sounds crazy but I’m really happy as I love the warm, hearty dishes and I missed them so much. This month’s recipe comes from a well known Spanish chef using special Verdina green beans. They can be difficult to find but you can use the normal green beans as well for this tasty dish. Let’s start!

Ingredients for 4 servings •

300g Verdina beans

•

1 leek

• • • • •

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

15 strands of saffron 300g clams 2 tsp salt

Let’s Start! Leave the dried verdina beans to soak in a large bowl of cold water for up to 8 hours before cooking. Ensure the beans are covered by 10cms water. Put the onion and leek, peeled and roughly chopped, into a large saucepan with two garlic cloves and the soaked beans. Cover with cold water, pour in 1 tbsp of olive oil and bring to the boil before simmering gently for 1.5 hours. After 1 hour, remove the onion, leek and garlic and blend with a little stock before adding to the pan with the beans. About 15 min before serving, toast the saffron strands for a few minutes in thick bottomed pan and add to the bean mix. Leave the beans to one side and prepare the clams, ensuring that you clean and rinse them well. To finish off the dish, take a large frying pan and cook 1 clove of chopped garlic in olive oil. Add the clams with a ladle of sauce from the beans. You will know the clams are cooked with they open. Spoon the bean stew into a serving bowl and mix in the clams. Season with salt to taste and serve. Enjoy x

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SANTARA LIFE RESORT

CYCLING with Bici Gran Alacant

by Olli-Pekka & James Fulcher

Bici Gran Alacant is a group for all road bike cyclists in and around Gran Alacant.

Castillo de La Mola / Santuario de Santa Magdalena (Novelda) “All the routes are downhill and with a nice tailwind! (except the bits with climbing and a headwind).” Remember to always take a sense of humour... If you look towards Elche from Gran Alacant you will see acres of flat lands which while useful to the cyclist do not always offer the greatest vistas especially if like me you are a rider of shortish stature. Believe me I see rows of bushes more than I need to. Therefore I am always on the lookout for rides that take me to lovely vistas. One such destination is around 45km from Gran Alacant and just 4km outside of the town of Novelda. There, at 360m above sealevel stands “Castillo de la Mola” and the “Santuario de Santa Maria Magdalena.“ The design of the Santuario was inspired by the style of the architect Gaudi and together with the view the place is really worth the ride. There are a few route options to get to Novelda, this is one of the simplest ones. You can also see the route on Strava: https:// www.strava.com/activities/1889764720

This ride starts off heading for the Northern ring road around Elche and once over the Puente De El Bamil-Lenari take the first exit on to Cami de los Magros. You then follow this road all the way to the CV-84 which climbs from Elche to Aspe. If you are new to cycling I can recommend this climb as a good one to start with as it is just under

5 km and although it is challenging the gradient is fairly steady all the way with no really steep sections. Once you get to the top you can start to see why the effort has been worth it. It’s all downhill from here (joking) as you follow the road all the way to Novelda. The road splits in two lanes right lane going to Aspe and left continuing to Novelda. The instructions are painted on the road. Apart from the magnificent architecture of the church of Santa Magdalena you will also begin to see some of the lovely views in the area around Aspe. There is a nice cafe at the church for refuelling. After a few refreshing drinks, it’s time to return home. You can of course just follow the same route back but there is a nice alternative route via Fonte Del Llop Golf Course where I assume the 19th hole must be very good as I rarely see anyone playing golf. Head back to Novelda and then on to Aspe.

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for the road alongside the Airport runway. From there head for El Altet and then Los Arenales and you are almost home.

Few things to keep in mind:

You are looking for the CV-847 to take you to the golf course where you take the Cami de Monfort which brings you back to the CV-86 (North Ring Road Elche). Head back towards Torrellano but take the first road down through the Elche industrial park. At the bottom you are on the N-340 for a short while before turning off and heading

• Always have something to drink with you and for a bit longer rides maybe a banana or muesli-bar • Always have a little money if you need to stop to buy food or drink • Take the phone with you • Many of the small cafés are closed on Mondays • And the most important: Wave the fellow cyclists”

You can find information about several weekly rides on our Facebook page Gran Alacant Road Cyclist “Bici Gran Alacant” and also your local bike shop For Riders have rides and events on their Facebook page. DISTANCE: approx. 100km. Moving time approx. 4 hours. DIFFICULTY: Medium/Hard OUTWARD ROUTE: Balsares-Torrellano-Cami Cementeri-CV86(Ronda Norte Elche)CV8651-Puente De El Bimil-Lenari-Cami De Los Magros-Cami Viejo De Aspe-CV84-N325Novelda-Castillo De La Mola. RETURN ROUTE: Casillo De La Mola-Novelda-N325-CV846-Aspe-CV825-CV847-Font Del Llop Golf-Cami De Monfort-CV850-CV86-Elche Prq Ind-N340-CV852-CV849(Airport Runway Road)-El Altet-Los Arenales-Gran Alacant. CYCLING WITH BICI GRAN ALACANT & FOR RIDERS

DRAMA IN A TEACUP They heard it again. A distant but clear sound that seemed to be coming from the well. The pair had been exploring the ruined village of Arenque, high in the foothills of the Pyrenees. It was a recommended diversion in a; “things to do” book, on their walk along “The Way”. The once prosperous collection of houses was now in complete disarray. The roofs had gone and the red coloured walls had long since crumbled. The story was that the construction of a nearby dam had deprived the place of its water supply, by disrupting the stream that had brought life to the village. Neither the government nor the construction company had thought to divert water from the newly formed lake, to replace the stream. Crops withered and failed, the livestock had neither food nor water and the village simply died. In their final seasons, the local people had dug a well to a small stream that flowed from a different spring further up the gorge. It was far below the village and down an almost sheer face of crumbling rock. It was just possible to scale down but almost impossible to ascend, especially carrying enough water to sustain the village. So the shaft of the well had been dug. In time that stream had also faded to nothing. The well went vertically down to a hollow in the ground from where water could once be drawn. Now it was dry but from the depths came an eerie sound. “Save Me”, but in a Spanish dialect which almost masked the words. They had attended an immersion course in Spanish to prepare themselves for the walk but their grasp of the language was still fairly basic. They listened intently and it came again. They nodded to each other, almost too frightened to speak; a distinct sound. “Save Me”. They could see a distance down the well shaft but then if fell into darkness. The sound had stopped. Perhaps a small stone dropped into the void would elicit a

rit

THE WELL

ac nb y Te r r y L

response; but no: a small stone from that height would be like a large rock. They shouted. No response. If the book was correct, there must be a cave or at least an opening in the side of ravine through which the stream had made its way down the hillside. The track to the bottom had long since been destroyed by landslips and heavy rain and the face of the rock looked fragile. They had to try to get down to see what was there and then make their way down the ravine to the town from where they had started. As they set off down the rock face, the stones were loose and the pair slithered down holding hands and grasping at whatever they could to steady themselves. Eventually, the flaking rocks gave way to something more substantial and they were able to scramble down to the bottom of the ravine, in a more dignified way. They had gone down about twenty meters; is seemed like fifty. Neither had suffered substantial injury but their skin was raw from the fragile stone at the top. They took their bearings from a dead tree stump they had seen, which was overhanging the rock face near to the well. They moved cautiously up the dry stream bed until they found the small cave from where the stream had once exited the hillside. Entering the shoulder high space, a gentle cool breeze met them face on and through the growing darkness they could see a glimmer of light. It didn’t seem to be light from the well shaft, but from a small gap in the wall of the cave. As they neared this fissure in the rock, they came to the foot of the well. Cautiously they peered up to the sky, but there was nothing and no one to be seen. Through the small gap in the cave wall, where the light dimly shone, the breeze rose and fell on their faces. As it did so, weaving as It did through the narrow fissure, similar to the narrowing opening in a child’s toy flute, the breeze made a hissing but distinctive sound. “Sssaaalvemay; Sssaaalvemay”.

FIVE MINUTE FICTION

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BIBLIOTECA INTERNACIONAL GRAN ALACANT SPANISH LESSONS

WE NEED:

• BEGINNERS - Mon & Wed 9:00-10:30 • INTERMEDIATE - Tue & Thur 9:00 - 10:30 • HIGH INTERMEDIATE - Mon & Wed 10:30 - 12:00 • ADVANCED - Tue & Thur 10:30 - 12:00

• Necesitamos personas que hablen inglés fluido para intercambio de idiomas con españoles. • Taller de memoria por las mañanas • Taller de teatro para adultos por la tardes • Si tienes proyectos de carácter social y voluntariado, tráelos a la biblioteca. • Para todo lo anterior ven a informarte y apuntarte a la biblioteca internacional de GranAlacant. Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 9.30-13.30 & 16:30-19.30 Wed: 9.30-13:00 & 16.30-19.30 Saturday: 9:30 - 13:00

We need people who speak fluently English for Coffee and Talk with Spanish people. • Memory workshop in the mornings • Theater workshop in the afternoons • If you have social and voluntary projects, bring them at the library. • For all, please come to the library to get further information & register.

Further information: Biblioteca Internacional Santa Pola-Gran Alacant Avda. Escandinavia, 31 03130 Santa Pola Phone. 966697110 santapola.biga1@gmail.com AVENIDA ESCANDINAVIA

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LA MARINA ADVANCED HOLIDAY NOTICE

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Out & About with Star & Ashlee VALENCIA Hi my name is Star and I have been lucky enough to call Gran Alacant my home for over 10 years now. My 8 year old daughter Ashlee and I are often “Out & About” enjoying the local attractions and culture in this part of Spain. Over the next few months I will be sharing some of our experiences with you to encourage you to go “Out & About” yourselves and maybe learn a little bit about this beautiful place we call home. This month we wanted to continue sharing our experiences from a two day break that we took in Valencia whilst my Mum was visiting. At the start of day two and after an extremely filling breakfast, we paid for our tickets in the reception of the hotel and walked around the corner to catch the Valencia Tourist bus. As we had spent the whole of the previous very humid day, walking around the Oceanografic, it was lovely to sit in the open air top deck and see the amazing architecture and mix of historic and modern buildings whilst listening to the guided tour information via headphones. There were two different routes we could take (historic and maritime) that were both included in the price, and we were able to hop off and hop on at any or all of the stops along the way. We hopped off at the main plaza which is one of the places where the two tours meet, in search of a specific Church. We briefly stopped at the Valencian Cathedral which is the home of the Holy Grail that Jesus drank from at the

Last Supper. This is a very large Cathedral and although you can see a small section of it for free, you need to pay to see the main interior and home of the Grail.

We continued on foot and after asking some of the locals the way, arrived at the Church of San Nicolás de Bari and San Pedro Mártir which was tucked away down a small alley. After paying a small fee we received a headset and hand player

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Out & About with Star & Ashlee so we could hear the information in English as we walked around. As we entered the church we were completely blown away and awe-struck by the stunning interior. Although it was much smaller than the Valencian Cathedral you could instantly see why it is also referred to as the Sistine Chapel of Valencia. The recent

restoration it underwent was classified as “the most important architectural and pictorial-ornamental work ever carried out anywhere in the World due to the scale of the work and the techniques used.” It truly is stunning and there is a risk of getting a neck ache as you try to admire all of the amazing frescos, art work. beautiful stained glass windows and numerous sculptures. The guided tour via the headphones was really informative. We then had a spot of lunch before heading onto the bus again to do the whole of the 2nd route that took us past all of the historic highlights of the city, including some of the more modern areas and the Bio Park Zoo. It really was a great way to see everything. Back at the plaza and we switched back to the maritime route so we could finish that tour and head back to the

hotel. Once we had collected our bags from reception and loaded the car, we set off and talked about all of the amazing things that we had seen and done on our trip as we made the scenic two hour journey home. We will definitely return to Valencia, when it is cooler and we are able to stay longer as there is still so much to see and do. Additional Info: Ashlee and I used our annual passes for Terra Natura to get a 25% discount on entrance tickets to the Oceanografic, this discount also applies to the Science Museum and Hemispheric (IMAX Cinema). As Mum is a Pensioner, we took her passport so she could get reduced price tickets. Join us next month for some more fun “out & about’ Star & Ashlee xxx

Out & About with Star & Ashlee

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CWW Electrical Services Qualified electrician All electrical work undertaken Tel: 617 872 405 *** Contact Clive or Wendy

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CARS FOR SALE

PLEASE RING FOR DETAILS

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GRAN ALACANT GOLF SOCIETY

We have had some interesting golf mornings during October. As mentioned last month the Course officials asked us to move from our usual 8am tee time to accommodate visiting Societies from Scandinavia and Iceland. They brought our times forward to 7.36 with an assurance we would be first off, even though it only gets light at 7.50ish. Now Spanish golfers are like Spanish drivers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they have to be in front of whomever is in front of them !!! So, it was interesting to see groups of Spaniards piling on to the first tee at 7.30. It was fascinating to watch them tee up and we could not even see their ball on the tee. Quite how they tracked the flight we do not know, but more of that in a moment. We had the presecnce of mind to wait until there was sufficient light for the course to be playable and as we walked down the first fairway we found a number of balls in the first cut of rough that obviously those in front could not find in the dark â&#x20AC;&#x201C; go figure ! Now the clocks have gone back we shall have some lighter mornings again and we are back to our usual tee time. Of course the overnight temperatures now begin to drop and so it will not be long before we say farewell to shorts and golf caps and dig out long trousers and beanies. As always new members and/or guests are always welcome, whether a full time resident, someone with your own holiday home for regular visits throughout the year or a holiday maker in the region. We would love to see you. For more information please contact either Barry C (686180585) or Barry D (966183018).

TENNIS CLUB - EURO TENIS For players of all standards near Gran Alacant, Santa Pola, La Marina and Elche Playing Tuesday and Friday mornings, 10.00 - 12.00 at Club de tenis Elche.

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CLINICA VETERINARIA GRAN ALACANT EXOTICS

Tel: 966 698 569

Liliana Aldeguer Cerdán 793 English translation by Sergio Reina Esteban col 747

WHICH BREED IS MY DOG?

This is probably the most common question asked in every practice. New owners want to know how the puppy they adopted is going to look like when it’s an adult, if it’s going to be big, small, furry, potentially dangerous, etc. In case of pure breed puppies, this is very easy, but in most cases we can just “guess” the approximate adult size. In case of cats the task is easier, because the number of feline breeds is smaller than canine ones, and the difference of size between breeds is not as big as in dogs. We can divide feline breeds in two categories: flat faced breeds, such as Persian and Exotic Shorthair, and non flat faced ones in one hand; and long and short haired breeds in the other hand. There are very little differences between crossed cats. Knowing the breed of an animal it’s very important. Its external appearance is the result of its genome. Sometimes, when we know the external appearance of a dog (for example, a Rough Collie), we also know something about its genome (sensitivity against ivermectine in Collies). This helps the Vet to know which medicines can be used (and which ones cannot be used) according to the patient, and helps the owner to prevent accidents (for example dogs that are prone to collapse when overexercising). The most common and popular breeds all over the world, such as Labrador, Beagle or German Sheperd are easier to treat,

because we know very well which are their particularities and weak spots (such as allergies, hip dysplasia, etc). But, what about crossed animals? Many owners believe crossed animals are stronger and healthier than pure breeds. This is true, because they are genetically stronger due to hybrid vigour, and they have a bigger genetic variability, which implies more available resources for overcoming successfully a health threat. A small genetic variability may imply declining fertility rate (and increased newborn mortality rates), weakness, etc. A good example of this would be what happened with some dynasties in which consanguine marriage was too common. The problem with crossed dogs is they may have a dominant gene from a remote ancestor; this gene might be, for example, the one that produces Collies ivermectin sensitivity, but there might be nothing externally in that dog that indicates it’s the great-grandson of a Collie, so it might have an ivermectin treatment which may produce a serious problem. There are some dogs that have a gene named ABCB1 which makes them have an abnormally increased sensitivity involving lots of different medicines. We are talking, for example, about some dogs in which the complete recovery after an anaesthesia with opioids takes 3-4 days instead of 24 hours. Many of these dogs have a genetic mutation which is not associated with any external characteristic, so, the only way to detect this condition is a genetic test. When a Vet chooses an antibiotic or antiparasitic treatment, the choice depends not only according to the disease, but also according to the characteristics of the patient. For this reason, every treatment must be tailor-made, and this includes vaccination plan and antiparasitic treatments.

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PETS IN SPAIN www.petsinspain.com

Pets In Spain is a website dedicated to the re-homing of abandoned and unwanted animals on the Costa Blanca. Whether you are looking to adopt an animal, advertise an animal or if you simply want to know more about taking care of your pet in Spain, please take a look at our site or Call: 645 469 253 Pepper is 19 months old and in need if a new home because of a family break up. He is neutered, vaccinated and loves to be picked up for a cuddle.

Dante is a rescued Siamese kitten and hand reared since the age of 3 weeks. He is now 4 months old and in need of a forever home.

Harley, Oliver & Paloma have been adopted from our last edition. These 3 female ducks were rescued 8 weeks ago and were in terrible condition. We have called them Cassia, Nuria and Fabia and they have now fully recovered and ready for a new home.

Felix is 5 months old and looks like the famous cat food Felix. He is very sweet, relaxed and a purring machine. He is a very good natured cat and is neutered.

To view more animals for adoption visit our website. If you would like to advertise an animal email: info@petsinspain.info

Tel: 645 469 253

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WHAT’S THAT IN THE CLOT? by Mark Etheridge

FUDGE DUCK

Last month I told you about a new bird species which has been found in the Clot – the Crested Coot (our esteemed editor decided that the alternative name for it wasn't very appropriate!) and I spent several days in October trying to find it, without any success. It's probably hiding in the central marsh somewhere... However, my search produced something else quite unexpected. The great thing about the Clot is that you can never be sure what will turn up, and I wasn't expecting to find not one but two examples of a quite rare duck. I was sitting in the main hide overlooking the Charco pool, and seeing the usual suspects – Common Coot, Little Grebe, Mallard, Shoveler and a few Teal (there will be lots more of those in the next few weeks), when right up against the shoreline by the hide there appeared an unfamiliar duck. The first thing I noticed was the remarkably white eye. There aren't many ducks which have this feature, also the undertail was quite noticeably white. I quickly rifled through my birding Bible – the Collins Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe (every birder should have one) – and after a bit of humming and hawing realised that what I was seeing was a Ferruginous Duck. Once again, the Clot had given me a “lifer” as we twitchers like to say.

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And twitchers being what they are, if a name is slightly unwieldy like Ferruginous (the word means rust-coloured), they will give the bird a twitcher's shorthand name, so say hello to the Fudge Duck! The bird in my photo is a male bird, there was also a female bird in the distance which was distinguishable from the male by the lack of a white eye, and slightly duller plumage. This bird breeds mostly in South-eastern Asia, through China and India as well as Central and Eastern Europe. Its numbers are in sharp decline, with a global population now estimated at less than a quarter of a million birds. There are a few in Western Europe with a few sporadic breeding and overwintering records, so although not unknown in Spain, the occurrence of these two in our very own Clot is quite noteworthy. Hopefully they will find the Charco Pool to their liking – it has everything they need in terms of food and shelter, and with a bit of luck they might stay there for most of the coming winter. Even if they don't, they are an excellent addition to the growing list of species to be found here. Ferruginous or Fudge – you decide! You can see more photos of our local wildlife by visiting https://marketheridge.smugmug.com/

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WORDSEARCH WORDSEARCH: COOKING - LA COCINA in English or Spanish

Geoff’s 1. Which two items of clothing originated in the Crimean War? 2. Which British Prime Minister spoke of ‘Peace with honour, peace in our time? 3. In which country did the Boxer Rebellion take place? 4. Who was the first labour Prime Minister? 5. Who invented the Spinning Jenny? 6. The engineer James Brindley was famous for developing which transport system?

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SUDOKU Difficulty Rating: EASY To solve the puzzle each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain all the numbers 1 to 9. While the rules of this logic puzzle may be simple, there are numerous strategies to help you solve Sudoku.

8 2

DOODLE AREA

6 8 9

1 7

6 2

4 6 8 5

2 1 1 6

1 4 7

2 3

5 2

2 6 1

3 1 5

2 8

For hints and information visit www.sudoku.org.uk

Difficulty Rating: MEDIUM

9 4 6

9 6

9 7

4 5

9 4

1 2 2

4 2

2 6 1

9 6 9

4 3

6 1

7 4

2 6

8 Difficulty Rating: HARD

2 3

2 8 1

9 4 2

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GRAN ALACANT BUS & TRAIN TIMETABLES

GRAN ALACANT TOURIST TRAIN TIMETABLE

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FROM 16/SEPTEMBER TO 15/OCTOBER

MONDAY TILL SUNDAYS 10:00H TO 14:00H AND

FROM 16:00H TO 22:00H FROM 16/OCTOBER TO 31/MARCH

TUESDAY TO SATURDAY 11:00H TO 14:00H

NO SERVICE ON SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS.

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SANTA POLA HALF MARATHON 21!KM (13.1 MILES) JANUARY 2019

Now the summer is behind us we enter into a period of local sporting events, and in our area we are fortunate to have one of the country’s best half marathon’s, attracting competitors from across Spain and other parts of Europe. The Santa Pola Half Marathon is to be held on Sunday 20th January 2019, starting at 10.30am with a field of approximately 9000 runners of all levels of ability. This is one of Santa Pola’s biggest events, with 1000’s of spectators lining the route adding to the carnival atmosphere of the day. The town throbs with excitement. For those interested in participating, the registration opened in July, closing on 17/01/2019. Registration is through the website www.rockthesport.com or, you can search on google for Santa Pola Half Marathon 2019. By the time this goes to press there will be 11 -12 weeks to the date of the half marathon, which is about the minimum you would need to put together a training programme. There are any number of 12 week training programmes available on the internet, starting with regular walks and leading up to gentle jogs to get you ready for the 21km run. Winning is not the goal, participating and completing

the course is reward enough, giving you a sense of achievement and self satisfaction Gran Alacant is developing a sporting culture with cycling, running, surfing, kite surfing, paragliding, kayaking, swimming, Triathlons, Biathlons, walking football and much more and it is encouraging to see the growing numbers of locals taking part in exercise. (Note: If you have not exercised before it is advised you consult with your medical practitioner before you commence your training). Full details and registration can be found at www.chiplevante.com

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