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 issues, please email Sam 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.
This month, I´ll address two common questions.
The first concerns voting rights. A British resident asks, "My husband and I recently gained residency and live permanently in La Marina. Can we vote now, and if so, is it for national or local elections? How do we register?"
As British citizens, you can vote in local elections in Spain after residing here for three years.
Here’s what you need to do:
• Be registered on the municipal register (padrón municipal) in your town of residence.
• Confirm your registration on the electoral roll (censo electoral) before each election, within the dates set by electoral authorities. For example, for the May 2023 local elections, British citizens could register from December 2022 until mid-January 2023.
• You must re-register on the electoral roll before each local election; it’s not a one-time process.
Remember that being on the padron does NOT automatically mean you are on the electoral roll. They are two different things.
To register, you can go to your town hall during the appropriate time period, or you may receive a letter from the National Statistics Institute (INE) with a CERE-N
form and CTT password, allowing you to register online.
Be sure to stay informed about future elections, as registration requirements and deadlines can change. It’s essential to be on the padrón as it serves as proof of residence and helps establish how long you’ve been living in Spain. Registering on the padrón as soon as you establish residence is advisable to ensure you can vote when the time comes.
In summary, British citizens in Spain can vote in local elections after three years of residency. Being on the padrón is an important step in this process.
The second question involves illegal dumping: "Why do people leave items like sofas and mattresses next to rubbish containers?"
In San Fulgencio (La Marina Urbs), three services are available to dispose of large items properly:
1. Municipal Collection Service: You can arrange for a collection of up to three large items, such as furniture, by calling 693 92 77 78 or messaging via WhatsApp.
2. Mobile Recycling Station: A mobile recycling station operates once a week, alternating between the village and the urbanizations. Dates are posted on the Ayuntamiento de San Fulgencio’s social media pages.
3. Municipal Dump: For garden waste, you can take items to the municipal dump, but you´ll need a card, available from the Tourist Information Office. Nowadays, the dump is only open during the week.
For building waste, you must hire a private service like a skip. Despite these services, illegal dumping still occurs, and here’s why:
• Lack of Awareness: Some people may not know the proper disposal methods for different types of waste.
• Convenience: Dumping near bins may seem easier than organising a pickup or driving to a waste facility. If the process feels too complicated, or the municipal dump is closed, people might opt for a quicker but illegal solution.
• Transient Population: San Fulgencio, like much of the Costa Blanca, has a large number of expats, tourists, and
renters who may not be familiar with local waste regulations.
• Cultural or Habitual Differences: Some residents may come from places with less strict disposal regulations, and their habits carry over despite local enforcement.
• Laziness: Some simply don’t want to put in the effort to dispose of their rubbish properly.
When disposal requires extra time, effort, or money, people may take shortcuts, even though it harms the community.
Fines are issued for illegal dumping, and the hope is that enforcement will encourage others to dispose of their waste responsibly.
If you have more questions, feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to provide answers.
My La Marina
With Sandra Von Der Zee of Papagayo 3.0 Bar & Dining Cafe
Where were you living before you came to La Marina?
Me and my husband are Dutch so... well... we lived in Holland! We lived in a town called Breda, it´s not far from Rotterdam. At that time I was working as a customer service agent for German speaking countries. I´m still doing customer service at Papagayo, I guess, but on a one to one, face to face basis which is far more pleasurable!
Why did you come to Spain and specifically, La Marina?
My husband had actually wanted us to move to Spain for years. I was always unsure, you know, work commitments, family commitments so I always found an excuse to avoid the issue. But then, about eight years ago now, things changed... my job was a stressful one and eventually I began to suffer total burn-out with it all. Plus, the kids grew up, moved out and my father passed away. So, now there was no reason to stay. We chose Spain as both me and my husband had been going there for holidays for many, many years and we already knew people who had moved over there and whenever we had been to Spain on holiday we so enjoyed the weather, the people and the way of life.
We ended up landing in La Marina as we had a friend who was living at Mini Camping Oasis and he helped us rent a caravan there and... that was it! We were here! And it was lovley, so calm, so relaxing, gave me the chance to refresh and rebuild myself after my burn-out.
And what do you do here?
In terms of ´what do we do´ as in ´what work do you do´... you already know... we´re the Papagayo Restaurant people! The first Papagayo, Papagayo 1.0, began not long after we arrived at Mini Camping, We did it for about 9 months before we decided to try something else and we moved to an urbanisation not far from Elche and took on fairly large premises, Finca La Montañosa... big terrace, 90 tables, 8 bed and breakfast rooms. It was here that our award winning pizzas, which we still make to this day, were born. It was challenging and rewarding...
but we really, really missed La Marina so when a chance to rent a premises in the Bahia De Las Dunas shopping center came up we grabbed it... moved back to La Marina and began Papagayo 2.0!
We loved being back in La Marina and running a new Papagayo... and then in January this year things got even better when we took on our new premises in Plaza Sierra Castilla. We love it here, such a wonderful, central location and we feel so much part of the community!
What´s your favourite thing about La Marina?
The strong community with its mix of nationalities and cultures – I love that! Also I work with the Elche Children´s Home, a place for kids, from 3-18, whose parents simply, for whatever reason, can´t look after them... Papagayo has special nights where part of the revenue we make is donated to the home or every Friday (at three in the afternoon) we raise money with our Bingo afternoon! To me, doing that is not just about helping kids, but also about giving back to a country that´s given me such a wonderful home!
And the future?
More of the same please... I want to carry on welcoming people to Papagayo 3.0, giving them excellent, well-priced food and, this is my philosophy of life, treating them in the manner in which I myself would like to be treated!
You can find Papagayo 3.0 Bar & Dining Cafe at Plaza Sierra Castilla 39 La Marina Tel: 711 00 96 30
Email: info.papagayo20@gmail.com Facebook: Papagayodiningcafe30
Held to raise funds for the DEBRA Butterfly Children charity – the charity for children suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa, a condition that leaves their skin as fragile as a butterfly´s wing.
Wow €4,322.55 raised for DEBRA! The Red carpet was rolled out for the XIV Butterfly Charity Ball on Friday 27th September for another fabulous evening at La Marina Resort to greet our guests in aid of DEBRA, the event was organised by Mary Chambers & Sue Rogers.
Everyone looked stunning in Ball Gowns and Tuxedos as they attended a Poolside reception followed by a 3 course meal in the restaurant. Our entertainment for the evening was the fabulous Randy Corwood, who was sponsored by Newstart Estate Agents.
Once again Tommy Rogers did an amazing job hosting the event and helped raise €4,322.55.
Throughout the evening we held a raffle and fundraising events, with €75 won from Lucky Squares by Yvonne Taylor, €140 won from Head & Tails by Maggie Fowler and €375 won from the Golden Butterfly by Elly Scammell who donated €125 back to the charity. We also received a €100 donation from Salon 23 and a number of donations throughout the evening to ensure we raised as much as possible for the charity. Our auction prizes included a stay at one of the three La Marina Resort sites, Sunset Beach Club Benalmadena, and Rafael Hotels in Madrid.
DEBRA Charity would like to thank everyone who worked extremely hard to make this event such a success, Mary & Sue for organising the evening and Tommy for comparing the evening, our teams who collected raffle prizes and our helpers on
the night, local business from La Marina & Quesada, Hotels from Alicante, Madrid and the Costa del Sol who donated so generously with fabulous prizes and our sponsors.
Cristina & Fabian and their team at La Marina Resort for all their hard work and looked after all our guests and their very generous donations.
We would like to thank everyone who came to this event and gave so generously on the night. Over the last 14 years this event has raised almost €75,000. We would like to thank everyone who has supported and continue to support this event and we look forward to seeing you all again very soon.
Next year’s Butterfly Charity Ball will be held Friday 26th September 2025, if you would like to attend, please contact Mary via WhatsApp on 616 076 072 or email at lamarina@debra.es
You can find out more about the DEBRA charity at www.butterflychildrencharity.com or visit our Facebook page @butterflychildrencharity
Spanish Bar Assc Reg No. is ICAE 1265)
Hi! I’m Dani, and welcome to my new column. From history to culture, traditions, and personal anecdotes, my aim is to entertain you—and who knows, you might pick up a fun fact or two along the way.
For this first article, I thought I´d share some stories from my life as an Englishborn girl who grew up in Spain. It’s been a life filled with cultural mix-ups, and I’ve had my fair share of getting things hilariously wrong.
For years, I thought the phrase morning glory referred to that wonderful feeling of waking up on a beautiful day, full of happiness and optimism. My Spanish brain tends to take things way too literally, and I even bought a pyjama top with the phrase on the front. Wearing it in front of my very English grandparents on Christmas morning was... embarrassing, to say the least. And that’s just one of many storiessome too inappropriate to share here!
Growing up between two cultures was often confusing. My teachers would say, “Speak up!”, only to go home and be asked, “Are you talking to me or the man down the street?”. I’d say things like, “Give me that” and be scolded for being rude. “Don’t you mean, ‘May I have that, please’?” But at school, I used ‘por favor’ and ‘gracias’ so often that it became annoying. Apparently, I couldn’t win!
Then there’s my appearance: too pale to be fully Spanish, but with mannerisms far too Spanish to be fully English. People often ask, "What are you?" Honestly, I’m not sure I know myself! But it’s amusing when I catch people making comments in a language they assume I don’t understand, only to surprise them with a full-on British accent - or vice versa.
And speaking of the very British accent, that I dare you to figure out, it’s all thanks to my mum, who insisted I read Shakespeare aloud as a child. So I may get everyday English words wrong far too often, but at least I can deliver a soliloquy with more dramatic flair than a West End actor. Thanks, Mum!
Then there’s Christmas. While my Spanish friends played with their new toys late into the night, I was in bed early, bribing Santa with milk and cookies. Why was I the only kid who had to wait until morning? When I lost a tooth, my mum promised a fairy, but my friends assured me it was a mouse that came to collect the teeth. “Fairies don’t exist, Dani.” But apparently, toothcollecting rodents do. Baffling!
My first trip to England was at age 12 - total culture shock. Where were the Chinese bazaars for my bits and bobs? And the road signs - “Look, Dad, they’re like in Harry Potter!” What on earth were fitted carpets? “I have to take off my shoes?” How do I greet people? A handshake? A hug? Do I go for the two kisses, as every instinct screams I should? The last time I did that here, I made that poor lady very uncomfortable. Finally, what is all this having lunch at 12 and dinner at 6 business? And why is there butter in my sandwich? Where’s the olive oil?
But English class? That’s where I thrived. I always had my hand raised: “Excuse me, teacher, don’t you mean on the plate, not in it?” Eventually, they got so tired of my constant comments, they banished me to the back of the class and let me wear headphones. I guess you could say I found my own way to fit in... sort of!
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Helping Animals in Spain
Pets in Spain is the centre point for animal rescue and rehoming in Spain. This animal charity is registered with the Valencian Regional Government. For lost and abandoned animals in Spain they provide the best of care with a great team of foster carers and all necessary veterinary treatment and rehabilitation for an animal.
About Us
Operated by a dedicated multi national team of volunteers that rescue, rehabilitate and rehome all types of animals. One of the most recent rescues was a mother and her 10 ducklings from a dire situation.
In the case of a lost and found pets the Pets In Spain team has amazing success in reuniting lost pets with their owners. This is done thanks to their long established Europe-wide networking connections and in collaboration with many other animal rescue organisations.
Please support the Pets In Spain team, we need sponsors to raise funds and help them to rescue more abandoned and displaced family pets.
Our biggest expenditure is our monthly vet bills and our funds are constantly depleting – we not only provide these services to animals in our care but also for the owners of pets who can´t afford veterinary costs. We have foster homes and other volunteers in place to take in more abandoned animals and help more desperate people that need to rehome a family pet. But to enable us to do this we need more funding from new sources.
With more funds we can rescue more animals! Please show your support byy visiting our website www.petsinspain. com .Your donation will be used to pay for the animals veterinary fees, medication, food, transportation costs, and on the odd occasion a stay in temporary kennel or cattery facilities.
We are currently homing 30/40 displaced pets each month (our target is to home at least 100 in a month), and with more funding we can achieve our goal. Please help the Pets in Spain team to rescue more animals.
Pets In Spain is a legally registered charity established in 2011 by the former British San Fulgencio animal welfare councillor and deputy mayor Mark Lewis. The charity is based in La Marina urbanisation.
Operated by a dedicated multi national team of volunteers that rescue, rehabilitate and rehome all types of animals. One of the most recent rescues was a mother and her 10 ducklings from a dire situation.
We collaborate with other charity’s and can provide help and assistance to needy individuals via our collaborating veterinary clinics when vital veterinary procedures are necessary.
Since 2011 the charity has operated a feral cat TNR (Trap, Neuter and Release) program in La Marina urbanisation and surrounding areas.
We have an excellent record of reuniting lost pets and their owners via our various popular social networking sites which include Poooooch Watch, Rescue cats and kittens for adoption, Spain, and our main Pets In Spain Facebook page.
To donate to the charity please visit the donations page on the website www.petsinspain.com
Visit our Facebook page: @petsin.spain1
You can find the Pets In Spain shop on the lower floor of Consum car park, next to Hortons.
Tel/Whatsapp 645 469 253 Email: info@petsinspain.info
IF YOUR PARTNER REMARRIES OR GOES INTO CARE AFTER YOU DIE – PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN’S INHERITANCE
In Spain when you buy a property with your partner, it is usual that you will both be registered on the Escritura (deeds) as owning 50% each. If the first party dies and leaves their 50% to the surviving partner, the survivor will then own 100% of the property. This sounds perfectly reasonable, however, should the survivor then remarry or go into care, the whole property could be at risk of being lost as an inheritance to the children/beneficiaries.
There is a way though that the first to die can guarantee that their share
of the property will go to the beneficiaries that they state within their Will while at the same time protecting the survivor and enabling them to live within the property until such time as they either die, remarry, go into care or otherwise move out of the property (for example they move into a new partner’s home) without any risk of being forced out of the property or the property being sold from under them beforehand.
It is called an “usufructo’’ clause. If a new Will is written, giving the survivor an usufructo right to live within the half of the property belonging to the first to die, then the survivor is free to carry on living within the property until such time as they themselves die or move out, but will not actually “own’’ the deceased’s share. This means if the survivor then subsequently remarries or goes into care for example, only their own half could
be at risk of being lost because, after the first party dies, during the ensuing probate process, the beneficiaries stated within their Will are registered on the Escritura as being the legal owners of the deceased’s share of the property.
To find out more about this option and what you need to consider, just give Thy Will Be Done a call on 865 756 058, Monday to Friday 9-5 or complete their contact form at www.thywill.es and they will call at a convenient time for you.
Thy Will Be Done – Where there’s a Will there’s a Way
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Paul Blackmoore (Practice Principal) with little helper Benny, his rescue French Bulldog
Studio32 is now in it´s 10th year of bringing musical theatre local to the La Marina area!
Originally founded by a group of friends who had a passion for theatre, the intention was that Studio32 would deliver musical theatre productions to the local area to be enjoyed by all.
Along the way, challenges have inspired new structure and developments which have brought the Studio32 team to great heights of success. Over recent years and with changes to structure and new hugely talented members the dedication towards perfection has been unstoppablble.
With past successful shows including Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, South Pacific, Oklahoma, Guys & Dolls, Hello Dolly, The Studio32 West End Party and The Pajama Game, we now invite you to The Studio32 Broadway Christmas, showing for four nights only at Cardinal Belluga from Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th November.
Tickets are selling fast and you are invited to order any remaining tickets from Studiothirtytwo.org or, if still available at time of print, from outlets shown on Studiothirtytwo.org.
So, what are the main factors required to produce high end performances? The answer? A dedicated team, working together giving 100% effort and commitment to achieve the best possible results.
The show director, Mark, has run highprofile London West End theatres and been Executive Producer at Sheffield theatres including The Crucible. He´s also written 5 hugely popular books and and the script for The Studio32 Broadway Christmas!
Martin has appeared in over 60 musicals under his belt in lead parts and both musically directs and joins the cast.
Laura has been dancing, singing and acting since she was 8 and has an Honours degree in Musical Theatre and is one of our three musical directors.
Nicole Casey, founder of NCM, gained her Honours degree at The Royal College of Music and now teaches music and singing and is a coach to professional singers. This will be her third year with Studio32.
Geri has been dancing, singing and acting since the age of two! She has appeared in over 70 shows, as well as choreographing many UK musical theatre shows including Kinky Boots. Her outstanding choreography skills are demonstrated in the routines for this production, Studio32 has so many talented and dedicated volunteers with such amazing skill sets: wardrobe seamstresses who make the costumes, the Makers and Shakers who build, paint and recycle our stage and props, the tech crew who patiently create the music, sound and lighting effects, the list goes on...
To date, Studio32 has gifted over 40,000€ to local charities and so with enjoyment for our audiences and charitable donations it is a WIN-WIN all round.
Please do treat yourself to an amazing evening of entertainment and come see our latest show!
Also – another date for your diary! We´ve bought the licence for SISTER ACT and will start to rehearse in January for our May show. There will be an open evening in the New Year for potential new members to come along, meet the team and consider signing up for the production. You will find details of this and more on Studiothirtytwo. org.
Many thanks all for supporting us now and in years past and of course for reading this editorial.
Lonée Hopwood -
Chairperson
Absolutely fab time had by all at Autumn Gold Fiesta at Alannia Guardamar hope to see you there on Nov 20th with 100% live band Beatles Show with Abba & Buddy Holly supporting making a truly unique afternoon.
SPANISH TIPS WITH CHRISTIAN
A monthly feature with useful and effective tips about speaking Spanish and Spanish culture
¿MALE OR FEMALE? GENDER ISSUES
Hola and don’t worry, this month we won’t be talking about modern gender issues such as CIS, Binary, Gender Fluid, Non-Binary etc. but gender as applied to Spanish grammar.
Most of my new students look at me with a quizical look and ask me: “but how will I know if a table is male or female? ” Well, it’s something that comes with context and practice, but there are a few little rules that will help you to identify gender along the way.
The O Rule: if a word ends with an -o it’s probably male. “El banco” is male because it ends with an -o, and therefore we use “el” to express the idea of “the bank”.
The A Rule: if a word ends with an -a, it’s probably female, as in “la casa”. We use “la” to indicate “the house”.
The N R S L X Y rule: any word ending in one of these consonants are likely to be male, as in “corazón”, “pintor” “autobús”, “árbol”, “tórax” and “buey” (heart-painterbus-tree-thorax-ox).
The DAD TAD TUD IÓN EZ EZA UMBRE IS IA IE NCIA rule: any word with these endings is very likely to be female. For example: “solidaridad”, “amistad”, “latitud”, “canción”, “timidez, “belleza”, “cumbre”, “crisis”, “gracia”, “superficie” and “emergencia (solidarity-friendshiplatitude-song-shyness-beauty-summitcrisis-grace-surface-emergency).
However, to make your life just a tiny bit more complicated, some Spanish words don’t follow these rules, but only in a few cases such as “la mano” (the hand. Female, despite it ends with an-o), “el agua” (the
Here at La Marina Languages we have been helping many students learning Spanish for the last 4 years. Check out our website and say “hola”.
Christian is based in La Marina and offers one-to-one Spanish lessons at all levels (on-line or face to face). He will also accompany you as a translator for visits to doctors, lawyers, notary – whatever you need!
Tel/Whatsapp: 623 279 074 lamarinalanguages@gmail.com www.lamarinalanguages.com
water. Female, despite it ends with an -a). As I mentioned before, it is something that becomes clearer and more natural as you keep practicing, hearing and reading Spanish, and I can tell you that none of my intermediate students struggle with gender.
Mind you, always make sure that you order “el pollo” at the restaurant when you want chicken. If you don’t, expect a bit of a shock, and I will say no more of the matter… except that ´la polla´; is erm... that thing that a man has between his legs!!
Keep studying, keep practicing. ¡Bien hecho!
Comes to La Marina!
CHANNEL 5 FILM 'BARGAIN LOVING BRITS IN THE SUN' AT TWILIGHT BAR!
On Sunday 27th October, Twilight Bar was buzzing with excitement as Channel 5 filmed an episode of Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun The bar was packed for a special performance by Costa Ska Tones with an electric atmosphere as a cameraman captured the lively crowd and energetic band. Between shots, the cameraman paused to have attendees sign release forms, adding to the thrill of being part of a televised event (that´s showbiz baby!).
Donal, the owner of Twilight Bar & Cafe, shared that hosting the Bargain Brits team was an honour, and he hopes to welcome them back to their La Marina bar before the end of the year. Keep an eye out for future events and possible filming dates by following @Twilight Bar & Cafe on Facebook!
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