La Marina Advertiser June 2024

La Marina Advertiser is a FREE community magazine celebrating local culture, commerce and creativity.

Originally established in 2005 in Gran Alacant - the Gran Alacant Advertiser has helped hundreds of local businesses over the two decades it has been operating.

We are delighted to grow our community into La Marina Urb, La Marina Pueblo and San Fulgencio.

We are MORE than just an advertising magazine - bringing local news and local businesses to local people.

Hello, this Editor's note is all about thanks! Thanks to all the readers who emailed us to say how much they enjoyed reading the magazine. Thank you to all the local people who have contributed news and articles about La Marina - its people, groups, charities - to this issue. And thank you to all our advertisers who have supported us to produce the magazine.

I hope you enjoy this issue of La Marina Advertiser and if you have any thoughts, questions, suggestions or an article you'd like us to write please feel free to contact me!

La Marina Advertiser brings you news and views on local issues in La Marina Urbanisation, La Marina Pueblo and San Fulgencio.

If you have any QUESTIONS for Samantha about local , please email on info@lamarinaadvertiser.com

It's a Local Affair!

with Samantha Hull San Fulgencio Councilor

Answering all your questions about local issues as well as exploring life and culture in Spain as a San Fulgencio local.

When I was asked to write this column, I stated that I was a councillor in San Fulgencio. This was questioned by several people who said “No you aren't. You are a councillor in La Marina”. They thought the urbanisations were part of La Marina. This started me thinking and as such, I decided to use the second issue of this community magazine to try and explain the long standing problem of distinguishing between San Fulgencio and La Marina.

I personally think the problem started when the dual carriageway, the N332, from Alicante airport was built. Before this, most people called it the Masa urbanisations as it was Masa (Mas Asensio, S.A.) who originally built the houses there back in the 1980s. But once the N332 was built and the sign for the exit from the airport was erected the confusion began.

Once you come from the airport, past Santa Pola, up the hill and then take the exit, the sign you come off at says “La Marina Urbanizaciones”. This is where punctuation is so important because, once you leave the main road and come down to the roundabout, the sign suddenly tells you that you turn right for the urbanisations and left for La Marina village! So it should really say “La Marina Y Las Urbanizaciones” (“La Marina and the Urbanisations”) or even better still, it should say “La Marina

the Urbanisations of San Fulgencio).

The truth is that the “big urb” is actually called Urbanisation Marina-Oasis. This is one of the several urbanisations of San Fulgencio: Urbanisation Marina-Oasis, Urbanisation Oasis, Urbanisation las Pesqueras and Urbanisation La Escuera, El Oral, Monte Victoria y La Plana.

Another reason people get confused is because the village of San Fulgencio is about 5,5km away from Urbanisation Marina-Oasis and is so very different. It is a traditional Spanish village with deep agricultural roots, traditional values and cultural heritage. Urbanisation Marina - Oasis in contrast is a large residential development catering to all nationalities and as such has a more European and modern feel and caters heavily to the needs of a foreign population.

La Marina is the village near to the beach and it is part of the area of Elche. The urbanisations do NOT pertain to La Marina village and as such, when you see things advertised as “in the village” they are actually referring to San Fulgencio. I have had many, many calls and messages from people asking where the parade or fiesta is. I have to then tell them that they are in the wrong village!

y Las Urbanizaciones de San Fulgencio” (La Marina and

The history of San Fulgencio began in the 18th century, when D. Luis Antonio de Belluga y Moncada, Bishop of Cartagena set in motion his project to drain swamp lands near the mouth of the Segura River, transforming them into fertile land suitable for agricultural use.

The first population that settled in San Fulgencio came from the Segura river basin, from Murcia and its huerta. In 1794 San Fulgencio had 1,215 inhabitants, although due to the ups and downs of the

crops and epidemics in 1857 the population was reduced to 866 registered inhabitants.

The population is currently about ten thousand and with the influx of people from Holland, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and other countries, this population is growing quickly. This also means we will have a more diverse and more European municipality than before which is actually very exciting. I look forward to seeing how the area will look in another ten years!

Welcome to the first of a regular series, 'My La Marina', in which we talk to some of La Marina's long term residents about their life here, how they got here and what 'here' means to them!

Our first 'My La Marina' interviewee probably needs no introduction, he's almost a La Marina legend! This June is the 21st anniversary of a shop almost everybody in La Marina must know –Cards and More, run by the irrepressible Jason Daniels.

Let's be honest... there aren't many of us who haven't been in Jason's shop (in Plaza Sierra Castilla, near Dialprix) for help with sim cards, mobile phones, passport renewals, photocopying, printing and goodness knows what else!

So...Thanks for chatting to us, Jason, and a happy 21st to Cards and More!

You can visit Jason's shop in La Marina here:

CARDS AND MORE

Plaza Sierra Castilla, 12, Urb. La Marina Tel: 966790954

My La Marina

with Jason Daniels of

Where are you from in the UK and what were you doing there?

I come from the south-east of England, grew up in outer London and Kent. I was battling my way into Central London, working in the financial sector, for the first 17 years of my working life.

Why did you choose to come to Spain?

I first visited the area in January 2003 when my parents received the keys to their newly built holiday home in Algorfa and had a wonderful time on the beach with our daughter, who was 2 years old at the time, having left wintery weather back home... and thought, hold on a minute... we could live here and enjoy this weather all the time!

Why did you choose La Marina and what do you do here?

We chose La Marina because close friends of my parents lived there and we noticed that people were constantly complaining about the difficulty finding anybody to help with things like mobiles, printing, passports and, well, all the things we now do. So... that is where the idea for Cards and More came from and we opened the business on the 1st June 2003, hoping to meet as many of the residents needs as we could... and I should most definitely mention here that Cards and More is, and always has been, run in partnership, and with the day to day help of, me mum and dad – Bob and Barb...bless you guys!

How has La Marina changed since you arrived? It’s obviously got bigger and if anything, even more international than it was and I have naturally seen many people and businesses come and go, but the large number of retired permanent residents ensure that our services are still relevant. Also, I love the way La Marina provides a safe and supportive place to live for so many different people from so many different places. Its almost like La Marina has become an essential support network for all the residents here.

And the future?

So, we are just about to celebrate 21 years looking after our customers here on the urb, whom we are very grateful to, plus we continue to strive to be as helpful as we can and look forward to many more years ahead!

KEEP FIT WITH PAOLA!

Hi, I'm Paola Yenay. A personal trainer based here in La Marina. I specialise in one-to-one and group fitness and exercise classes. Today, I'd like to talk about mobility training.

How many times have you heard; I can't run. I can't jump. I'm not very mobile. I get tired... Let's not forget that with the passing of the years it simply takes more effort to be as mobile and supple as we used to be... but if you don't keep active, then mobility problems will simply become worse. But it need not be that way. If you keep active, do exercise, keep mobile then you can preserve the quality of your life!

So get moving, bet on yourself and on your quality of life – one great way to do this is mobility training.

Mobility training will help you avoid injuries, cramps and strains and achieve your training objectives more quickly. Workouts and exercise will progress more easily, quicker and produce more and better results in a shorter time and general physical health, strength and flexibility will improve.

What do I mean by mobility? Mobility is, quite simply, the ability to move. And mobility training, quite simply improves your ability to move.

swimming, exercises... all of them get your heart rate up, burn calories and waken the body from the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Furthermore specific mobility training exercises can help you strengthen and make specific parts or areas of the body more flexible where you have problems – they can even help you correct your posture and correct posture helps to avoid injuries and muscular pain. For example, mobility training exercises for your hips can be particularly good for your general health, flexibility and well-being.

In fact, hips are a particularly good place to start mobility training exercises because your hips are super important as they support the weight of the upper body and are responsible for the mobility of both the trunk (upper body) and your legs – they play a role in everything from walking to running, from bending to jumping. If you wanted to start mobility training then as a first step, work on those hips because a healthy hips make a healthy body!

Finally you want to train, if you want to work on your mobility, then do it! It's never too late to start, you just have to take the first step.

Mobility training makes you stronger and more capable and expands your range of motion and flexibility. It also strengthens muscles, giving you more control over your own body and its movements and more overall stamina. Not only does mobility training strengthen muscles, it also helps with heart health – walking, running,

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You're also considered a fiscal resident if your main family or most of your activities and economic interests are based in Spain, either directly or indirectly.

Another indicator of fiscal residency is when your spouse or partner (if not legally separated) and your dependent children regularly live in Spain. Who is a fiscal resident

Throughout the entire calendar year, you're classified as either a resident or nonresident, and any change in residency status during the year won't affect your tax status for that period.

Stay tuned for next month's update on how the Spanish Tax Office is involved when a non-resident sells property!

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LA MARINA LITTER PICKERS

BY RICHARD HENNERLY

We've all seen them around La Marina, those mysterious, yellow vest wearing strangers dutifully picking up letter. Who are they? Actually, you already know them, they're the La Marina Litter Pickers, a voluntary organisation dedicated to help keeping La Marina neater and cleaner. Personally when I see these guys (and gals) I want to go up to them , shake them by the hand and say 'thank you for your service'.

Last month I met with Jill and Mick Spiller of The Litter Pickers and some of their fellow volunteers and they told me more about the group.

Litter Pickers was founded by Edith Dolmem Gilje in 2018. It is made up entirely of volunteers, some residents and some who have second homes here. They usually operate in cleaning crews of 6-10 members and target for litter collection all around the main road entrances into La Marina, the forest road from the garage down, from the Mariola Furniture store down to Tio Pepe on C/Londres and the Commercial Center (where Mercadona is).

They've always had strong support from members of the public, from Easy Horse (who give them their empty horse feed bags – big, strong and excellent for rubbish collection!) and from the local San Fulgencio council, particularly councillor Paulino Herrero Cifuentes. In fact, the local council think so well of The Litter Pickers that last month they awarded them a celebratory plaque for their services! And why wouldn't they...Jill and Mick told me that between September and December of last year

included a fair amount of unhygienic dog waste and rat-attracting food waste.

Finally, it should be mentioned that The Litter Pickers come from all nationalities and Jill and Mick wanted me to point out that what they do is not only a great way to give something back to the community with a really positive and satisfying outcome but also a fabulous way to meet new people and make new friends!

The Litter Pickers collected 180 bags of rubbish...that equates to around 180 square meters of rubbish which will have

If you would like to volunteer with the La Marina Litter Pickers, join their Facebook group for more information:

Litter Pickers in La Marina

SPAIN'S FIRST MEN'S SHED IN SAN FULGENCIO

Men's Shed is a non-profit organization that originated in Australia and now has 'sheds' all over the world.

Here in La Marina, the San Fulgencio Men's Shed was founded by it's president Barry Wallis and opened it's doors in February 2023. It's aim is to help improve the physical and mental health of, primarily, those in the over 50's age group (both men and women) who find themselves isolated after life-changing events such as divorce, death of a spouse, disability (30% of Men's Shed members worldwide are disabled) or simply those people who are struggling with making social connections and finding a purpose in a new country. The La Marina 'shed' is the first in Spain. It is financed by the membership fee of 20 euros per year (incredible value!), social events for it's members and the community such as draws and raffles and by fundraising gigs performed by its patron, the marvellous and well-known performer Stevie Spits, performing as himself or as part of The Jersey Boys or Fusion.

For a long time research has shown the negative impact of loneliness and isolation on a person’s health and well-being. Recently, more evidence has come to light that shows loneliness and isolation can be as hazardous to our health as obesity and excessive smoking. Surveys from mental health charities are finding that millions of people report feeling lonely on a daily basis.

Men especially find it more difficult to build social connections than women, and unlike women of a similar age, older men tend to have a smaller network of friends and rarely share personal concerns about health and personal worries. It is not the case for all men, but for some, when retirement comes, it can feel like personal identity and purpose is lost. Men’s Sheds can help to change that.

Sheds are about meeting like-minded people and having someone to share your worries with. They are about having fun, sharing skills and knowledge with likeminded people and gaining a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. As a by-product of all of that they reduce isolation and feelings of loneliness, they allow members to deal with mental health challenges more easily and remain independent, they rebuild communities and in many cases, they save lives.

The San Fulgencio Men's Shed which is situated at Calle Azorin on the Urbanization La Marina, It is a place for both men and women, a place to teach, learn and use practical skills, providing challenge, problem solving, social interaction and support in a friendly and inclusive environment, which all assist to keep people fitter both mentally and physically.

The positive aspects of the shed environment are often linked to peer support, learning and how "Each shed participant is both a teacher and a learner.” Men's Sheds are particularly vital here in Spain particularly as many members don't have any family living here.

If you wish to join the San Fulgencio Men's Shed, find out below: Facebook: @SanFulgencioMensShed Tel: 634 37 18 17

Beethoven

Beautiful BEETHOVEN is looking for his forever home. He gets a little stressed in the kennel environment, and would love a home to call his own with a garden. He is good with other female dogs, and loves to go on long walks.

He is a 7 year old Mastin who deserves a new start. If you would like more info about Beethoven, please get in touch!

This is TRIGGER a 7 year old large dog. He is so affectionate, good on a lead and very obedient. He would make a great companion and is house trained as he has come from a loving home. Trigger has a passport and is fully vaccinated.

Can anyone please give Trigger another safe and loving family home? Contact us at the Shelter if you would like to come and meet him!

If

info please contact us on:

SPANISH TIPS

¡Buenas! We are Dani and Sam from the ‘Speechless in Spain’ Language Centre in San Fulgencio, where we have lived for over two decades and taught Spanish here with over 26 years of combined experience.

From the very beginning, we've centred our teaching method around a practical use of the language, teaching Spanish that is truly relevant and useful in everyday conversations. And, as time goes on, it becomes clearer and clearer to us why ‘textbook’ Spanish just doesn’t cut it. Learning ‘textbook’ Spanish often means missing out on the common everyday phrases and expressions we use. Slang is an integral part of any language, including ours. If you overlook how commonly it is used, you could find yourself missing the point of a conversation.

Here are some of our favourite expressions to help you sound more like a native speaker and truly understand the nuances of Spanish! By incorporating these expressions, amongst many more into your conversations, you'll not only sound more fluent but also gain a deeper understanding of the language's cultural context. So, next time you're having a conversation, don't just stick to the textbook phrases. Embrace the slang!

If you'd like to know more about Speechless in Spain, get in touch below: Tel: 623 003 215

Email: info@speechlessinspain.com

Sound like a native!

Estar hasta las narices

"To be fed up"

Literally meaning "to be up to the noses", this phrase is used when someone is extremely annoyed or tired of something. For instance, "Estoy hasta las narices de tus quejas" (I’m fed up with your complaints).

Estar como una cabra

"To be a bit crazy”

Literally translating to "to be like a goat," this expression is used to describe someone who is acting crazily or eccentrically, or is just a bit bonkers. For instance, "Ese chico está como una cabra" (That guy is a bit crazy).

Ponerse

las pilas

"To get one's act together"

Literally "to put in the batteries," this idiom means to get energized or to put in effort. For instance, "Tienes que ponerte las pilassi quieres aprobar el examen" (You need to get your act together if you want to pass the exam).

Tío / Tía - “Mate”

“Tío” literally means “uncle” and “tía” means “aunt.” However, these words are very commonly used in slang as the equivalent of “mate” in English. For example, "¿Qué tal, tío/tía?" (How are you doing, mate?) or "Tía, estás como una cabra" (Mate, you’re bonkers).

Estar en las nubes

"To be daydreaming", “To have one’s head in the clouds”

Literally meaning "to be in the clouds," this phrase is used when someone is not paying attention or is lost in their thoughts. For example, "Juan siempre está en las nubes durante la clase" (Juan is always daydreaming during class).

Meter la pata – "To make a mistake"

This expression means "to put your foot in it" and is used when someone makes a mistake or blunder. For instance, "Metí la pata cuando le pregunté sobre su ex" (I made a mistake when I asked her about her ex).

Quiz time Quiz time

1. In which US state is The Mount Rushmore Monument?

2. Name the four US Presidents on the Mount Rushmore Monument?

3. Which bar did Sam Malone run ?

4. The Nags Head was the pub in which classic British comedy series?

5. What is the name of the pub in Coronation Street?

6. Which cartoon has a bar called 'Moes'?

7. Which chief medical officer and coronor could be found drinking in 'Dannys Bar'?

8. Which British explorer was murdered by the natives in Hawaii?

9. In which town did the Pied Piper play?

10. In which sport do teams compete for the Stanley Cup?

SUDOKU

To solve the puzzle each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain all the numbers 1 to 9. For hints and information visit www.sudoku.org.uk