Costa Life Magazine #29 July 07

>> costa BUSINESS DIRECTORY >>

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Call Rachel on 952 597 035 or 676 249 782 www.poshpets-spain.com & click on links you require or email hairoffthedog2004@yahoo.co.uk WORLD SERVICES Kennels and Cattery, Worldwide pet travel, Vet service, Grooming parlour, Collection and delivery, Pet homecare.

902 301 002 www.vi-pet.com

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Call 952 591 053

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Envirocare SL 952 663 141

TRANSPORT, REMOVALS & STORAGE >> WARM HORIZONS Ltd Local, National, European and international removals, storage and distribution. No job to big or to small Call (00 34) 952 499 337 or (00 34) 628 003 358 or email warmhorizonsltd@msn.com

www.barsinspain.com - (0034) 952 499 400

costalife 105

Apartment

Townhouse

Ref: 33207

Ref: 34673

Very well priced 2 bed 2 bath penthouse in the heart of Riviera Del Sol with large wrap around terrace wonderful golf & mountain views. The apartment comes with fully equipped kitchen, also offers underground garage and communal gardens and pool.

This property is priced to sell as the vendors are moving back to the UK.

Stunning end of row townhouse in Marbella, great location 5 min walk to the nearest golf course, the property is set in a beautiful complex frontline beach, with beautifully done garden and pool with steps going down to the sea, as you enter the property you have your lounge on your right, the elongated kitchen straight ahead with access to the large terrace and dining room, in the midle of the lounge there is a staircase leading up to the bathroom, 3 double bedrooms with there own balcony, one of them en-suite, and if you carry on up the staircase you have a roof terrace with stunning views of the sea and mountains. Also storage and parking.

247,205€

427,773€

Duplex Apartment

Duplex Apartment

Ref 33839

Ref: 32345 Location: Front line golf apartment this is a very bright and sunny 2 bed 2 bath duplex top floor apartment with wonderful views all the way down the golf course to the sea. This property has 2 terraces and sun all day long very nice complex with lovely pool area.

Lovely Spacious duplex apartment in Riviera Del Sol ,2 en suite bedrooms 3 bath, marble floors throughout, fully equipped kitchen ,designated car parking space, private garden, beautiful communal pool and gardens in a very quiet complex, sea views.

257,500€

268,701€

Apartment

Apartment

Ref: 35147

Ref: 35242 Lovely apartment on a very quiet complex with huge communal pool and tennis courts, as you enter the property you have a open plan kitchen on your left a en-suite double bedroom on your right and straight ahead you have the lounge and dining area with access to the terrace. The property is south east facing with views of the communal gardens.

Lovely apartment on a quiet complex frontline beach with communal pool and gardens with access to the beach. As you enter the property you have a bathroom on your left, the kitchen straight ahead, on your right you have the bedroom and on your left hand side is the lounge which has access to the terrace with views of the sea. Walking distance to bars restaurants and supermarkets.

188,091€

166,595€

Apartment

Golf Apartment

Ref: 33826

Ref: 33327

Lovely 2 bed 2 bath apartment with amazing views looking on to the Mijas golf course, really nice community pool and garden areas, garage and storage, also views of Mijas mountains.

Beautiful brand new frontline golf apartment 2 bed 2 bath marble floors throughout large terrace looking over the golf course located in Riviera Del Sol. The Property comes with Underground Car parking and Storage also communal Pool.

225,709€

204,213€

225,709€

Duplex Apartment

Apartment

Ref: 34701

Ref: 33650

First floor duplex apartment, when you enter the property you have the large kitchen straight ahead the lounge over to your left both with access to the terrace, on your left as soon as you walk through the door is the staircase that leads to the 2 double bedrooms each with there own patio, and bathroom. The property has a golf course next door, the beach which is on your doorstep and a large communal pool and garden.

Lovely 2 bed 2 bath apartment located in a very peaceful complex next to the golf course in Riviera Del Sol. The property has lovely communal gardens, gym with Turkish bath and pool, garage, AC & heating, marble floors throughout.

236,457€

236,457€

Penthouse

Apartment

Ref: 34929

Ref: 35426 Beautiful apartment with 2 bedrooms one of which en-suite, 2bath, set in a development specially designed for persons over the age of 55, it offers a clubhouse that has terraces with views of the sea, restaurant, bar, room for billiards and other games, meeting rooms, library, business centre and cinema.

The facilities consist of a auditorium, outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, bowling green, occupational workshops, there is a spa with gymnasium, massage and physiotherapy room, sauna, hydro massage, Turkish bath, indoor swimming pool and dressing room. Also has 11,000 square metres of garden areas including ponds, irrigation channels and waterfalls, golf course.

Beautiful frontline beach Moroccan style penthouse with large terraces. Fully fitted kitchen, dormer ensuite master bedroom, at the other end another bedroom. Lounge with large terrace, BBQ and amazing views to the sea. Storage room to your right, to your left is a spiral staircase with access to a tower that could be used as a bedroom or just a place for entertaining guests, then theres another large square terrace with a Jacuzzi bath, also if you make your way back to the lift, go down 2 floors there is a gym with Turkish bath, sauna and Jacuzzi bath. If you go down another level you have the garage and on the bottom floor you have 2 bathrooms, access to the garden, swimming pool and the sea.

327,815€

580,395€

Townhouse

Semi Detached Villa

Ref: 33452

Ref: 33954

Lovely townhouse 3 bed 3 bath, frontline golf in Riviera Del Sol, golf & sea views, the property has a garden & a communal pool, roof terrace, and marble floors throughout.

Quiet location.

Brand new spacious semi detached villa in Sierrezuela 3 bed 4 bath with stunning 180º views of Mijas mountains and sea, private garden, pool and off road parking.

385,000€

591,143€

Townhouse

Semi Detached Villa

Ref: 35356

Ref: 34037

Stunning villa on private landscaped garden with automatic irrigation areas. The property was finished in 2005, its in a great location with good views.

Reception area, large lounge with fire place that has French doors leading to the swimming pool and garden, fully fitted Italian designed kitchen with views of the Mediterranean sea, 3 bedrooms the end one being the en-suite master bedroom, this property has wooden floors throughout, upstairs there is the tower bedroom with great views and a bathroom, also downstairs there is a studio, a games room and the garage which has enough room for 4 cars, also another 2 in the drive way, this property also has a alarm, safe and electric gates to plot and garage.

Stunning very spacious semi detached villa frontline golf in Riviera Del Sol, 4 bed 3 bath, fireplace, private garden and pool looking onto the golf course, large garage which could be converted into more living space, pre installed heating and air conditioning, roof terrace and video entrance.

908,211€

548,151€

contents

issue

29

costa culture

6

Cover story Work - a story of trabajo tragedy

by Mike Wilkinson

costa getaways

8

Granada

by Harvey Mann

costa companies

13

Local Business Spotlight

costa lifestyle

21 22 23 24 26 28 30 34

Mens Stuff Procrastination - kick the habit What Men Want

What Women Want

Hannah’s Beauty Tips Feet first Helen Johnson Keeping fit and healthy in the holidays Health news Cancer fighters

Cover story Health article Diet crazes Charity football match

costa homes

38 48

6

Cover story The house doctor Looks at the Spanish property market

Interiors Monochrome Magic

62 64 70

Step by step guide to obtaining a mortgage in Spain Here today gone tomorrow

By Simon Hill Costa business advice Setting up a business in Spain

costa stuff

72 74 76 77 78 80 82 84 86 88 89 90

Costa Profile Joan Hunt MBE A bloke, a bike and the road to Espana Part 2 Music Review Book Review Movie Review Costa Cuisine Showbiz Whispers Strange But True & Challenge Animal Health

30

Bytes & Pieces Charity 3 peaks challenge Spiritual Thought

guide to the costa

91 96 99

Useful numbers, phrases and shopping tips that will aid your stay in Spain Indoor and Outdoor Activities

Bars and Restaurants Sponsored by Bars In Spain

business directory

103

38

All your services and business needs in our comprehensive listings Sponsored by Bars In Spain

Hello and welcome...

Editor Sharon Holdsworth Consulting Editor Harvey Mann Design and Production David Philliskirk

to issue 29 of Costa Life and what a great month we've had! We went to the opening bash of a lovely (one for the ladies) jewellery shop in the Mijas village, Mijas and Diamond Jewellery centre, where I'm sure if you ventured in you would be tempted, I was (this is a reminder Ronan). Also we attended a charity football match in Gibraltar, the England legends against the Gibraltar team, what a fantastic day! I'm not really a football fan but I thoroughly enjoyed it and Ronan was in his element with the likes of Alan Kennedy and Paul Walsh who both played for his team, Liverpool. As usual we found out too late for it to go in the last issue of the magazine, I'm sure more people from the Coast would have attended if they had known. You can check out how the day went and see some of the pics as there's a double page feature inside.

I'm sure you will agree the magazines are looking better than ever, we have a couple of new features which keeps the reading material fresh and interesting, also now you can read the magazine on line before it hits the streets so go to wwww.costalifemagazine.com Hope you have all been listening to Coast and Country radio on 106 fm, if your not you should be as we are now giving away some great prizes. Check it all out on www.ccfmradio.com Hope it's not too hot for you, see you in August

Advertising Sales Ronan Holdsworth Accounts and Administration Lorraine Bonora IT Advisor Dave Howard of Alphashare Web Master Mike Wilkinson Contributors Bars In Spain Linda Christie Lydia Green Hannah Henley Simon Hill Lee Jay Helen Johnson Jan Morley Dr J.S. Nicolas Numero Uno Cruella Parsons Annette Riggall Russell Vaughn Videonet Dave Wakelin Mike Wilkinson Company Director Ronan Holdsworth Partner Barrie Shearman

For Information on distribution points, sales or any other enquiries call 952 471 091 or email: info@costalifemagazine.com or visit our website www.costalifemedia.com

Images courtesy of Costa del Sol Tourist Board Jump Photography Ian Martinez Deposito Legal MA-0054-2004 Reproduction of this magazine in whole or part without the written permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited. The views expressed by contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Although every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information and the advertisements contained within this magazine, the publishers can accept no liability.

Produced by and part of the HOLDSWORTH SHEARMAN MEDIA GROUP

952 471 091 info@costalifemagazine.com

>> costaCULTURE

Written By:

Mike Wilkinson mike@costalifemagazine.com

W

hen I lived in England, I had lived in the same house for the previous ten years, and I had also worked for the same company for ten years, as well. That's consistency, that is.

However, since things there went pear-shaped and I moved to Spain, it seems that I must have lived in about twenty different places in the last year and had about ten different jobs in the same time. That's not really consistency, is it? My excuse is that it is obviously the result of a totally different way of life compared to my experiences in England. The burning question though, is this… Is this lack of stability a better way of life? Just to put my own mind at rest, let's investigate.

Relocating to Spain if you're an EU citizen is easy; you've just got to catch a plane. No visas or work permits are necessary, nor do you need a residency permit, or residencia as it's called in Spain (although there are considerable benefits available to those that have one, especially concerning taxation and property). If you come from outside the EU, America or Australia for example, you're going to find it difficult, unless you are lucky enough to be relocating internally with a company or you have some kind of required specialised knowledge of some sort, or you've got access to bucket-loads of dosh. And if you don't speak Spanish, then that's another box crossed against you. But, with thanks to Ted Heath way back in 1973 for getting the UK to join the Common Market, I had it easy and just caught a plane.

Obviously, I did my homework first and researched what opportunities were available for me before I left… NOT! I did it the easy way and got someone else to do it for me… a recruiting agency for timeshare. I was basically sold the job. And literally sold the job too, as I had to pay them! But I figured that £200 for a flight and my first month's accommodation was a good deal. (I later found out that it was the first of the Spanish rip-offs coming my way as the plane ticket actually only cost £30 and

6 costa life

the apartment came automatically with the job anyway.) In fact, so little research did I do that I didn't even know where I was going exactly - I thought I was bound for the Canaries - but I was just happy enough to be leaving England.

The job that I'd been recruited for (or rather, that I had bought) sounded cushty enough, too. Working and having fun in the sun. Earning incredible amounts of money. Representing one of the most respected timeshare companies around with an easy-to-sell, desirable product. Undemanding hours and a great lifestyle in a wonderful climate. Looking back, they had me hook, line and sinker.

Now, I've worked in sales before. I used to sell Encyclopaedia Britannica door-to-door for five years. During this time I won competitions for sales results; I was Regional Training Manager at one point and I'd also successfully completed their in-house 'Management in Training' course (but left before I took on a regional manager's position). I'm not trying to large myself up here; I'm just trying to say I was no stranger to direct sales or selling expensive products or knowing how to manage and motivate people in a sales environment. So, on the first day I turned up early enough to sit in on the manager's morning motivational meeting with the sales reps. What had I let myself in for? He was shouting at them and swearing, calling them all useless losers and just get out there and sell the product. "I don't care how, just sell it!" That's not how I was taught.

After a couple of days there I was thinking that I had made the wrong choice, that I didn't really like this over-the-top, hard sell environment, and how could I get myself out of this situation. Unbeknownst to me, it wasn't going to continue for too long.

For our second day's homework we were asked to write a 'Third Party Story'. This is basically a lie about you saying that you know about a particular resort when you don't have a clue about it... The trainers were expecting half a page about one of their resorts. Clever old me though, thinking that I was a bit of a writer, submitted an eight-page murder mystery suspense set in the future about "Mikey the dos deal a day demon".

It didn't help that it was written on the backs of numerous pub menus. Or that the management had absolutely no sense of humour.

Suffice it to say, I was 'let go' (how many times will I get to hear that phrase in the coming years?) and evicted from my new

costaCULTURE >> apartment. But at least it saved me from the effort of quitting. And so ended phase one of my new life, before it had even began.

Then I had a sabbatical for two years, got caught up in 'serious holiday mode' and spent all my money - happy days! However, during that time I had plenty of opportunities to get to know the people around my newly adopted town and realised that not everyone about was a diamond geezer. When the coffers finally ended, a friend sorted out a position for me re-selling timeshare over the phone - my first phone-monkey job. The problem was that the guy who was to be my new manager was also the guy who was instrumental in getting me into a nasty altercation a year earlier and I certainly didn't see eye to eye with him. The last thing I wanted was to start working for fools again, but he assured me he wouldn't fire me and that he would personally train me up to a high standard, and so, rather against my better judgement, the last thing I did was to start working for fools again. He fired me two weeks later.

My next position was another phone-monkey job for a company reselling timeshare again, but this time I took just a qualifiers job - no hard selling or lying for me any more (not that I actually did lie like I was asked to).

But after a few months they got closed down by some trading standards watchdog after appearing on Watchdog in the UK and I never did get paid for the last week's work. At least I managed not to get fired for a change!

By this time I was getting fed up of working on the phones. I searched around for a better position where I could use my brain and not have to lie to everyone, but my problem was that most of those who knew me, knew me from my 'serious holiday mode' days and were afraid of my apparent lack of discipline and hedonistic attitude to life. They also required that I had an NIE number, which I hadn't, even after three years of being here. I'd tried to get one a few times but each time the long queue put me off so I'd put it off 'til another time, and that's when the procrastination would start to take a grip.

The only jobs you can do without an NIE number really are phone jobs.

So once again it was back on the phones, this time offering compensation for mis-sold endowment mortgages. For a change, though, the gaffer was cool and it was an OK job other than being mindnumbingly boring. In fact, it hurt my head so much that sometimes I just couldn't bring myself to go into work, but that was OK too because the boss cut a deal with me that basically let me go in when I could muster up the will to do so. When he appointed a new floor manager though, we didn't see eye to eye… and he fired me for lack of discipline and only

coming in when I felt like it! I did actually go back for a second stint after that particular manager was no longer a manager, but it was still hurting my head and so I let them go… Ha! What goes around…!

Since then I've had a number of jobs behind bars (no… not prison labour!) and in kitchens, and writing content for websites, and practically anything you can do without a contract or NIE number, excluding labouring because it's too hot, but including baby-sitting a sand sculpture, because I love the heat on the beach. But without a contract they can just tell you to sling your hook when they choose to do so… and they invariably choose to do so quite often where I'm concerned.

I'm not trying to paint a bad picture of working life in Spain. If you do your homework properly and sort out the paperwork that they expect you to, you could land yourself a tidy little number, as a number of my friends have. I just landed in a plane, happy at the thought of being free - a job was always secondary - but don't worry, I'm all right, now.

costa life 7

>> costaGETAWAYS

Alhambra on the hill

Alcazaba

P

edro's on La Carihuela was busy as usual. 25 years ago the narrow strip that divided the beach from scores of wonderful fish restaurants and little trinket shops west of Torremolinos was always heaving with people. On the cafĂŠ patio at the table next to us was a young couple. He was in wet swimming trunks and damp tee shirt, and looked like a young Charles Atlas; she had put on a beach wrap over her wet swimming costume, and both were dripping water onto the floor under their chairs. Five minutes before they had been swimming in the sea, laughing as they ran up the beach to sit amongst the midmorning coffee drinkers.

Written By:

Harvey Mann

8 costa life

"That was wonderful," the young girl gushed breathlessly. "Bloody marvellous," came the reply from Mr Muscles, before adding "After coffee, how about going skiing‌?"

costaGETAWAYS >>

Nasrid Palace I turned to my wife, "Skiing? What is he talking about? It's blazing hot." It was Easter, spring had turned to summer overnight; the sky was deep blue with dazzling sun and everyone had reached for their sunglasses.

Above Malaga are a range of Palacio de Carlos mountains that help to shelter many of the costal resorts such as Torremolinos. These are the Sierra Nevada, so high that it retains a winter snowfall, sometimes well into spring. What the young couple were intending to do was to accomplish the 'double S': swim in the sea in the morning, jump into a car, drive up to Granada in the Sierras and ski in the afternoon. Swimming and skiing, within a few of hours of each other.

All those years ago my wife and I had just bought our first home in Spain and, from the roof terrace on our block of apartments situated on the Carihuela, we could quite clearly see the snowcapped Sierras. "How wonderful," said my wife, "if I turn round through 360 degrees, I can see the glistening Mediterranean and the snowy mountains."

I well remember the following January and the winter sunshine in 1983. We had left the coast to drive up to Granada, and like crazy English tourists we wearing summer clothes. Halfway up we hit the snow drifts, and the temperature dropped from the coastal 20ยบc plus to around 10ยบc. Needless to say my wife and children got me to turn round muy rรกpido and head back down to the coast.

Granada itself is a lovely city. With a population of barely 240,000 and an elevation of 685m, it began life as an Iberian settlement.

In 711 Muslim forces defeated the Visigoths with the aid of the Jewish community that lived at the foot of Alhambra Hill in an area known as Garnata al Jahud, from which the name Granada derives. (Granada also happens to be Spanish for pomegranate and it is this fruit which appears on the city's coat of arms.)

When the going got tough for the Muslims after the fall of Cordoba in 1236 and Seville in 1248, the ruler Mohammed ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr gave refuge to the fleeing Muslims in Granada, where Nasr had established an independent emirate that stretched from the Straits of Gibraltar to east of Almeria. This emirate was the forerunner to Al-Andalus that ruled from the Alhambra Palace for the next 250 years.

Patio de los Arrayanes By the 14th century Granada became one of the richest cities in the world, with a huge influx of merchants, traders and artisans under the rule of Yusuf I and Mohammed V. However jealousy and rivalry in the late 15th century started a violent period when two factions, one led by the emir Abu al-Hassan and his favourite Harem wife Zoraya, who fought bitterly against Boadil, Abu alHassan's son by another wife called Aixa.

In 1482 Boadil led the rebellion, setting off a civil war that led to confusion amongst the two Muslim sides. It was then that the Christian Armies under the banners of Isabel and Ferdinand invaded the emirate, devastating towns and villages before finally laying siege to Granada. After eight months Boadil, finally agreed to surrender in return for the Alpujarras Valleys and 30,000 gold coins, plus political and religious freedom for his subjects.

On 2nd of January 1492, Isabel and Ferdinand ceremonially entered Granada in Muslim costume and set up their court in the Alhambra Palace. But peace was soon soured by religious persecution of the Jews and the Muslims in the 17th century after they had staged a revolt.

Granada fell into a major financial decline without the Jews and the Muslims as most were the traders and the artisans behind the success of Granada, and it was not until the 1830s that a group known as the Romantic Movement became interested in the city

Sala de la Barca

>> costa life 9

>> costaGETAWAYS

Palacio de Leones

Sala de los Reyes

and started the restoration of Granada's Islamic heritage, and encouraged the growth of tourism.

1936 saw the Nationalists arrive at the start of the civil war and take over Granada and an estimated 4,000 granadinos with left or liberal feelings were said to have been killed. Among those killed was one of Granada's favourite sons, Federico Garcia Lorca, a writer par excellence, and even today it is said that Granada has a reputation for conservatism.

Much can be said for the city of Granada. It has a large melting pot of Spanish and international student population and, as you can imagine with that kind of mix, the nightlife is fast and furious - just like the days in the old Islamic Albayzin quarter. Now, just as in ages past, it has a dynamic cultural outpouring and, with Granada being in the heartland of Andalucia, flamenco is still the traditional favourite. And, with its backdrop of snow-clad mountains and the Alhambra palace and fortress dominating the skyline, Granada is as breathtaking as its scenic setting.

The two major central streets are Calle Reyes Católicos and the Gran Via de Colon. Reyes Católicos runs southwest to Puerta Real and northeast to Plaza Nueva; Cuesta de Gomerez leads northeast up the hill from Plaza Nueva to the Alhambra on the hill. The old Muslim/Jewish quarter of Albayzin is spread over another hill that rises up from Plaza Nueva.

Rising from forests of cypress and elms is the imposing fairytale sight of the Alhambra; as if gently poured from a genie's bottle across a hill called La Sabika the red fortress towers stand out against the magnificent backdrop of the Sierra Nevada, as beautiful as any scene that a painter could have dreamed. Just as breathtaking as the outside view - and you thought it could not get any better - once inside you become immediately seduced by the wonderful emir's palace, the Palacio Nazaríes or Nasrid Palace, and the Generalife gardens.

10 costa life

Jardines del Partel

Apart from the marvellous use of arches and porticos by the Islamic designers, water was used as an art form, with magical fountains that seem to tinkle like bells. Apart from the exotic Palace of Nazaríes is the equally magnificent Alcazaba or Citadel; also within the walls are the unforgettable Palacio de Carlos V, and the Iglesia de Santa Maria de la Alhambra.

The Alhambra comes from the word al-qala' at al-hamra, Arabic for red castle. It became a fortress in the 9th century, before being turned into a fortress come Palace in the 13th and 14th centuries by the Nasrid emirs, alongside a small town known as the Medina, of which only a few ruins remain. The magnificent Palacio Nazaríes was built by two Islamic rulers Yusuf I (1333-1354) then Mohammed V (1354-1391). Then after the Christian conquest in 1492 the Alhambra's mosque was replaced with a church and the Convento de San Francisco is now the Parador de Granada.

The grandson of the Catholic Monarchs, Carlos I, decided to destroy part of the Palacio Nazaríes and use the space to build a huge renaissance palace named the Palacio de Carlos V during the 18th century, after the Alhambra was abandoned to thieves and beggars.

It then became a barracks for the Napoleonic soldiers during the occupation, and was lucky to have escaped being completely destroyed during an attempt to blow it up.

In 1870 the Alhambra was declared a national monument as a result of writers such as Washington Irving, who wrote the Tales of the Alhambra after staying in the Palacio Nazaríes during 1820.

Since then the Alhambra has been heavily restored and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and said to have 6,000 visitors a day.

The Palacio Nazaríes is most certainly the jewel of all there is to see, and is classed by experts as the most brilliant Islamic building in Europe, with elegant rooms and courtyards, intricately moulded stucco walls, and exquisite tiling. Add to this the finely carved wooden ceilings and elaborate stalactite style muqarnas vaulting,

costaGETAWAYS >>

Gardens

include prolific Arabic symbols and inscriptions and geometric patterns: it is all one of the finest examples of Arabic artistic décor.

To enter you would have had to make your way through the Mexuar; this dates from the 14th century and was used a council chamber and antechamber for audiences with the emir. The Patio del Cuatro Dorado (the golden room) is where the emir would have held audiences, and opposite this is the Palacio de Comores, built for Emir Yusuf I, which is entered through a beautiful façade of glazed tiles, stucco and carved wood, the Patio de los Arrayanes (patio of the myrtles) with a rectangular pool. Inside the Torre de Comores is the Sala de la Barca (hall of the boat) with a beautiful inverted boat shaped wooden ceiling. This leads into the Salon de Comares, where the emirs would have received visits by Christian emissaries.

The marquetry ceiling is domed and contains 8,000 cedar wood pieces in a pattern of stars to represent the seven heavens of Islam.

The Palacio of Leones was built by Mohammed V, and is one of the most famous of the famous. Said to have been used as his harem, the palace rooms surround the wondrous patio or lions' courtyard with a marble fountain that channels water through the mouths of twelve marble lions. The patio's gallery with beautiful ornamental pavilions is supported by 124 slender marble columns - a taste of Islamic paradise if ever there was one.

The Sala de los Abencerrajes is one of the four halls that surround the lions' patio and by legend is the most infamous. The story says that the leader of the noble Abencerraj family who became the lover of Zoraya, the emir's favourite harem woman, was brutally murdered here. The other three halls are the Sala de los Reyes (hall of kings), Sala de Dos Hermanas (hall of two sisters) and Sala de los Ajimeces which is where the favoured lady of the emir could gaze out over the magnificent view of the countryside.

Next is the Estañáis del Emperador, the Emperor's chambers, built for Carlos I in the 1520s. This will lead you down through the Patio

de la Reja (patio of the grille) and finally into the Jardines del Partel, an area of terraced gardens, and the small Palacio del Portico from the time of Mohammed III (1302-1309) which is the oldest surviving palace in the Alhambra.

Next, continue onto the Generalife, which means architect's garden, and if you think you have a nice garden at home, wait till you see this place. If you want to end your visit to the Alhambra here, I could not think of a more fitting place. Patios, pools and fountains in abundance, pathways that take you on a walk through wonderland, with many so different trees to shade you, and colourful flowers that will dazzle. Then onto the Patio de la Acequia (court of the water channel) that has a long pool that is framed by flower beds and 19th century fountains; follow this into the Jardin de la Sultans with a supposedly 700 year old cypress tree where Abu al-Hasan caught his lover Zoraya doing naughty things to the man he had executed.

So much more, I do not have the space or time. Seeing is believing, so go and feast your eyes and your senses.

Finally for skiers, the Sierra Nevada has Spain's highest peak, Mulhacen at 3,479m. This has snow on it almost all year round, and gives Granada an enviable backdrop. The range stretches about 75k from west to east. The Estación de Esquié Sierra Nevada or ski station is at Pradollano, 33k southeast of Granada, and is said to be the liveliest and the biggest ski resort in Spain. The ski season normally runs from December until April, but it sometimes extends into May at least.

I cannot eulogise enough about Granada and the Alhambra. If you haven't done it yet, do so now without delay; you will talk about the experience for the rest of your life.

At this present time of writing about Granada, a multimillionaire, Bernard Weber, has started a campaign asking for as many people as possible to vote for the

>> costa life 11

>> costaGETAWAYS

Generalife Alhambra Palace to become one of the present-day Seven Wonders of the World. Publicity posters have been placed on 200 taxis in Granada, to encourage people to vote.

If you wish to vote you have up to 7th July, you can telephone on 905 04 00 68, or by the internet online at www.new7wonders.com or by mobile phone, sending a text with the word Alhambra to 5080 by SMS. Contacts for the Alhambra are as follows, www.alhambratickets.com (in English, Spanish and German). Or you can book through the BBVA bank 902 22 44 60. Also Gra帽avisi贸n offers guided tours of the

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Patio de la Acequia Alhambra and Generalife Tel 958 53 58 72. The tickets only allow you in at certain times, but once you're in you can stay as long as you like.

>> costaCOMPANIES

Local Business Spotlight

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D

iscover the difference of a healthier nail treatment. I have certainly heard that before, working within the Beauty Industry for the last 10 years. This time I actually do believe what I have seen and been told.

As a person who likes my nails to be perfect at all times, but my natural nails are very weak and damaged, I have been looking for something that works for me.

Ladies, imagine a highly fashionable French finish or colour on your natural nails, or even to extensions, that is completely dry when you leave the salon and will not chip - no more chipping the colour before you even get home.

The Bio Sculpture Gel System is widely recognized as the "Healthier Alternative in Nail Care". Bio Sculpture Products and treatments are available in over 20 countries and are now in Spain. This system is a flexible soft gel that can be used to provide a range of nail treatments catering to the specific needs of each client. Bio Sculpture Gel is a natural product that has been specifically formulated to reduce potential risk of damage to the natural nail throughout its application and removal.

Bio Sculpture has received a 5 Star safety rating following clinical research tests carried out on the gel. The Gel is odourless, non-toxic and dust free therefore safe for nail technicians to work with and for a more pleasant treatment experience for the client. No glues or solvents are used in the application process and the Gels self leveling and adhesive properties mean that there is no need for excessive buffing when preparing the natural nail thus reducing the risk of damage to it.

The system is very easy to remove in as little as 15 minutes using the Bio Sculpture Gel Remover Solution without causing damage to the natural nail.

The gel can be applied to the natural nail as an overlay - a process whereby the natural nail is coated with a protective layer of gel to create a colour or French finish, which helps your natural nails grow as well as giving them extra strength, making them perfect for nail biters or those with damaged nails. Or your natural nails can be extended with gel sculptures and then finished with a French or Colour Gel Overlay. Being a Gel System the gel is cured under a U.V. Lamp for 2 minutes. Generally a full set of extensions takes between 90 and 120 minutes to complete and a set of overlays between 45 and 60 minutes.

Although the non-chip finish of Bio Sculpture Gel will last substantially longer, it is normal to expect that maintenance will be needed between 3 to 4 weeks after the first application, or once there is visible growth around the cuticle area. However, the amount of time between treatments does vary from client to client. Bio Sculpture Gel treatments have been proven to encourage the growth of the clients natural nails by up to as much as 20% more than the normal and it may be the case that some clients may need to return after as little as 2 weeks.

I am so impressed with this system, that I have now completed my training and I am offering the Bio Sculpture Nail System within The Retreat Health and Beauty. To reassure clients nail technicians using this product have to complete a comprehensive training course and pass a practical assessment.

As a nail technician I have to say the training is very If you would like to try the thorough, professional, Bio Sculpture Gel system on your nails challenging and helps you to or would like further information maintain high standards within please contact me on the Salon.

666 143 901

or check out www.biosculpture.es or www.theretreatalhaurin.com

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>> costaCOMPANIES

opens ex-pats eyes! lasses wearers in the Costa del Sol will be seeing even more clearly with the opening of Specsavers Opticians first store in the Costa del Sol. As anticipated, the new store is already proving extremely popular since it opened in January with the thousands of ex-pats who live on the Costa del Sol, many of whom already buy their glasses and contact lenses from Specsavers when they return to the UK to visit friends and family.

The store is led by husband and wife team Amrik Sappal and Judy Borland. Both are fully qualified optometrists who have already run their own very successful Specsavers store in Scotland for the past ten years.

They had holidayed in the Costa del Sol many times and often thought that this would be the perfect location to open up a store. Now their dream has become a reality.

Says Amrik: “The response of many of our customers has been truly amazing and we have been welcomed wholeheartedly by the large ex-pat community with people travelling to us from Torre del Mar to Gibraltar.

We have already been run off our feet, which is fantastic as it proves what we already knew - that our ability to passionately provide fashionable affordable eyecare for everyone is just what this area needs.�

G

'Because Specsavers is so well known and trusted in the UK, undoubtedly most of our early customers are British people who live in and around Fuengirola.Our store therefore looks and feels like

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the stores that they are familiar with in the UK and offers the same quality of eyecare that they are used to. We also offer the full standard British eye examination by a qualified optometrist and the same wide choice of frames and everyday low prices associated with Specsavers.

our 99 euro range or above, then you can receive reaction lenses free of charge in this pair, or receive a free pair of prescription sunglasses. As the sun shines here for 320 days a year, both offers are proving to be very popular.

'We also firmly believe that the Spanish will love the Specsavers concept - like specs wearers everywhere, they want low clear prices, good quality, a wide range of fashionable glasses and excellent eyecare. Whether you are British or Spanish, it's very difficult to find that combination in the Spanish market at the moment. Three of our staff are bilingual and so we are gaining a lot of interest from the Spanish too.'

Did you know that if you drive in Spain then you should carry a spare pair of glasses in your car? Many people are taking advantage of Specsavers 2 for 1 offer and are choosing either varifocals or single vision distance glasses in their spare pair. Reflection free lenses are particularly suitable for night driving as they reduce the glare from car headlights and improve the visual performance of your glasses.

Specsavers Fuengirola has a huge selection of glasses to suit everyone's budget with prices starting from 45 Euros to 250 Euros (for single vision complete frames and lenses) and a fantastic range of designer brands, including Monsoon, Ralph Lauren, Red or Dead, Tommy Hilfiger and Specsavers own best-selling designer brand Osiris.

Adds Judy: 'We are all really excited to be working and living in such a beautiful part of the world. Our staff have already shown great commitment and a passion for customer service during these first few weeks in store and we are all looking forward to living and working in Spain for many years to come.'

However, when you are having your eyes tested it's not just about looking for new frames that is important, it is essential to have the health of the eyes examined. In our store it is standard practice for anyone over the age of 35 to have the pressure of their eyes measured. This is very useful when screening for glaucoma, which is an eye condition which produces virtually no symptoms in most patients till quite an advanced stage. We have therefore invested in the most up to date optical equipment available today to provide a full comprehensive eye examination.

On site we have a lab where we can provide many single vision prescription lenses within the hour. We stock reaction and reflection free lenses which are proving to be very popular in the Costa del Sol. Reaction lenses darken with sunlight and lighten again when indoors avoiding the need to change to a different pair of sunglasses. If you buy glasses from

Located at; Ave. Ramon y Cajal,6, Fuengirola (near the bus station), Specsavers is open six days a week from 10am - 6.30pm Monday, 9.30am - 6.30pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am - 2pm on Saturday.

Please telephone 952467837 to make an appointment.

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costa LIFESTYLE >>

Procrastination…

It's such a long word; you almost want to put off saying it. It's Procrastination, also known as delaying and excuse-making.

But if you chronically put things off, you will suffer for it. Plus don't forget that nagging feeling and a suspicion that you are not worthy.

Students who procrastinate are more likely to eat poorly, sleep less, and drink more than students who do homework promptly.

Kick the habit Just knowing you do it is not enough to make you stop, you may know a pack of cigarettes a day is bad for you, but will this make you stop. In a sense, procrastinators are optimists; they think they can escape by putting things off. Change is a process not an event. You have to learn to say no, or maybe you need to delegate and also stay healthy in times of stress, stress can make you sick, but it doesn't have to.

Inspirational

Quotes. . .

MEN versus Women Relationships…

Women: When a relationship ends, a woman will cry and pour her heart out to her girlfriends, and she will write a poem titled "All Men Are Idiots". Then she will get on with her life.

Men: A man has a little more trouble letting go. Six months after the break-up, at 3:00 a.m. on a Saturday night, he will call and say, "I just wanted to let you know you ruined my life, and I'll never forgive you, and I hate you, and you're a total floozy. But I want you to know that there's always a chance for us." This is known as the "I Hate You / I Love You" drunken phone call, that 99% of all men have made at least once.

Menopause…

Women: When a woman reaches menopause, she goes through a variety of complicated emotional, psychological, and biological changes. The nature and degree of these changes varies with the individual.

Men: Menopause in a man provokes a uniform reaction - he buys aviator glasses, a snazzy French cap and leather driving gloves, and goes shopping for a Porsche.

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

Albert Einstein “It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”

Chinese Proverb

“Beyond its entertainment value, Baywatch has enriched and, in many cases, helped save lives. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue with a project which has such significance for so many.”

David Hasselhoff.

Richard Gere…

Women: Women like Richard Gere because he is sexy in a dangerous way.

Men: Men hate Richard Gere because he reminds them of that slick guy who works at the health club and dates only married women.

Madonna…

Same as above, but reversed. Same reason.

Movies…

Women: Every actress in the history of movies has had to do a nude scene. This is because every movie in the history of movies has been produced by a man.

Men: The only actor who has ever appeared nude in the movies is Richard Gere. This is another reason why men hate him.

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>> costa LIFESTYLE

H&M

>> Get shirty…

Lime linen mix shirt Burtons

Short sleeve sage stripe shirt with roll up sleeves and tab Topman

What men want >> Sweet smell of summer…

>> Get shorty…

Kistna Eau DeToilette and Kistna Aftershave Balm The body shop

Stone linen rich cargo shorts Burtons

'Dip-dyed' cargo shorts with graduated yellow colour level Topman

>> Eye on the time ....

Retangular face watch with light brown strap

>> Eye eye ....

Burtons

Brown square plastic frames Burtons

Matt grey plastic aviator sunglasses with tinted lenses Topman

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Store Locator A to Z

Checked 80's inspired design watch Topman

Accessorize www.accessorize.com La Cañada/Burton www.burton.co.uk Gibraltar Dorothy Perkins www.dorothyperkins.co.uk La Cañada and Miramar/Promod www.promod.com La Cañada The Body shop www.thebodyshop.com La Cañada/Topman www.topman.co.uk La Cañada/Topshop www.topshop.co.uk La Cañada

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H&M

>> Dress it up…

Green print tunic dress Dorothy Perkins

Vanilla floral camouflage shorts Dorothy Perkins

>> Get shorty….

High waisted hotpant with side tabs Topshop

Cheesecloth sundress Dorothy Perkins

What women want Multi stripe bikini Dorothy Perkins

>> Get into the swim of things…

Zig zag crochet bikini Accessorize

>> Eye eye ....

Oversized smokey glasses Promod

>> Step to it…

Chocolate platform sandal Dorothy Perkins

Strappy raffia platform wedge Topshop

Brown sunglasses octagonal frames Accessorize

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No Sweat

Jennifer Lopez‌

Summer Beauty

"Beauty is only skin deep. I think what's really important is finding a balance of mind, body and spirit. Somebody said to me not too long ago, "Until you're twenty, you have the face you are born with, and after that you have the face you deserve", and I really loved that - the idea that you wear who you are on your face."

Now its time to wear those sandals with pride, treat yourself to a relaxing pedicure. This will exfoliate your feet, remove hard skin, cuticles tidied up, toe nails cut and shaped, and polished with the colour of your choice. For that special summer shimmer even nail art can be added for the extra sparkle. At home try working a foot scrub into your feet, then apply generous amounts of light body moisturizer, this will help to minimize hard skin that can develop at this time of year.

Feet First

The heat is on. While the sun works wonders on our spirits, it's not so good on make-up - it can often slide off thanks to the combination of humidity and hot temperatures. Some people can get away with wearing next to no make-up in summer, but not everyone is that lucky. Prepare your skin before applying make-up by exfoliating at least once a week and then apply a mask relevant to your skin type. Generally, less is more in this climate. To give your products extra staying power apply in several thinner layers.Powder based products will tend to slide off and melt, so cream-based products are best for Summer Use! Instead of your usual powder blusher, try a creamy or water-based tint for a sheer swish of colour. For nourished lips and long lasting lipstick apply a lip conditioner before applying lip stick or gloss. It is even possible to buy Lip conditioners, balms, lipsticks or glosses with Sun Protection in.For long lasting eyeshadow when the weather is warm apply a cream base first, and then seal with a powder, which makes the colour smudgeproof. The best way to keep mascara from smudging during those high summer months is to swap your favourite brand for its waterproof equivalent. If you want to continue using your chosen product complete the look with a fixer which goes on top of the mascara and makes the finished look waterproof.

Many product ranges now have Facial Toners available in a spray or mist. Complete your make up look with a couple of spritz's of toner, to set the make and give a fresh look and feel.

Protect Your Eyes!

Don't forget to protect your eyes this summer and no excuses this season as you can do it in style.

The sunglasses for this season are hotter and brighter than ever!

Almost anything goes and the bolder and flashier the sunglasses the more in style they are. Bold glasses will make you stand out in a crowd and complete any outfit.

For all of you that like Bling, even Sunglasses this season are having sparkle added to them. Don't forget good quality lens with High UV Protection.The eyes are very sensitive and delicate and for most of us is the first area to show signs of premature ageing. Day and night apply an eye cream, gel or balm to the area underneath the brows and under the eye. The eye lids are very delicate and sensitive and this area is best avoided. Eye Gels are good for tired, puffy eyes and balms and creams are best for dehydrated / dry eyes. For longer lasting make-up, apply your eye product directly before you apply eye shadows.

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Magnetic Nail Training Academy (Sol Nail Supplies and Training Academy) offers specialised nail training, in all aspects of nail technology, in the whole of Spain.

We are also the leading suppliers of Magnetic Nail Products throughout Spain.

We offer a comprehensive range of economically priced products for acrylic nails, gel nails and fibre glass nails. All our liquid and powder systems are primerless and are also available as an odourless UV light cured system. Additionally we have a large selection of coloured acrylics, in glitters, pastels and primaries.

So if you are a complete beginner wishing to learn how to apply acrylic nails, gel nails or fibreglass nails, receive education in nail art training, manicure or airbrushing nails contact us today.

Call now for more information Phone fax 952 560 051 Mob 607 586 894 Training courses available for Acrylic, Gel, Fibreglass, manicure, Pedicure and Nail Art email info@solnailsupplies.com www.solnailsupplies.com Calle San Antonio, Centro Comercial San Juan, Arroyo de la Miel, Malaga, Spain costa life 25

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Keeping Fit and Healthy in the Holidays With the school holidays upon us all, we must make a real effort to make sure our kids are sticking to a healthy wholesome diet, with plenty of time spent on energy absorbing activities.

The issues of obesity are very real in the lives of our children and young people. Children have never been fatter. But it is not always the case that they are eating more.

A recent research programme has found that the calorie intake today is lower than it was in the 1960's - but the actual problem is that activity levels of children are much much lower. This has resulted in a tripling of obesity levels in the past 20 years, and if this trend continues by 2020 at least 20% of boys and 33% of girls will be obese. This is exposing children to major health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. We are not just looking at overweight children here.

Inactive children will be loosing out on several health benefits, including enhanced esteem, reduced stress and anxiety and healthier bones.

Many studies prove that the way children start their life will determine how the rest of their lives go. If exercise is not a part of their normal life, then it will not become so later in life either.

As parents we need to take responsibility here. Only 1 in 10 children walk to school nowadays. And in many cases computer games and television has replaced active play.

Also many parents are under active themselves!

In my experience, children do naturally enjoy being active. And it is a great way to share activities with your children, especially when you stay flexible, and change the activities as the child develops. Praise your children for taking part, rather then for what they achieve.

Although many parents do know what they should be doing to keep their children active, if you need a bit of guidance, read on!!!

age learning the basis movements of swimming is very important.

Setting a good example about being enthusiastic about exercise and active play will make them more likely to become active and healthy adults.

PRIMARY SHOOL AGE In the UK statistics show that one in 5 children are overweight by the age of 6. It is recommended that this age group of children should be active for a minimum of 1 hour per day. This needs to be increased! Children can achieve most of their needs by active play. When primary age children are given space to go - most will naturally run, climb, hop, skip or jump, and they are also more likely to do this if they with a friend or a group of friends together.

ELEVEN PLUS This is a tricky age! Between 11 and 16 most young adults have developed their own understanding of what they want to do in the sports and fitness area. It is a sad finding that the physical activity levels decline between the ages of 9 and 18 and only 24% of 11 - 16 year olds are active for the recommended levels. This explains why a quarter of children are over weight or obese by the time they are in their teens.

If children show any interest in any sport, game or active pursuit you should really jump on this and help them get involved. It is also important to understand that if they are not interested in the more traditional sports like netball, football or hockey then there is always dance, outdoor pursuits, surfing, climbing tai chi or judo.

So we must set an example. We must encourage our children to be active, and remember we are role models. If children see their parents lounging in front of the TV every evening, and getting into a car for every short trip then they'll take that as the norm. So lets teach our kids, that activity at even a moderate level is beneficial to good health! And you never know - you could find a new interest or hobby yourself.

BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS Babies develop their physical abilities at birth, give them space to move around. They crawl, stand, totter, walk, they run, then they see who can run the fastest and the furthest. So it all starts at day one. Baby focused activities include classes of baby yoga, swimming, massage and even taking them out regularly in their pushchair encourages them feeling the benefits of the outdoors, while you are getting a bit of a workout yourself!!

PRESCHOOL Officially there aren't any guideline for the minimum amount of activity this age group receive. But - it is advised that children of this age should not be sedentary for more than an hour at a time. Having said that it is not always easy to entertain a toddler for large amounts of time at any one time. Whenever possible let them roam free! - under close supervision of course, and burn off all the boundless energy. The parks, beaches, and local nature areas are great. You could always stick on a CD of funky music and see them gigging around the living room. At this

Helen Johnson - Personal Fitness Trainer & Nutritionist - 617 453 550 - fitness@luv2btraining.com 26 costa life

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Gymnasium fully equipped gym with both fixed and free weights crosstrainers + bikes treadmills + rowing machines professional instructor available only gym open at 8 am

Classes over 56 fitness classes every week step aerobics, aerobics, hip hop, yoga, bums & tums, latest reebok decks new from Finland “gym stick” suitable all ages individual pilates room individual spin bike room with 40 bikes individual aerobics and exercise room with sprung floor from Sept “early bird” fitness classes at 8am Mon, Wed, Fri Goshin Ju Jitsu + Tae Kwon Do

Facilities fully air conditioned - lockers high powered showers - hair dryers mens & womens saunas - jacuzzi

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Restylane the wrinkle filler that does what it says and more…

Restylane, a popular cosmetic treatment for temporarily plumping out wrinkles, actually makes the skin produce more collagen, the natural stuff that makes skin look young.That means the product, which millions of people have had injected around their lips, cheeks and foreheads, has effects beyond even what its manufacturers claim.

Drinking to your kidney´s

Cancer fighters… health…

Blue berry…

Although creams, serums and supplements promise to erase wrinkles, lighten age spots, and sooth age-related dryness, experts say the simplest (and least expensive) way to keep your skin healthy and younger looking is to stay out of the sun. If you must be outdoors, use adequate sunscreen, even if you've been less than sun-smart in the past, to prevent further damage.

Broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts…

Rich in cancer-fighting sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol, antioxidants which can protect the body against cell-damaging free radicals.

Flaxseed…

A good source of omega-3 fatty acids, the nutty seeds are associated with lowering cholesterol and may reduce the risk of some cancers.

Tomatoes…

A rich source of the antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to protect against prostate cancer as well as heart disease. Cooked tomatoes are actually a better source than raw because the process releases the lycopene from cells.

Green tea…

Antioxidants called catechins may reduce the size and number of cancer tumors, although large amounts of green tea are needed to be effective. The U.S. National Cancer Institute is funding a study looking at the effects of drinking 10 to 15 cups of decaffeinated green tea in reversing pre-cancerous lesions in the lungs of former smokers.

Having a drink or two per day appears to modestly decrease the risk of developing kidney cell cancer, new research findings suggest, regardless of the type of alcoholic drink that is consumed.

Detox diet dangers…

Popular detox diets promise to flush poisons from your body, rid the body of pounds of excess fat, clear your complexion and booster your immune system. Surely the alarm bells must be ringing, they don't tell you of the unpleasant drawbacks to these plans, vitamin deficiencies, muscle breakdown and blood-sugar problems - not to mention frequent liquid bowel movements. Depriving the body of the vitamins and minerals we get from food can "actually weaken the body's ability to fight infections and inflammation. Cutting back on high-fat foods, eating in moderation and consuming more vegetables and fruits may not seem as glamorous as starving yourself like a celebrity for days, but it's healthier for you in the long run and certainly beats rushing to the bathroom all day.

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DIET Crazes Oh it's so confusing, no bread, no carbs, no protein‌ if working out what you should be eating is like negotiating a minefield, you're not alone. Don't believe all the hype and beware of the misleading keywords like low impact carbs or low net carbs that were created by the food industry.

As a general rule, removing entire food groups or severely limiting food variety is a bad idea and may be potentially harmful to your health.

Don't be afraid of fats Just be sure most of the fats you eat are unsaturated to help protect your heart and arteries from needless aging.

Olive or canola oils and fats from nuts or oily fish, are better than hydrogenated vegetable oils or saturated fats, such as butter or lard.

Keep the carbs coming They are a major energy source in the diet, so choose unrefined whole grains, such as wholewheat bread and wholewheat pasta. Also fresh fruits and vegetables are a major source of carbs.

Stick to the basics It's easy to get lured in by the hype of the hottest new diet, especially when it's all over the media and in the stores.

However, your weight is a key component of your overall health, so don't subject your health to the latest trend. If you're confused by a diet plan or it's difficult to manage, chances are that it's not the answer to long-lasting weight control.

5 simple and easy weight loss tips

Eat a little protein at every meal Cut back on refined grains and sugar Keep to smaller portions Enjoy a few different items from each food group each day Opt for fresh over packaged

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costa LIFESTYLE >> South Beach: sounds good…

This was developed by cardiologist Dr Agatston and claims not to rely on portion sizes, counting calories or depriving yourself of food. There are three phases: first you totally eliminate fruit, carbs, alcohol and sugar for two weeks. Then you introduce some banned foods into the second phase, which you're supposed to remain on until you reach your desired weight. Phase three is about maintenance.

The good…It allows lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish, as well as low-GI foods which are all good for you. You should lose a little weight in the first phase due to the restriction on carbs and sugar.

The bad… permanent weight loss is doubtful. Studies have shown 80% of people drop out after a few weeks.

The ugly…don't do this diet for the long term as it cuts out important food groups.

Atkins: oh no more bread…

Developed by Dr Robert Atkins, it's all about low-carb, high-protein.

This diet is too high in saturated (bad) fat. You can eat all the meat, cheese and eggs you like, but carbs such as potato, rice, bread, fruit and cereal are restricted.

The good… If you want quick weight loss, then this does work The bad… If it's permanent fat loss you're after this diet isn't for you.

Some studies have even said it could be harmful over the long term due to the lack of fibre, calcium and fruit. Bad breath is also a side-effect.

The ugly…If you want to slim down for a weekend event then give it a go, but any longer and your energy levels will plummet along with your mood and willpower. Cutting out whole food groups, like carbs, is not a healthy idea either.

Zone: the celebs do it…

Devised by Dr Barry Sears, this diet gained a heavy celeb following, with the likes of Sandra Bullock, Demi Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston giving it a go. Food intake is based on fixed percentages at every meal. These are 40% carbohydrate, 30% fat and 30% protein.

The good… It will help you lose weight and does allow for good lowfat foods like chicken, fish and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

The bad… Testers have said that the strict meals leave you with little energy and deficient in minerals and vitamins.

The ugly... in the short term this is okay, but for the active people amongst us this diet is not recommended.

Blood type: AB, A or B or O Naturopath Dr Peter D'Adamo created this diet based on the idea that our blood group determines how our bodies digest certain foods.

These foods are based on what our ancestors ate. For example, O blood groups were hunter-gatherers, so they should stick to meatbased diets. A blood group were farmers, so grains and vegetables are best for them. B blood group were nomads and so a varied diet of meat, dairy, grains and vegetables suit them, while AB types should go for a mixture of A and B foods.

The good… Celebs like Liz Hurley and Courtney Cox-Arquette are fans and you'll almost certainly lose weight straight away.

The bad… Each diet eliminates specific food groups, which not only make them unsustainable, but possibly dangerous over the long term.

The ugly… with this diet over a long period you will avoid many nutritious foods, but trying it for a week to kick start a longer healthier eating plan is a good idea.

Low GI: the high energy diet The glycaemic index, GI, is a way of ranking carbohydrate foods according to their affect on blood glucose. Low GI foods, like whole grains, make our blood glucose rise and fall gently, while high GI foods, like white bread, cause blood glucose levels to rocket, then crash.

The good… The idea is that low-GI diets help keep people fuller for longer so they don't eat as much. This is a good diet for those with diabetes.

The bad… It fails to take into account the nutritional value of the whole food. Mars Bars, for example, have a low-GI, but that doesn't mean they're good for us.

The ugly… If you want to try this diet then choose foods based on their overall nutritional value not just their GI.

So if you are after a quick fix, instant weight loss, all the above are great but for the long run a balanced diet of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean meat, fish and low-fat dairy is best.

Avoid too much saturated fat, salt or sugar and exercise three times a week and you'll be slimmer, healthier, happier and, most of all, less confused.

>> costa LIFESTYLE

HIP RESURFACING New development of an old idea

O

ver the past several years, hip resurfacing has become one of the main subjects in international meetings for orthopaedic surgeons regarding hip joint surgery. The idea of replacing just the surface of the hip joint, however, was originally introduced by Mr. Marius Smith Paterson in 1923. He was the pioneer covering the worn out surface of the femoral head with a glass cup. These were followed by other materials including a special type of plastic as well as metal. But all these designs failed. It was the father of the still commonly used type of total hip replacement, Sir John Charnley, who introduced the total hip replacement in 1961. This consisted of the replacement of the femoral head and neck with a metal stem fixed into the femoral shaft, and a plastic cup fixed into to the socket part of the pelvis. He also introduced cement as a fixation device. And even now, almost 50 years later, we still use his techniques!

Obviously, the material has been further developed and so has the surgical technique. The approach we use today has changed, reducing the scar length from originally about 12 inches to only 4 to 5 inches, thereby reducing the soft tissue damage during the operation and significantly reducing the recuperation time to normal daily activity.

But even with all the major developments achieved in the last 4 or 5 decades, the one main problem was, and still is, the limited long term survival of this artificial joint. Although the average time period after which the artificial joint has to be exchanged due to failure has increased from initially about 15 years to 25, it is still the main limiting factor. The advanced surgical techniques, shorter operating times, less aggressive anaesthetics, early post operative rehabilitation and better material excludes advanced patient age as a limiting factor and allows

us orthopaedic surgeons to perform total hip replacement also in the elder generation. Even the Queen's mother took advantage of these facts, having her first hip replacement done at the age of 99, and her second hip two years later!

But the problem remained of what to do with younger people who need a hip replacement.

Due to several factors such as aggressive sports activity, work, diet and underlying joint diseases, the need for hip surgery in patients under the age of 60 is growing. This is the optimal age group for hip resurfacing. With this technique, the hip joint is not replaced completely. What can now be done is replacing only the surface of the femoral head (the ball of the ball and socket joint) and the acetabulum (the socket) with a metal cup (with a short metal stem) and socket is inserted. Following this surgery weight bearing is allowed the next day, hospital discharge is normally within 6 days and return to normal daily activity including some sports, such as swimming, cycling or golf, within 6 to 8 weeks. The basic idea of the hip resurfacing is to win time. Every patient who might have to undergo this procedure due to an early development of hip arthritis should be informed by the surgeon that further surgery will be needed in the future. But thanks to the resurfacing techniques, some 10 to 15 years later (the estimated time the hip resurfacing prosthesis lasts) the 'routine' total hip replacement can be performed and therefore hopefully avoid the need for a revision hip replacement, a surgery that could take up to 6 hours.

For any further questions regarding hip resurfacing or any other bone, joint or soft tissue problem, please go to

www.clinica-sandalf.com or ring 952 57 77 66

Mr Alf Neuhaus

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Col. No: 9.220

Sandra Vincenti

UK Chartered Physiotherapist Col. No: 682 Treatment of Arthritis & Rheumatism Joint Replacements - hip,knee,ankle,shoulder Hip Resurfacing Advanced Cartilage Repair Keyhole Surgery Hand and Foot Surgery Accidents & Fractures Bone density measuring available X-ray Facilities - Diagnostic Ultrasound Back and Neck Problems - sciatica,whiplash,etc.

Rehabilitation - post op,post injury Emergency Accidents dealt with (ambulance service available 24hr per day)

Travel insurance & International insurance claims welcome 24HR EMERGENCY SERVICE - TEL:656 313 293 Tel: 952 577 766 - E-mail: clinica.sandalf@terra.es www.clinica-sandalf.com C./ Pepa Guerra Valdenebros, 29631 Benalmadena behind Tivoli World Arroyo 32 costa life

Charity playing Legends A

fter an invitation from Christian at Santos Productions to go down to Gibraltar to cover the England Legends Match we were only too happy to attend and support the match and the good cause it was in aid of.

On 11th June 2007 we fired off down to Gibraltar to see the England legends Match put together to raise money for the Gibraltar based charity RICC (Research into Childhood Cancer) We travelled down at 1pm on the Monday afternoon and got into Gibraltar at 2.30.

I wasn't aware of exactly who was playing but I knew there was a selection of past England players and was more than pleasantly surprised to find out there were a number of Liverpool players involved. The afternoon started with a lunch in the restaurant at the top of the rock followed by a photo shoot with the sponsors RBS. It was a real surprise to see two Liverpool legends in Ronnie Whelan and the infamous and ever popular Bruce Grobbelaar (check this spelling) bearing in mind it was an England Legends Match!

Ronnie Whelan explained that Peter Beardsley and Kerry Dixon had to pull out and they were contacted at the last minute and were only glad to come along. Ronnie was part of the Liverpool legends match that happened here in October.

It was quite a tiring day for the players some of whom had come from Dubai as well as the UK. For most it was literally a whistle stop tour. They had flown in at 6.30 on the Monday morning, booked in to the hotel, gone to the lunch, headed off for a break and then to the ground for the game. After the game they were whisked along to the VIP party and then they flew back to the UK at 7.30 the next morning. All contributing their time to this children's charity.

I had a chat with Bruce Grobbelaar, Ronnie Whelan and Paul Walsh. For me it was great to meet all the Liverpool players including Alan Kennedy from the Liverpool glory days of the 70's. Nigel Spackman, Rob Jones, Viv Anderson, Dean Holdsworth, Rob Lee, Paul Parker and Clive Walker were also playing. I will never forget the scouser who was on top of the rock with his family as he did a double take when he saw Bruce Grobbelaar. Of all the places in the world, fancy seeing you here. It was a classic. Bruce was on best form as ever, when he was asked why Peter Beardsley hadn't come he said "yes he has, he's over there" He was pointing at one of the monkeys!

There were over 2000 people there to watch the game and it was more than a strange sight to see England shirts everywhere whilst listening to a mix of Spanish and English coming from the mouths of young football fans. There was a great atmosphere as the home team "The Rock 11" valiantly took the old masters to task. The England team scored first through a fine header from Viv Anderson and the home team equalised early on in the second half. Paul Walsh secured the victory with a low range volley from inside the penalty area. It was great fun and with Bruce playing up to the crowd everybody had a great time and it was worth every penny of the 10 quid entrance fee. Overall over ÂŁ28,000 was raised.

We had a great time and will definitely be at the next event. We have arranged with Christian from Santos Productions to get well in advance information on the next event so we can publicize it on the coast. We would like to thank Christian and all his staff for looking after us and we even got an invite to the VIP party after the game because we had come so far. What a great finish to a great day out.

Images supplied by Ian Martinez 0350 54000050

costa LIFESTYLE >> The Charity Research into Childhood Cancer (R.I.C.C.) is a Gibraltar based charity (No.49) whose aim it is to contribute towards finding a cure for cancer in children, particularly with a project specifically targeting Neuroblastoma. The research team works out of Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and over the years they have made great advances towards developing a vaccine to cure those suffering from this disease. This obviously has worldwide im plications as all the large research bodies work closely together but there is always more work to be done.

R.I.C.C. was started up in 1989 by Margaret and Anthony Sacarello shortly after their son, Philip, died of Neuroblastoma when only 9 years of age. It has since become a popular local charity for a number of reasons. Needless to say, most people can relate to the nature of this disease and its impact on the child and the family unit as a whole. R.I.C.C. is always striving to look for innovative and fun ways of raising money, attempting to give back something in return and always welcoming ideas from the general public.

I would like to thank the England Legends who have given their time and support to this very worthy cause.

I hope you all had a wonderful evening and thanks once again for all your support.

Craig Sacarello - RICC

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As organizers of the RBS International England Legends Match, it gives us great pleasure to see that what started out as a casual conversation between friends has become a major fund raising charity event for the benefit of such a worthy cause.

However, we are well aware that this project would have never got off the ground without the assistance of a huge number of people and institutions. We would like to thank RBS International, our main sponsor, and all our other sponsors, some of whom have asked to remain anonymous. We also wish to thank the Government of Gibraltar for all their support, together with the local sporting authorities and the Gibraltar Football Association who kindly allowed us to take over the required stadium allocation.

We would like to give a special mention to Mr Alan Kennedy for his tireless work in making this event a reality.

We also wish to thank the local squad of players for their commitment and assistance, particularly after having to attend demanding training sessions.

Thank you to The Little Rock CafÊ and Sacarello´s Newsagents for allowing us to sell the match tickets at their premises.

A very special thank you goes out to Christian Santos and all his team at Santos Productions; we most definitely couldn't have done it without you. Also a special mention for all the matchday crew, (whose efforts have not gone unnoticed), the Band and Drums of The Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Danza Academy and The Gibraltar Pointes Dance School, whose professional and talented performances have been offered free of charge boosting the total to be donated to RICC. And finally, to those of you who attended the match, we thank you for your enthusiastic support which has made everybody's efforts worthwhile.

Chiqui Fava and Dennis Santos

costa life 35

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The House Doctor The House Doctor Alex, from Numero Uno "The Original Real Estate Café" Looks at The Spanish Property Market

T

he BBC contacted us last month and asked us to comment on the Spanish Property Market Crash! Now this in itself is not an unusual happening. To be asked to comment or provide background for British TV or Radio, but to be asked about a property market crash! My response was "what crash, there hasn´t been one?"

So this month I thought I would put into perspective all this ridiculous propaganda. Like any good Doctor, in order to prescribe the right medicine one first has to discover what the ailment is. In 2004 there was a blip in the market this was caused through a change in consumers and their buying habits. Prices started to level off and on the back of this Developers who had previously been driving prices up started to see a significant slowdown in off plan sales. For the first time on the Costa del Sol in par ticular, we star ted to see signs of the market "maturing" in other words more availability and demand for second hand property over new build. This has continued to the present. Real estate companies large and small recognized that a change of approach was needed to adapt to the new market conditions.

The estate agents that of fered a professional valuation ser vice and spoke a number of different European languages not just English would prosper whilst those with their heads stuck in the sands of just the English speaking market would find it hard to survive. Sure enough between 2005 and today there has been a slight epidemic of "lackofenglishbuyingitis" however whilst this can be a terminal illness for many real estate agents it is not contagious to those that have been immunized with other languages in particular with Russian & Spanish.

So to the present day and what has fuelled the propaganda that the BBC were so interested in reporting. On the 26th April there was a market correction on La Bolsa, Spain's stock exchange. Many of the days losers were construction companies. This was

38 costa life

triggered by just one big loser, Astroc Mediterraneo S.A., a young company that had been acknowledged by many as an investment superstar. This "A" list investment lost 70% of its value over the course of 3 days, dropping from a high of €75 per share to just €15.71. Whilst I appreciate this was a shame for investors but under the microscope we discover that it was inevitable as its value had been built up out of much hype reminiscent of the days of the Dot Com boom in the early 1990´s. Unfortunately though it did have a knock on af fect, dragging a small number of older more established companies down with it. This market correction has brought a flurr y of over excited speculation that the Spanish property market's bubble may be about to burst, poppycock! Never assume that one single factor like this will affect to that degree a market that is more related to the spending power of many different nouveau Eurozone individuals.

The driving forces behind any property boom or crash are demographic changes combined with social and economic drivers, and will not be af fected by minor stock market

fluctuations. Demographic change, comes in many forms but in our case study is in the form of an aging Northern European population seeking to live out there retirement in the sunshine of the California of Europe.

(Interestingly on this point 51% of Britains population are over the age of 50).This in turn fuels the desire of their children to live and work in warmer climates and bringing with them their education, trades and skills. This movement of a young workforce has

costa HOMES >> had a direct impact on certainly one of Spains economic drivers, this being the IT industry. It is no surprise that Spain leads the rest of Europe in technological advancement. So where do all these people want to live? In little boxes one on top of another, scaling there way up vertically to the moon? No. We in the real estate industry know what they want because they tell us. Just like in their home countries they want space to live and breath. The Spanish themselves have also had enough and are now voting with their wallets for a different way of life, they desire semi-detached and detached houses, and more open spaces, parks, and private gardens.

And don´t forget these wallets are said to contain something like half the 500euro notes in Europe. The days of every body living in high rise concrete blocks are being moved aside in favour of space to live. Lets face it 70% of our time in the Costa del Sol is spent outside. The construction industr y would do well to do a little market research before they start to build. It might help them alleviate the overstocking problem that they have.

Property market crash? With 7% growth for the first quarter of 2007? Huh! If this is a crash bring it on, lets have another.

So after a full diagnosis, just as I suspected this is nothing more than a touch of good old fashioned doom and gloom mongering propaganda in order to stop the British consumer spending

their hard earned money outside the UK. Mr. Prime Minister, take two aspirins and if the hot sweats under your collar persist come and see me at the surgery. Who knows you might buy your own retirement home out here.

And the BBC? A good dose of the principles of macroeconomics repeated until the symptoms you suffer from subside.

costa life 39

>> costa HOMES

40 costa life

>> costa HOMES

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44 costa life

MONOCHROME MAGIC

costa HOMES >>

Written by

Lydia Green Black and White chic: from the Catwalk and High Street to the interiors of our homes, this trend is the biggest thing to hit the modern world of home furnishings for a long time. The harmony and balance at the opposite ends of the colour chart work wonderfully together.

A

revival of the '50s diner era or '80s flashiness or a reflection of the latest recycled trend - whichever way you look at it, black and white are back in style and come into a modern style of its own.

Though the current trend is heavily influenced by Japanese minimalism which combines smooth, calming silhouettes with a contemporary urban look, this is one great way to get the black and white look without breaking the bank.

>> Colour-coding The sophisticated simplicity of the black and white look can be achieved with some paint, bold patterned wallpaper, tableware, fabrics and accessories. Remember that, rather than the hardedged sterility that prevailed in the '80s, this time around the look is based on curvy, organic shapes and matte finishes, bringing this once past trend to the modern age.

Black and white schemes are certainly high on impact and, if the dramatic effect is too strong for your living room, it can even be fitted into the kitchen or bathroom. Here's how to choose those key pieces for whichever room you choose to monochrome in the house.

>> Fabulous Floors A black and white floor is a good place to start decorating with black and white. The ultimate choice, if the purse strings allow, would be beautiful black marble. Alternatively try white ceramic tiles with a black border. Vinyl tiles laid in alternating black and white squares are great for the bathroom, or a painted black floor with white border stencils or white with black stencils if you already have a wooden floor.

>> Wondrous Walls Walls painted stark white or a soft ivory white serve as a perfect background for the monochrome scheme. Jazz it up with a single wall painted in a high shine black, or use a bold black and white patterned wallpaper to add a focal point in the room. Add framed photographs, prints and other artwork; black and white pieces will strengthen the look and add personality or add a dash of colour like red or vibrant yellow. Adding Metallics will also create drama in the room.

>> costa life 49

>> costa HOMES

>> Bathroom Bliss A small room is a great place to choose to use black and white as the main colour scheme. A small bathroom looks elegant with a black marble countertop, wall-mounted white basin, and shiny chrome accessories and fixtures. Repetitive mirrors will give the illusion of space. To finish, trim towels with black ribbon or braid for a personal touch.

>> Bedroom Beauty Crisp white bed linens are perfect for the bedroom. Add a black and white striped bed throw, pillows and a comfortable black chair.

For seasonal changes, have a variety of pillows in different colours on hand. Pink, yellow or soft green works well for summer, while red, hunter green, or even shimmering gold or silver looks great for winter. Choose elegant pieces of furniture, sleek and streamlined, or go ultra-modern with a futon bed along with contemporary dressers and long mirrors.

>> Delicious Dining Create an ambiance of sophistication and make your personal style statement with dining furniture that is attractive and functional. While shopping for fabrics, keep an eye out for colourful prints or patterns with touches of black. Then add more black to the room with lamps, table trims, frames and mats and pillows.

Incorporate black and white in wonderful ways using dark charcoal rugs or carpeting. Don't feel obliged to paint all the walls the same; choose a vibrant accent colour for a focal point. Add dramatic artwork, shiny or matte finish metal accents and modern designer fabrics.

So no matter how big or small your home is, there's room for an ultra-modern revamp thanks to the age-old union of black and white.

Research and detailed information - About.com

50 costa life

‘‘I can recommend Paula Monaghan whole-heartedly.

She and her team have always been very responsive, reliable and best of all, the furniture she has selected for my apartment, is nice, fits the space properly, and helps make my apartment more rentable.

I will continue to use Paula’s services as I add additional furnishings, to keep the ‘‘look’’ consistent, but more importantly because of the quality work she and her team have provided.’’

Kevin Platz Cologne, Germany

Exceptionally bright apartment in El Mirador de Mijas. The apartment consists of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge dining room, fully fitted kitchen and a large terrace with stunning views of the sea.

It is an end unit on the 2nd floor, is pleasantly decorated and comes fully furnished.

The lounge and master bedroom have direct access to the large terrace. Great apartment!

Stunning villa with 4 beds and 4 baths just outside Mijas Village. Views are spectacular and uninterrupted of the coast and countryside.A spacious, private family home which also has a self contained, guest suite consisting of bedroom, bathroom and sitting room with access to the swimming pool and lower terraces. The pool area is well laid out with rustic tile terraces and sun awnings. Off street parking in a carport. The property is in an elevated spot, has been well maintained and is a delight to view.

Spacious, 1st floor apartment, with lift, in Mijas Pueblo, in the centre of village life. Has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully fitted kitchen with a separate laundry off, a lounge/dining room and large terrace with views to the sea. The apartment has marble flooring throughout and all bedrooms have fitted wardrobes. The property has A/C, Sky television, telephone point and is approx. 142sq. metres built, with a terrace of 15sq. metres.

NV 391

NV 233

NV 378

Price: 265,000€ €

Price: 695,000€ €

Price: 360,000€ €

Stunning villa in Mijas Pueblo within easy walking distance of the village. Consists of 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen and delightful terrace areas all around the house. There are 250 sq metres built and the plot size is 716 sq metres. There are views to the sea and mountains, has A/C, 2 fireplaces in the reception rooms, an alarm system, swimming pool, a carport and a separate garage.

Fully furnished, 3 bedroom townhouse, on the outskirts of Mijas Pueblo with private parking.

Consists of lounge / dining room, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully fitted, modern, kitchen and separate laundry/utility room. Benefits from underfloor heating and full A/C units, satellite TV, easy to keep gardens and stunning views of the coastline.

There is also a communal pool.

Delightful villa in a secluded area of the village of Mijas. Consists of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large lounge with working fireplace and split level dining area. There is a rustic style kitchen with access to an outside laundry and private swimming pool. This is a lovely family home.

NV 382

NV 384

NV 380

Price: 865,000€ €

Price: 325,000€ €

Price: 650,000€ €

Village house in Mijas Pueblo. The property has 3 bedrooms although only 2 are used as such at the present time. The main bedroom has an en-suite toilet with wash hand basin and also has a little sitting terrace accessed from here. There is a kitchen, a lounge on the first floor, a lovely modernised bathroom and there is also a spacious roof terrace with ample room for sitting out. The house is approximately 150 sq. metres built and there is parking nearby. Typical village property but with more than usual space.

This bright, tidy end of row house is on 2 levels. property comprises living/dining room, kitchen, 1 double and 1 twin bedroom, 2 bathrooms, and lots of outside living space with built-in barbeque. wonderful views form both levels of the house. is ready to move into, having been recently modernised. The furniture is not included in the sale. The community of Mijas La Nueva has 2 communal swimming pools, tennis courts and a restaurant

Spanish village house in the heart of Mijas Pueblo.

The property is distributed over 3 levels, the ground floor given completely to an enormous garage, which would fit 3 cars, and a large "cave" storeroom. The lounge, kitchen and a single bedroom/study are on the 1st floor and the 2nd floor has and additional 2 bedrooms, full bathroom and a terrace. This property is 170 square metres, could easily be modernised and shaped to provide a comfortable, modern, town house.

NV 387

NV 386

NV 361

Price: 295,000€ €

Price: 285,000€ €

Price: 290,000€ €

Ref: P504267

Ref: V504260 La Sierrazuela Villa 720,000€ € 5 Bed, 5 bath, 630m² Plot, 240m² build, 2 kitchens. Carport for 4 cars. Pool: Private, Garden: Private, Facing: East and South.

Views: Breathtaking panoramic views, this villa can be converted into 3 apartments and as it is, it is a perfect family home, air con, cellar, BBQ area. Price is Negotable.

Ref: V504230

Campomijas

Mijas

Building Plot

–

269,990 € €

This is an Elevated Building Plot, with 1785m² with the possibility to build 25% Views: Breathtaking, Coastal, Mountains, Open, Sea. Features Quiet Location

-

Cerros del Aquilar

Atico

-

154,500 €€

Carib Playa

Townhouse - 422.500€ €

3 bed, 2 bath, 170m² Build, 54m² Terrace, Townhouse right on the beach, in a verry quiet area in a gated complex, marble bathroom good renting potential, communal pool, gardens and beach.

-

Villa all on the same level

-

637,000€ €

3 bed, 3 bath, 1260m² Plot, 190m² Build. 50m² terrace A verry exclusive Villa with Heated pool, double glazing, garage, large rooms, Sea views, in a quiet area.

Fantastic Offer 637,000€ €

Ref 255 - Benalmadena costa - Townhouse - 435,000€ € 4bed, 3,5 bath, 180m² build, 240m² plot Townhouse, Good Position, Fitted Kitchen, Parking: Private, Pool: Communal and Private, Garden: Community and private Views: Sea. Features 2 Community Pools, Air conditioning, Landscaped Gardens, Attic Room, Double Glazing, Alarm System, Storage.

Fuengirola Centro

2 bed, 1 bath, 65m² Build. Community terrace Views: Castle, Partial Sea, Town. Features Air conditioning Hot/Cold, Close to all Amenities, Condition - Fairly Good, Conveniently Situated Schools, Easy Renting, Gres, Lounge Dining Area, Near Transport, Solarium, Walking Distance to Beach, Walking Distance to Rest., Walking Distance to shops.

Ref: 273

Villa - 620,000 €€

5 bed, 5 bath, 2 WC, 820m² Plot, 390m² Build Garage, private garden, separate guest apartment, Water deposit, Pool, very nice views, price negotiable.

Ref: 270

Ref: A504266

Ref: 260 Mijas Villa Price: 495,000€ € 3 bed, 3bath, 670m² plot, 200m² living area. Villa, Good Position, Furnished, Fitted Kitchen, Parking: Off road parking, Garden: Private, Facing: South Views: Mountains, Open, Sea. Features Charming Property, En suite bathroom, Fireplace, Full of Character, Good Road Access, Irrigation, Living room with dining area, Patio, Some Renovation Needed, Satellite TV.

Ref: A504239

Mijas-Costa - Apartment - 210,000 € €

2 bed, 2 bath, 67m² build + 12m² Terrace. Close to the Sea, Furnished, Equipped Kitchen, Parking: Garage, Pool: Communal Pool, Garden: Community, Facing: South and West Views: Garden, Partial Sea, Pool. Features 24H Security System, Access to Beach, American Kitchen, Double Glazing, Easy Renting.

Ref: 147

El Chaparral

Villa- 680,000 €€

3 bed, 3 bath, 1,100m² plot, 160m² build Pool: Private, Garden: Private, Facing: South Views: Sea. Features Alarm System, Automatic Irrigation System, Cellar, Double Glazing, Excellent Condition, Fireplace, Guest Apartment, Marble Bathroom, Solar Heated Water, Solar Panels

Beautiful villa in Benalmádena Pueblo. Fantastic sea views!

€€ 975,000

4 Bed - 3 Bath - Build: 264m2 - Plot: 1000m2 - Big basement in order to make two extra bedrooms and bathroomsPrivate garden with terraces and swimming pool - Facing: South - Gated entrance - Double garage.

Ref.nr: 36773

Apartment Eden Hill - Reserva de Marbella

Apartment La Mairena - Elviria

close to sea

2 Bed 1 Bath Build: 76 m2 Spacious terrace Facing: South Communal pool

2 Bed 1 Bath Fully furnished Build: 57m2 Terrace: 6m2 Storage room Communal pool and roof terrace Easy off road parking

Ref. nr: 35001

Ref. nr: 36890

€ 189.500 €

Beautiful apartment in lower parts of Torreblanca

€ 220.000 €

3 Bed 2 Bath Build: 144m2 Terrace: 52m2 Fantastic views Facing: Southeast Communal swimming pool Close to golf

3 Bed 2 Bath Build: 117 m2 Plot: 358 m2 Roof terrace with fabulous views Satellite Double glazing Easy parking

Ref.nr: 32233

Ref.nr: 37094

€ 349.000 €

One level villa in Urb. El Faro - Mijas Costa

€ € 380.000

Feature Property

CAR490 - Cártama €€129,150 Charming cottage in the town with views over the orchards. 60m2 build, fully refurbished with quality materials and fittings incl. aircon, ceiling fans, new floors and oak fitted kitchen. 2 beds & 2 baths, all services and great access. Priced to sell.

Like this? The checkout CAR451 on our website

€ € 367,500

ESE342 - El Sexmo

This beautifully maintained country home has a lovely pool; great sun terraces; perfect access (via a brand new tarmac road); fabulous views; 3 beds; 3 baths; fitted kitchen & lounge plus separate dining room. A perfect family home!

Like this? The checkout SRA248 on our website

VFR487 - Villafranco € 357,000 € This immaculate & attractive country home is centrally located for Coín, Alhaurín & Cártama. There are 3 beds & 2 stylish bathrooms plus fully fitted kitchen. The pool & terraces make the most of the great garden & views.

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Feature Property

€ GUA484 - Guaro € 265,000 A three storey, 3 bed, 2 bath townhouse located on edge of town. Fantastic roof terrace complete with a fitted jacuzzi, sunbathing area & great views. Immaculate home with huge kitchen & even an enclosed garage. All services..

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CAR331 - Cártama CNN151 - Coín

€ € 265,000

A good value, cosy Villa with pretty garden & splendid views in a fabulous part of Coin, close to La Trocha Centre. It comprises a main house with 2 beds, kitchen, dining room, lounge, bath & utility room. There is a car port & an integral garage with a 1 bed flat above it - perfect for all those guests!

Like this? The checkout CNN473 on our website

€€157,000

ABSOLUTE BARGAIN! Just look what you get for your money. 118m2 build, 3 beds, 2 baths, garden, patio, balconies, parking space and full services. This home is ready to move into and within walking distance of all amenities in the lively pueblo.

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>> costa HOMES

specializing in

Fincas Country Villas Townhouses Cortijos Ruins Plots

952 498 454 mobile: 609 454 409 tel:

enquiries@aloraproperties.com www.aloraproperties.com Plaza Fuente Arriba s/n Alora

58 costa life

AP1: Stylish villa on the outskirts of Alora, short distance from the town. The villa is on 10,000 m2 of land. Accommodation is on 2 levels and offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large lounge, fully fitted kitchen, 150 m2 built plus terraces. The property has wooden floors. a BBQ area and swimming pool and an almacén. The villa is completely fenced. Mains water, electricity and telephone. Good access and panoramic views.

PRICE: 395,000 € €

AP430: A luxurious and well built villa located in the prestigious area of Las Lomas, close to Alhaurin El Grande on a large 24,500 m2 plot.

With separate entrances to both levels of the villa, the property offers flexible development potential. At ground level there is an open plan area with enormous lounge, vaulted ceiling, feature windows and wood burning stove, a large open plan fully equipped kitchen/dining area, one bedroom and a bathroom. On the lower ground level there is a good-sized hallway/reception, large utility room, 2 spacious bedrooms, a large bathroom and a small office. 230m2 built. Terraces, covered garage area, BBQ and an 8x4mt swimming pool. Mains water, electricity, digital telephone and satellite TV. A stunning property.

PRICE: 995,000€ €

AP426: Immaculate fully restored village house in Casarabonela retaining much of its charm. The main house is on 3 levels and is 110 m2 built. On street level there is a dining room and kitchen. On the first floor there is a bathroom, 1 bedroom and a lounge. The upper level comprises of a 2nd bedroom and access to a glorious 41 m2 roof terrace with stunning views down the valley to Malaga. There is also a separate 20 m2 guest studio which has a kitchen/bedroom/sitting area and a bathroom. Separate workshop. Air-con hot/cold.

Mains water, electricity and telephone.

PRICE: 189,000€ €

AP358: Plot of 11.000 m2 of irrigated land planted with young olives situated in a very good position only 10 minutes from Alora. It has permission for a 130 m2 almacen. Ready to start building. There is the possibility of building a basement in the future. Well water and electricity though not connected is nearby. Panoramic views. Good access.

PRICE: 77,000€ €

Fincas - Country Villas - Townhouses - Cortijos - Ruins - Plots 952 498 454 mobile: 609 454 409 email: enquiries@aloraproperties.com tel:

Plaza Fuente Arriba s/n, Alora

Alora Properties are honoured to offer for sale this impressive large villa set in a stunning location with open views to the mountain ranges of El Chorro yet is within walking distance to the many amenities of Alora pueblo, a bustling market town, just half an hour form the Costa del Sol and Malaga international airport.

The quality built villa has 315 m2 of living space distributed over two floors. The main entrance hall leads off into a very spacious split level lounge and dining room featuring a wood-burning stove and two sets of French windows leading out to a glorious terrace. The large kitchen also has a less formal but equally spacious dining area and large walk-in pantry.

Continuing on the ground floor there are 3 bedrooms, one of them en-suite and a separate bathroom and a fully equipped laundry room.

The majestic marble staircase which is over-looked by a gallery/library ascends to a generous landing leading to three further bedrooms:- the opulent double aspect master bedroom which enjoys a luxurious en-suite bathroom and extensive fitted wardrobes and has French windows leading onto a large balcony and two further double bedrooms, one of them en-suite and also enjoying a private south facing balcony.

The construction and finish of this property is of a very high standard being fully double glazed with security shutters, air-conditioned and enjoying all mains services and satellite TV. The house is set in a stunning 20,000 m2, 5 acre plot with the magnificent backdrop of the protected El Hacho Mountain. There is a large formal garden with many sunny and shady entertaining areas, swimming pool and BBQ area with toilet/changing room. There is also an outbuilding currently divided into 4 single garages. In addition to the formal garden there is also an extensive lemon/orange grove with separate access from the public road making it ideal for a number of uses including equestrian pursuits.

This really is a stunning property having the rare benefit of privacy yet walking distance to town. Ideal large family home or suitable for conversion into a rural tourism business.

Price: 875,000â‚Ź â‚Ź

Please contact Alora properties to arrange a viewing appointment. check out our website for a large selection of properties

www.aloraproperties.com

It’s a Summer Finca Fiesta!!

REF DPSF-089 Two delightful houses on a landscaped plot of 3,000m2.

Superb value for money. Separate entrances leading to house 1 with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, fully fitted kitchen, spacious lounge/Diner and minstrel gallery, house 2 has lounge/diner, fitted kitchen, bathroom and two spacious double bedrooms with patio doors. Private swimming pool, plenty of terraces, BBQ, and water feature, immaculate and first class -

DPSF-127 Excellent New Finca in Alhaurin,fantastic views and in a very good area. 85m2 build plus terrace, three beds, family bathroom,beamed ceilings, lounge/diner and fitted kitchen.

Lovely grounds, private swimming pool, fenced and gated.

559,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

299,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

430,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF-292 Delightful, new listing country property in Alhaurin with three beds and two baths (one ensuite). Large lounge with patio access to covered terrace and private swimming pool. Fully fitted kitchen and in beautiful condition.The property has BBQ, parking and is fenced and gated in a lovely area of Alhaurin

REF DPSF 263 Excellent property, this renovated farmhouse has history, charm and character, 360 degree views with five bedrooms, three bathrooms and situated just outside Coin in the country with good access to Marbella and the coast. Boasting six terraces, Ponds, private infinity swimming pool, two self contained apartments, this totally unique property must be seen and has even more potential. 240m2 build on an 8,000m2 plot.

Offered at -

399,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

630,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF 280 Double delight. Two houses, 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms.Excellent well presented property at present operated as Bed and Breakfast. 180M2 main house with large Salon, Dining room, Kitchen and Five large bedrooms all with ensuite and private terraces. Aircon and Sat TV. A separate 60m2 casita offers owners accom. with one bedroom, one bathroom, salon and kitchen. 3000m2 grounds are walled, private and well laid out with delightful pool area, sun terraces and a feature jacuzzi set in the terraces, fantastic opportunity 535,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF 288 Spacious, well presented finca of 200m2 situated in a quiet location yet close to Coin town centre. Accomodation comprising large lounge/diner, fully fitted kitchen, central day room, three double bedrooms and two bathrooms. Outside has two large terraces, swimming pool, gardens, two large garages with workshop & utility room with potential for conversion into guest accommodation subject to permissions all set on a 10,000m2 plot. Lovely family home.

499,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF 243 A lovely tranquil Finca with 130m2 build on a fenced and gated 5,800 plot of land only 5 minutes from Alhaurin el Grande.

Excellent condition and only 4 years old this property has three double bedrooms with two bathrooms (one en suite) lounge with Patio doors to huge terrace, fireplace, kitchen, utility room etc. Outside you have covered BBQan extra large swimming pool, Hot and cold air conditioning, delightful property in a very good area. Amazing value, reduced to sell at 390,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF 254 Delightful country property of 190m2 with extensive landscaped grounds of 5,500m2 situated in Alhaurin el Grande area. Accommodation comprising ´L´ shaped lounge/diner, fitted kitchen, utility & storage area, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, spiral staircase to first floor. Outside has many areas of interest including a delightful pool area and dining areas for outdoor living. A row of outbuildings are ideal for conversion to different uses subject to permissions.

495,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF-294 Beautiful and well presented Finca situated in Alhaurin el Grande, surrounded by Olive and Citrus groves. The property has three beds and two and a half bathrooms, a large Salon with beamed ceilings, dining area and fitted kitchen. Beautiful gardens surround the property and you have a seperate rustic casita in the grounds and private swimming pool. The plot is 10,000 m2 and the build 160m2 plus casita.

REF DPSF 156 Large new finca situated just outside Alhaurin el Grande comprising very good sized lounge/diner, fitted kitchen with breakfast bar, 2 large double bedrooms (master ensuite) and family bathroom on ground floor with 2 further bedrooms on first floor. The house has a large arched covered front terrace leading to swimming pool & BBQ area. Large storage room and gym room which could be converted to a studio apartment. The property is fenced and has electic gates with a sweeping drive.

493,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

REF DPSF 291 Lovely country house with great views over the countryside and situated 6kms from Coin and with good access. The property comprises lounge/diner, 3 good sized bedrooms (2 ensuite) all with patio door access to the delightful courtyard, further family bathroom, fitted kitchen and outdoor covered kitchen for the summer dinning experience. At the front is a lovely arched covered terrace with bar area leading to swimming pool and delightful gardens.

369,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

559,000€ € . WHY PAY MORE?

HUGE REDUCTION

REF DPSF-279 Good sized Finca of 140m2 on a 2500m2 flat plot of land in a great area. 4 bedrooms and three bathrooms (1 ensuite) spacious Salon (30m2), fitted kitchen and a large roof terrace suitable for extending the accommodation. Outside Mature palms and shrubs and a private 10x5 swimming pool with large sun terraces, excellent condition and great value for money.

Reduced by 50,000€ € to -

>> costa HOMES

Obtaining a Mortgage In Spain W

ho offers mortgages?

Mortgages are available from most High street Spanish banks and saving banks[Caja] and International lenders in Gibraltar.

Most Developers will have a loan scheme in place on ‘off-plan’ purchases, but you need to be aware that these are only available on completion and will not cover any stage payments i.e. normally 30% deposit.

Resale properties are also sometimes offered for sale with a mortgage in place that can be easily transferred.

What is the cost of arranging a mortgage?

The cost of a Spanish mortgage varies greatly from lender to lender and also from broker to broker. Generally you should allow between 23% of the purchase price of the property.

Why is it so expensive?

The up-front costs on a Spanish loan are much higher than in the UK for a number of reasons.

Firstly the Bank itself will charge an arrangement fee ranging from .75% - 2% of the loan depending on the loan to value and the complexity. The higher fees are generally charged for ‘non-status’ lending or bridging finance and for a normal mortgage you should not pay more than 1.25% There is also mortgage tax of 1% of the value of the loan and 1% of the interest due to be accrued over the term of the loan e.g. on a loan of €100,000 over 25 years at 3.5% the total interest payable is approx. €50,990 making the tax payable €1000 + €509.90 As a Spanish mortgage is attached to the property and not the owner it has its own title deed. You will have to pay for the deed to be produced and also land registry and notary fees. The cost of this varies from area to area and on the value of the property.

Valuation fees vary depending on the value of the property and the valuation company but start at about €200 for a small apartment.

Lastly you have the services of a mortgage broker and again this can vary tremendously.

Some charge nothing and just rely on the commission the banks pay them whilst others charge up to 1.5% of the loan. It is recommended that a broker is used if income is hard to prove as they will know which lenders are the most flexible and can save valuable time.

The break-even point for a Spanish loan as opposed to a UK loan or remortgage is approximately 5 years, so if you are considering paying the loan off in full before that time you need to think long and hard about which way to proceed as it may be cheaper to raise the funds at home.

62 costa life

How much can I borrow?

As general guide a non resident will be able to borrow 70%-80% of the valuation of a property, whilst residents can borrow up to 100% of the valuation. The key to obtaining the maximum mortgage offer is in achieving the maximum valuation, which is the job of the Tasador [valuer]. Most Banks will accept valuations from 1 or 2 Tasadors whilst a few employ their own.

Your income is the other determining factor and the monthly repayments have to be covered by up to 40% of your NET salary, but most banks will only accept 35% Land purchase is limited to 60% of valuation by most lenders, as is lending on ‘Finca Rustica’ property.

If you already own land and want to build then construction loans are an option. The bank will lend up to 70% of the projected completed value which in most cases will be more than enough to cover 100% of the build cost.

Which Currency should I borrow in?

Mortgages are available in most major currencies. You should be aware that if you borrow in a currency that does not have a fixed value against the euro, currency fluctuations could make your borrowing more expensive or less expensive depending on whether your chosen currency weakens or strengthens against the euro.

What Interest rate will I pay?

Interest rates again will depend on the currency you choose to borrow. Interest rates for mortgages in euros are based on the European Inter Bank Overnight Rate, or EURIBOR for short, which has largely takeover from the older MIBOR. The lenders rate will be a margin over EURIBOR generally EURIBOR +0.75% to 1.5% but individual circumstances can dictate higher or lower rates. Fixed rate mortgages are available at slightly higher interest rates. Some lenders offer a lower Start up interest rates for the first year or part interest only mortgages, ideally suited for funding new construction.

How often will interest rates be reviewed?

Usually once a year, fixed rate mortgages are available at higher interest rates.

What is the maximum repayment period?

Mostly commonly, 15 or 20 years, but up to 35 years can be arranged.

What information will the bank require: Banks vary in the amount of information that they require, but in general the more you can provide the easier the loan is to procure. Ideally the following would be good

If you are employed: Last 3 wage /salary slips.

Latest P60.

Last 6 months bank statements.

Reference letter from your employer confirming date of employment, proof of income and position and prospects within the company Bank reference (The lender may have to apply for this themselves depending on who you bank with) Some lenders require an experion credit check to be carried out Copy of passport/residencia.

If you are self employed: Last 2 years tax returns.

Copies of accounts for the last 2/3 years Chartered accountants copy report, confirming your annual personal drawings from the company Copy of your passport/residencia 6 months personal bank statements Bank reference letter

You will also need: In relation to a specific property, the nota simple from the property registry, offer letter or sales purchase contract.

If you are applying for a construction loan then you must provide the Escritura for the land. The plans stamped by the College of Architects and a 10 year building guarantee.

An NIE number from the local police station, which you or your lawyer can arrange.

You will also need to open a Spanish bank account and it is advisable to use the same bank as your mortgage is with.

costa HOMES >>

Authentic, Old Farmhouse (Álora)

Built: 135 m² Land: 20.000 m² 3 bedrooms · 1 bathroom Restored with great care Pool · Own well · Nice views Ample kitchen + living room Storage room with 30 sqm Priced to sell · 275.000€ € Country Estate with "Cortijo" (Antequera / La Joya)

End terraced Town house (Casarabonela)

Built: 120 m² Land: 40 m² New construction in a very charming, rustic style with central heating · 2 beds.

2 baths · Close to forest Easy access + parking Roof terrace & Patio...

157.000 € €

Finca w. building permission (Casarabonela)

Built: 50 m² (permission) Land: 11.500 m² Spectacular views / scenery 5 km from village · Water & Electricity · Partly constructed Private location · International neighbourhood BARGAIN….

110.000 € € Built: 410 m² Land: 32,000 m² New construction · Prime Quality Under floor heating · 70 sqm living / dining room · Spacious beds, kitchen · Incomparable location & views · Pool 10mx6m Ample terraces…

1.500.000 €€

costa life 63

Aphyllanthes monspeliensis Cistus crispus

Written by

Simon Hill

Leucaena leucocephala

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

T Cistus monspeliensis

Romneya coulteri

64 costa life

his month we are getting into hard times for gardeners. The soil is drying out to concrete-like consistency and the plants are flagging. What with the heat, and having to water our pots twice a day, humans are flagging too! Days on the beach or 'tinto de verano' by the pool are becoming increasingly attractive as ways to get through the summer.

In summer, no-one wants gardening advice or to buy plants. What I say is…if you can't beat them join them! I'll go to the beach, with a picnic and ingredients for the tintos de verano in the cool box, and enjoy what I originally came to Spain for!

So, just the other day, I was coming home from Fuengirola after a difficult drive through the rush hour. Taking the Coín road, we drove out through the golf developments along the Fuengirola River and up into the hills in the direction of Alhaurín el Grande. As usual, as I head back from the frenetic activity on the coast towards the relative tranquillity of inland, a more relaxed mood sets in and there is a chance to look out of the window.

What I see is not so happy: degraded hills abandoned from agriculture and still scarred by the great Mijas fire several years ago, many new houses, legal or not, and log cabins more appropriate to the coniferous forests of Scandinavia, culminating in the extravagant 'Fort Ingles' complete with helicopter pad and seemingly on the market for a very large sum. Sadly, this property is not there to defend the surrounding countryside!

A balm for sore eyes is on the slopes on the right of the road, a fine stand of the white-flowered shrub, Cistus ladanifer, a magnificent sight in flower earlier in the year, but now glistening and glinting with the sticky resin coating its leaves and scenting the air in the hot afternoon sun. Just round the corner is a garden centre, one of the better ones if a little expensive, a bit of an eyesore as we approach it but nice inside with a source of cold beer and a line in unusual plants from Australia and South Africa, many of which can do well in the gardens of Andalucía.

On up the road towards the roundabout where the Coín-Mijas road

Cistus ladanifer

crosses our route, there are on the right more golf-associated developments, crowned by the magnificent pine-clad slopes of the Sierra de Mijas. Up ahead is a remarkable and curious tower topping a conical hill; an extravagant folly that conceals a water tower. On the left, the road leads towards Coín, passing along a dissected ridge, past an extensive area of scrubland, pine forest, and a Passiflora vitifolia side turning to the secret valley of Barranco Blanco (heaven for nature lovers with a river actually containing fresh flowing water) then on past two urbanisations (to me hideous and incongruous) into the Coín suburbs.

The extensive area of scrubland this year, thanks to the late rains, has produced a wildflower spectacle to rival many of the world's best. Most recently seen, in a fantastic display, were Cistus monspeliensis, a small shrub covered in flowers like a myriad of white stars, accompanied by Cistus crispus, larger intense dark magenta flowers, and Halimium atriplicifolium. This small shrub, characteristic on soils with underlying serpentine rock, has grey leaves surmounted in May-June by loose sprays of magnificent, clear lemon yellow flowers. In all these sun roses, the flowers, pollinated mainly by bees, last only one day, but there are so many produced in succession that over a good month the hill slopes seem to change colour. Many other plants grow in association: orchids, gladioli, asphodels and daisies, to mention a few. Very striking this year have been carpets of the grass-like member of the lily family Aphyllanthes monspeliensis with its clouds of bright blue flowers.

Formerly this plant was much more widely distributed; but with changing land use this plant is fast becoming rare.

Stop! What is going on? Wide lanes of devastation are appearing in this botanical paradise. Could it be that the developers have their sights on yet another money pot? Large signs say 'diggers at work' and 'prohibited access' on yet another mountainside that was only recently free for all to roam. One of the very few remaining landscapes, with its unique community of plants and animals evolved over millennia, is falling victim to development. Even Barranco Blanco won't remain unscathed.

All this natural wonder is to be replaced by over-watered-golf greens, unimaginative plantings of palms and oleanders and masses of concrete. Let's hope the architects show better taste than they sometimes have in the past! Let's hope the river of water needed for these developments, supposed from unlimited underground supplies, doesn't in fact deprive the traditional users of this resource they have enjoyed for centuries! Although I can see the potential attraction of looking from a terrace at wonderful views of the Sierra de Mijas close by and of the distant Sierra de las Nieves across the valley of the Guadalhorce, I wonder whether we have truly valued what will be lost.

On the mountain side, as I write this in mid-June, most of the plants in my garden in Álora are winding down for their summer 'dormant period'. This is because I grow mainly

Vitex

plants adapted to the Mediterranean climate, where water is limited in the summer months. Temperatures where I live would allow subtropical luxuriance if only I had access to sufficient water. Unfortunately the current water shortage is biting hard inland and even commercial citrus orchards are going out of production, but I don't suppose people on the coast with no restriction on their water use will even notice the difference.

Also in my garden, the climber Passiflora vitifolia, a somewhat rare beast, is lighting up the crowns of a large lemon tree and an adjacent bee-friendly Leucena leucocephala (a mimosa-like tree with delicate foliage and flowers like small white pompoms) with daylong starbursts of bright scarlet. What a fantastic plant! More subdued, but equally beautiful are the chaste trees (three different Vitex species) with their spikes of mauve, purple or white flowers.

Yesterday, in a friend's wonderful garden, I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a huge plant of the white flowered Californian poppy, Romneya coulteri, with flower spikes of the beautiful Salvia candelabrum in the foreground. The latter is a native of Andalucía, but increasingly rare in the wild and tricky to grow in the garden - and it's increasingly rare in the wild (surprise, surprise) because of habitat destruction.

I know I have been going on a bit. When I came to live in Spain seven years ago I, like many, had visions of a subtropical paradise garden overflowing with Hibiscus and Bougainvillea. Now I'm more realistic.

Without unlimited water it is pointless to try to fight the extremes of this climate. Water is not unlimited, even for new urbanisations with their so often out-of-context plantings and gardens. When these are permitted in areas of outstanding natural beauty, where also so often there is no adequate infrastructure, a wholesale rape of the landscape and of its resources not only lowers the value of the place itself but also denies to future generations the opportunity to enjoy nature in yet another corner of the rapidly diminishing 'wild space'.

Wake up, Andalucía!

Halimium atriplicifolium

costa life 65

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH MACP-385 790,000€ € La Alqueria/Alhaurin El Grande Superbly finished country property that has recently been totally reformed.

All rooms completely redecorated, tiled etc to a very high standard. This a 4 bedroom property with very unique features. Each bedroom if you so wished could be separate from the main part of house or used as very spacious family home. This is no square box - it is a property with masses of character with lots of unexpected nooks and crannies. Main bedroom is large and airy with good natural light, it has a full en-suite bathroom and a study/dressing room or small sitting room to give it the look of a suite rather that a single room. Bedroom 2 also spacious with en-suite facilities.

Two more double bedrooms with adjacent fully fitted shower rooms. very large lounge, open fire with steps up to an equally large dining room also with an open fireplace. The property has lots of outside sitting/sunbathing areas offering full sun or shade depending on your mood. Adjacent to the pool and terrace area there is a fully roofed open terrace area perfect for entertaining on those cooler evenings or on hot days.

This is a property that can only be viewed to appreciate its full potential.

Ring us now to book your viewing.

Built Area: 199 sq m Storeys: 1 Bedrooms: 4 - Master with en-suite with study/dressing room access to terrace.

Bathrooms: 2 en-suite plus 2 shower rooms Living Room: Large high beamed ceiling with open fireplace - split level Dining Room: Large 30 sq m approx with open fire Kitchen: 1 fully fitted with appliances all new.

Outhouses: Storeroom/pump room and large garage Garage: Yes with separate access out of property Pool: Yes 8 x 4 recently professionally re-tiled.

Land Area: 12500 Fenced - Dog proof Land type: Garden and rustic land - Olives, Oranges etc Land description: Fully fenced large plot with multiple gated access points. There is a small caseta/stable with potential for a reform to accommodation - planning permission will need to be applied for. Good variety of trees.

MACP-266 Alhaurin De La Torre

1,248,000€ €

There are three properties on this flat, landscaped plot. Main house 5 beds (one with a huge balcony and views of the bay of Malaga), 2 bath, large covered terrace overlooking the pool and garden. 2nd house 3 beds, sitting room, dining area. Guest house 1 bed, sitting room, bathroom and kitchenette.

MALV-197

975,000€ €

We are very delighted to offer, this unique luxury villa, in the sort after area Las Lomas, Alhaurin el Grande. This area is renowned for its exclusivity and its superb views. The pool area is a very tranquil and private place, a space to really take it easy and relax. Once inside this exceptional property, you are welcomed with beautiful high ceiling's, terracotta tiles and attractive decor throughout. The villa has a build area of 230 sq m and is set in a stunning 24,500 sq metres of land..

A truly charming property with bundles of warm character.

Phone now to book your viewing.

MARP-371 Alhaurin El Grande - Rural

595,000€ €

Beautiful 4/5 bed plus 2 bathrooms, lounge, dining room 220 Sq m build on 6000 sq m plot. Ideal situation in highly sought after part of Alhaurin El Grande. Good access, 20 min walk to town. Ideal property placement high up enough to enjoy summer breezes whilst not so high that it will suffer from cold in winter. Well laid gardens and superb kidney shaped pool. Finally absolutely superb views. Priced realistically to sell, a must to add to your viewing list.

MALV-209 Alhaurin/Mijas

2,650,000 € €

MACR-329 Cortijo - Near Coin

900,000 € €

Exclusive villa based on 200 year old farmhouse site. 5 bedrooms all en-suite, luxury kitchen, laundry room, grand dining room, heated pool and Jacuzzi, pool bar, changing rooms. Separate 2 bed apartment with provision for an additional 2 bed bungalow. Stable block the list is endless.

No expense has been spared on this superb property.

Contact us or look on website for full details.

Fabulous restored property situated in an area of outstanding beauty, yet only a ten minute drive to Coin.

Beautiful lounge with beamed ceilings. Huge master bedroom/en-suite, 2 more bedrooms also en-suite all with terraces. Fully fitted kitchen. Guest apartment. Mature gardens, large pool and BBQ area.

MAVL-306 Alhaurin el Grande

MARP-354 Coin/Alhaurin El Grande

795,000€ €

Sought after part of Alhaurin, charming property. Main house plus additional guest house in the grounds. 4 bedrooms, 2 bath, fitted kitchen, private pool. Second house very private own pool, 1 bed, bath, American kitchen, lounge. Air con, Sat TV, terraces, BBQ areas. All svcs.

Fabulous views and good access via tarmac road.

MALV-362 Alhaurin El Grande

775,000€ €

Just on the market a spectacular property totally secluded in tranquil setting, BBQ area, outside kitchen with well tended gardens. The property comprises of 4 bedrooms, lounge, sitting room and a dining room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms. 2 self contained guest apartments. Ample parking and a garage.

Superb swimming pool.

250 sq m build in 7500 sq m plot.

365,000€ €

MACR-303 Alhaurin el Grande

699,000€ €

An exquisite equestrian property new on the market. Superb main house plus separate guest/grooms house. Stables, tack room, sand exercise area, hay barn and big exercise area.

Both house are finished to very high standard with all modern amenities. 24 sq m wooden structure currently in use as office. Long paved drive, pool etc. A must to view.

MALV-363 Coin - Rural

699,000€ €

A lovely property on a small plot situated within walking distance to Coin town centre. The house is tastefully decorated though out, has a wonderful pool and seating area and has separate guest accommodation. Fully fitted kitchen, 3 bedrooms in main house plus 1 in guest accom, living and dining rooms. Garage. Early viewing recommended.

Beds 4/5, Baths 3, Build approx 300 m2, Plot 3500 m2.

Fabulous country location midway between Coin and Monda.

Exceptionally spacious and airy property that has been maintained by current owners to a very high standard.

Recently fitted luxury kitchen, modern appliances. Beautiful staircase and entrance hall, large bedrooms with very generous lounge and dining area. Good access to property.

Mains electric and water. Gas central heating, utility room and larder.

MACR-145 Alhaurin El Grande

MALV-355 Alhaurin El Grande

849,000€ €

Main house and 2 Guest houses in large plot.

Main house is a wooden structure of the best standard, with exquisite terraces all around. Close to the main house is a second property which can accommodate families or groups, and although smaller than the main house it is of the same high standard. The third house set beautifully in its own grounds, with private swimming pool, BBQ area. Excellent rental income potential, also superb for horse owners.

699,500€ €

A wonderful private villa in a prestigious area with spectacular views. This property has been finished to very high standards, is light and airy and the gardens are perfectly landscaped and charming. The villa has air-conditioning central heating and everything you need for a warm home.3 beds all en-suite, fitted kitchen plus utility room 150 sq m build area.

MALV-160 Alhaurin De La Torre

699,500€ €

MAAP-380 Torremuelle

220,000€ €

Beautiful country villa with a fully self contained guest apartment that currently produces a proven income. Main residence: - 179 Sq m built area. 3 large double bedrooms one with luxury en-suite bathroom, family bathroom, lounge dining area, fireplace. Fully fitted kitchen. Guest/Rental apartment:-145 sq m built area. Completely self contained.

Large lounge/dining room, 3 large bedrooms, bathroom, fully fitted kitchen.

Great Torremuelle apartment, beach front location direct sea views, Furnished, Fitted Kitchen, Parking, Two Communal Pools and Gardens, Panoramic views, Access to Beach and right on the beach front, Fully Furnished, Good Road Access, Lift, Near amenities, Popular Urbanisation, Prestigious and private area, Satellite TV, Sunny terraces. Currently rented out for holiday lets so proven income details available.

MAAP-375 Alhaurin

MARP-372 Coin

389,000€ €

A fantastic penthouse in the best part of Alhaurin with spectacular views. The property is situated looking over the swimming pool, charming gardens, golf course and country side.

The penthouse is of a very high standard, extremely spacious with loads of light. The kitchen has a fantastic breakfast area with ceiling to floor windows, a great place to start the day. The lounge is a comfortable room with a fireplace in the centre and big patio doors leading out to one of the terraces.

MACR-309 Alhaurin el Grande

From 50,000€ €

A perfect opportunity to purchase or rent luxury offices in a sought after part of Alhaurin el Grande. All offices can complete with kitchens and toilet, light and airy and a beautiful court yard with a water fountain. Perfect for the investor. Also 4 apartments prices from 130,000€ € Perfect for the investor

MACP-206 Alhaurin El Grande

270,000€ €

A beautiful light and spacious semi-detached house.

Stands alone and has the feeling of a detached property, as it is only attached to it's neighbours by the garage.

On entering there is a lovely large reception area, which leads off to the lounge, Kitchen, study and courtyard. Going up the grand stairs to the bedrooms, there is a huge landing that leads off to all the double bedrooms. All the room have telephone/internet connection, balconies. En-suite master bedroom with private terrace.

265,000€ €

MAVH-378 Alhaurin El Grande

249,500€ €

A really great corner plot town house in one of the best parts of the town. This property is very spacious and reformed to a high standard and decorated with a modern touch. Although the house has 3 bedrooms it could quite easily be 4, as the vendors have a large study on the lower level. This property is very unusual and is full of character.

MACP-333 Coin

299,000€ €

Newly built villa in the rural part of Coin. Many great features wooden beamed ceiling, modern top class fitted kitchen includes all appliances. Fully fenced, landscaped gardens, easy maintenance. Bargain property existing owner needs to move back to UK so priced to sell. A lovely property, with beautiful views and great swimming pool area.

Great value for money, must be seen.

Finca, Good Position, Fitted Kitchen, Carport, Garden: Private, Facing south views of Mountains, Air conditioning Hot/Cold, Built to High Standards, Charming Property, Close to all Amenities, Condition - Good, Fireplace, Fitted Kitchen, Fitted Wardrobes, Good Rental Potential, Independent Studio, Living room with fireplace, Quality Residence, Sought After Area.

MAVL- 301

The agency to come to if you are buying or selling in Inland Andalusia. We have properties from as little as 50,000 € € up to 3.5 million € € . Give Deb (Tel: 0034 - 627292562) or Dave (0034 666257019) a call for more information. Check out our website at www.sold-by-elves.com or email your enquiry to elves@soldbyelves.com

259,000€ €

Build 110m2, beds 4, Baths 2/half. A wonderful property on a very small select urbanization of only 10 houses. The property is at the top end of the urbanization, with a exquisite natural park behind and divine panoramic views of the country side. The 10 houses are on a private fenced plot, with a car park and concealed swimming pool. All the houses have the option to use another swimming pool and tennis courts on the main urbanization should they wish.

The property is located next to a impressive golf course and 5 minutes to the Alhaurin town. The house is very spacious with many terraces and a beautiful private garden.

MACP-204

280,000€ €

A great house in Guaro, that has been totally renovated to high standards . On entering the property there is a nice hall with cloak room, lounge, kitchen and dining area. The second level consists of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, moving up again to the final floor there is the third bedroom or study. This level leads out onto the roof terrace which has a lovely sitting area and a Jacuzzi where you can enjoy breath taking views.

MATH-277 Alhaurin El Grande

269,000€ €

A great town house totally reformed to very high standards.

The house has a lovely court yard, small terrace and the possibility to use the roof as another terrace. The property is extremely light and airy and the location is very up and coming part if the town. A charming reform.

MATH-234 Alhaurin El Grande

165,000€ €

Excellent townhouse.

2 bedrooms (1 double room, 1 single room), 1 bathroom, lighting, kitchen (fitted/equipped), utility/washroom, dining room, terrace (patio), floor (tiles), garden (community), garage (parking), built-in wardrobes, air conditioning, telephone. Quiet area near a school and 2 minutes from the centre of Alhaurin with community gardens and satellite dish.

MACP-385

790,000€ €

Superbly finished country property that has recently been totally reformed. All rooms completely redecorated, tiled etc to a very high standard. This a 4 bedroom property with very unique features. Each bedroom if you so wished could be separate from the main part of house or all used as very spacious family home. This is no square box - it is a property with masses of character with lots of unexpected nooks and crannies. Pool, terraces, bank valuation higher than selling price.

MACP-278 Monda

360,000€ €

The agency to come to if you are buying or selling in Inland Andalusia. We have properties from as little as 50,000 €€ up to 3.5 million €€. Give Deb (Tel: 0034 - 627292562) or Dave (0034 666257019) a call for more information. Check out our website at www.sold-by-elves.com or email your enquiry to elves@soldbyelves.com

MALV 369 Alhaurin El Grande

MACP-236 Alhaurin El Grande

MACP-335 Monda

315,000€ €

525,000 €€

A lovely property NEW ON THE MARKET . This villa is in a sought after area, and in immaculate condition. Spectacular views from the garden and pool area. The house has been finished to very high standards and has the added bonus of a conservatory/office at the front and another dining room/conservatory overlooking the pool . This Property will sell fast, viewing highly recommended.

349,000€ €

Area built 120 m², 870 m² surface area, 3 bedrooms (3 double rooms), 2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room (+ lounge), terrace, floor (tiles), garden, built-in wardrobes, water, electricity, gas, fireplace, interior carpentry (wood), exterior carpentry (aluminium), air conditioning, sunny, swimming pool, telephone. Pretty villa in a nice, quiet area with garden, barbecue, 2 satellite dishes and circular swimming pool with solar water-heating panels.

This lovely house is situated on the ONLY urbanisation in Monda which has 24 different designed houses. Monda is one of jewels of the inland villages. The house itself is split into two levels each with 2 bedrooms and a kitchen; it is very spacious and has great views over the countryside the village and Monda castle. There is a lovely garden and terrace area so very easy to manage and again a nice area to enjoy the gorgeous views.

MACP 360

MACP-331 Alhaurin El Grande

Price on Application

Pretty country home situated a short distance form Monda village and offering very good south views towards the village and countryside. The house consists of two bedrooms, both with air conditioning, two bathrooms, a cosy lounge/diner with a fireplace and a fitted kitchen. There are two very large terraces (60m2) enjoying the morning and afternoon sun. The plot is fully fenced and there it has a heated swimming pool. The property is equipped with mains water ad electricity.

A Rustic style dwelling, but with all up to date facilities; built in the year 2000 using the finest materials and quality craftsmanship. There are two (heated) swimming pools (joined by a water cascade), one of which is an infinity pool; Extensive terraces and decking, outside summer kitchen and barbeque area. "Having probably one of the finest panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the hills of Mijas and Marbella", on the Costa del Sol South facing, uninterrupted 180-degree sea views to the front and stunning country views to the sides and rear.

MACP 381 Near Coin

MACP-383 Alhaurin El Grande

A magnificent country villa in the beautiful countryside of Andalucía. The villa is in construction and nearly completed, is located 12km, from Coin and has breathtaking 360 mountain views. To the south eat the Sierra de Mijas 1150m. To the south the Sierra Blanca and to the west and north the national park and range of Sierra las Nieves 1918m. Finally far to the East are the peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

A wonderful property in a great location within walking distance to the main town. This property created over two levels is superbly designed throughout and very spacious.

Set in a tranquil location with spectacular views and landscaped gardens - an enchanting Villa. A must to add to your viewing list.

649,000€ €

1,195,000€ €

A superb property in a tranquil location, yet only a short distance from Alhaurin and only 15 minutes from Malaga airport. The property is set in 12000 sq metre gardens and fruit orchards, large enough to ensure privacy but not so much that all your time will be spent in upkeep! This is the ideal country residence, a beautiful main house but with a guest cottage as well.

MACP-373 Alhaurin El Grande

445,000€ €

Fantastic property NEW ON THE MARKET in a beautiful area. The house is very private with the most amazing views of the countryside and mountains. Traditionally designed with the rustic appeal and bundles of character. There are stables and outbuildings which can quite easily be converted into guest accommodation or to extend the main house.

Properties in this location rarely come onto the market, massive potential, it is a superb buy.

Star property must be viewed.

>> costa HOMES

Setting up a Business in Spain Brought to you by David Fairweather from Bars in Spain SL Many British People come to Spain for a change in lifestyle as well as the obvious reasons such as the sun, sea and sangria, and an increasing number are deciding to start a new career or even set up their own business here.

One of the easiest ways to own a business here is to buy a company that is already trading, as that way you can avoid many of the set-up costs, particularly if you are buying a business that is already operating from a premises. Every business here in Spain has to be properly licensed and the set up costs, work and timescales involved in setting up a business from scratch can often make it easier and cheaper to buy an existing business.

However the accounting system here in Spain makes it difficult to assess the viability or track record of a business when compared to buying a business in the UK. Many small businesses do not file proper accounts or declare all their income, so it is often harder to assess the risks or the potential of an existing business in Spain but there are many things that the prospective buyer of a business can do to ensure their purchase is a sound investment rather than a leap of faith!

Getting it right from the start......, When setting up a business here in Spain it is imperative that it is set up correctly right from the start.

Before setting up your own business anywhere you need to carry out as much research as possible including the following:

.. . .

Set Objectives Decide on what it is that you want to do.

Is that objective compatible with your family scenario?

What are your short, medium and long term business objectives?

Are these compatible with your personal goals?

.. . . .. . . .

Evaluate Evaluate your own background and skills.

How do they match with what you want to do?

Is what you are planning to do already being done in your target area?

If so who are your potential customers?

The Competition Can you compete with the competition?

What will you be able to offer that they cannot?

Why will clients buy from you and not the competition?

Try to ascertain the size of your potential market What share of that market can you realistically aim for?

. .

Product Sales How much can you sell your services or products for?

Where will you source them from?

70 costa life

. .. . . .. . . . .

Are there alternative suppliers?

How many can you sell in year 1, 2 and 3?

Costings Look at your cost base.

What will your product cost to buy in?

What discount structures/incentives are available?

How will you fund the business?

Staff What Staff will you need?

What Skills will your staff need to have?

How much will you need to pay them?

Premises What type and size of premises will you need?

Look at utility costs such a heat and light, telephone and internet costs Will you need transport, cars etc.?

You will need to think about all these issues and many more and then prepare (or get help in preparing) a Business Plan complete with a Cash Flow Forecast.

This helps you to focus your mind on what you want to do, how you will do it and makes the whole process less subjective and more objective, as well as being able to see the financial effects of your plan in a simple cash flow spreadsheet. This is the best way to prepare an easy to use working document.

What type of company?

The first thing that you will need to consider is what type of company you want to own and what status your business should have.

Getting expert advice from a good business agent, lawyer or accountant as to which type of business status is right for you is highly recommended. The different options are as follows: Empresa Individual (sometimes referred to as "Autonomo") is for a sole trader where the business is just in one persons name. The equivalent of being self employed in the U.K. Sociedad Civil where the business is in several peoples names, i.e. a partnership.

trades. You also have to register with the Spanish Tax Authorities (Agencia Tributaria) in order to pay the appropriate tax on your business activities. The next stage is to register for seguridad social payments. This is an Income Tax style contribution to the state in return for inclusion within and treatment from the Spanish Health System and State Pension scheme.

Once again all of this process is best organised through a good Business Agent, Lawyer or Accountant who should be able to offer you a complete package to include everything you need along with the bi-lingual support for those who are still struggling with their Spanish language skills.

It is also essential to appoint a good Spanish accountant to ensure you fully comply with all that is required by the various agencies and if necessary, to assist with your initial business plan.

Location, location, location....

Once you have taken care of all the legal aspects you need to give thought to the right location and property requirements.

You will need to undertake a careful evaluation of space requirements, set-up costs, fixtures and fittings, ease of access, storage etc. etc.

Whether to buy or rent in the early stages of a business is an important consideration, as is whether the business can work ok from a home base (at least initially) so that you can keep your overhead and property commitments as low as possible during the start up period. It is also worth considering the use of a business centre or serviced office accommodation that may be able to offer you various options from a virtual office to a short-term serviced office.

Be Realistic...

When you are at the business planning stage always try to be "Realistic" and not too optimistic or over pessimistic about your projected sales. Try to keep your overheads as low as possible and always look at the worst case scenario when budgeting.

Sociedad Limitada (S.L.) - A registered limited liability company. This is the Spanish equivalent of a Limited Liability Company (Ltd.) in the U.K.

Don't put all of your money into a business venture as it is always wise to keep (as a guide) at least six months living costs back, to cover you whilst you are getting your business up to speed.

Sociedad Anonima (S.A.) - A large company with registered shareholders and a minimum amount of capital for trading. This is the Spanish equivalent of a Public Liability Company (plc) in the U.K.

Remember that Companies that fail don't always run out of business, they usually run out of cash!

Making it Legal!

Another fundamental part of starting a business is registering with the local town hall for an opening licence (Licencia de Apertura).

This is necessary in order to register your business with the authorities in the local area and defines what your business is and how it

Bars in Spain SL is a Franchised Real Estate Network throughout Spain offering business advice & information for anyone considering starting or purchasing any type of business or property in Spain.

To find out more call 952 499 400 or visit www.barsinspain.com

Costa

Profile

E B O t n u H M Joan

any of us at one time or another has experienced a tragedy: the death of a husband or wife, a family member, or a friend. "Cancer has no boundaries of colour, age, religion or sex," says Joan. For Joan Hunt OBE, President of Cudeca, her tragedy came in 1991, when her dear husband Fred died from cancer. "Fred had been admitted into the Red Cross Hospital in Malaga. It is a really good organisation and does wonderful things, however it was not the place Fred or I would have chosen to spend his last days," said Joan.

costa STUFF >> It is incredible to think that this year is the 15th Anniversary of Cudeca.

In its very early days, to help raise money, I was honoured to give an after-dinner lecture and slideshow on the time I lived and helped protect the mountain gorillas of Rwanda (the famous Gorillas in the Mist) at Leslie's restaurant in CoĂ­n.

Today, Joan and I are sitting in the shade of a pergola, in the beautiful manicured gardens of the Cuidados del Cancer that sits on a hill above Arroyo de la Miel. Next to us is an ornamental pond where goldfish surface to feed accompanied by the gentle gurgle of the fountain that feeds it. The hospice is a single storey building that was completed two years ago, and is just a few hundred yards from the cable car that transports visitors up the mountain to get a spectacular view of the coast.

During my conducted tour of the centre, Joan often mentioned the word dignity, and this hospice has been built with that foremost in mind, with cool, quiet corridors that lead from room to room. Not only are the patients catered for but also their visitors, and everything has been thought of. Joan told me that they took the architect to England to see for himself how hospices should be: "Spain had not seen or experienced anything like this before, like the British approach to palliative care, so it was important for the architect to get the feeling and to see what was needed."

We enter a playroom for children. "Some children that come to visit parents or relatives may become bored, but here they can take a break to relieve their boredom and give some rest time to the patients they are visiting. Most of the toys and games that are in here have been donated." Next I'm shown a gymnasium. Joan continues "It is very important that some of our patients that are able to exercise are given the chance to do so. Exercise can be uplifting, and is good for the spirit."

Each inpatient's room has a patio that extends out into the garden. A young Spanish man in a wheelchair has visitors and there is gentle laughter from his group. Another woman has had her bed pushed out onto the patio. Joan crouches by her bed and takes her hand; the woman is desperately ill. Joan gently strokes her hand, smiles and soothingly talks to her, and she tells us she is enjoying being outside and listening to the sound of the birds. This is palliative care with compassion and the dignity that Joan talks about. The woman we are with may only have a few more days to live, but here in this hospice she has been made as free of pain as possible. The care and attention given to her by the nursing staff is second to none, and even though she is extremely ill she manages a smile; she is at peace.

"When Fred died, I told all the well-wishers that I would like a donation instead of flowers" continues Joan. "Amazingly the final total came to 250,000 pesetas and I decided that I would buy new curtains, bedcovers and other things for the Red Cross Hospital in Malaga; however I was a little unhappy with the way things turned out. It was then that Dr Marisa Martin Rosello, who worked in the hospital's only palliative unit, saw my disappointment and encouraged me to start the organisation now called Cudeca. We got together with Nursing Director Susan Hannam and, with the support of those two wonderful people, we were able to begin the task of starting the Costa del Sol Cancer Care Association in 1991."

Joan Hunt's life story may be ordinary by some standards, but what she has achieved in her life is quite extraordinary. Born in Liverpool in 1929, she was one of nine children, four girls and five boys. Joan's early days were not without difficulty, and her first school was for handicapped children: today she still walks with a distinctive limp. Just before the Second World War her father, who worked in the Liverpool shipyards, and her mother took the family and moved South to look for a better existence.

After Joan's school days, she then trained in bookkeeping and shorthand typing, and met her husband Fred in London. He had been in the navy and was then an electronic engineer in Chadwell Heath, between Romford and Ilford in Essex. Joan, as one could guess, worked hard and became the personal assistant to the Chairman of Berger Paints. She also underwent managerial training that has since helped her with the running of the hospice.

In 1983 both Joan and Fred retired, and decided that Spain that they had visited many times for holidays would be the place that they would set down their roots.

"Cudeca in the beginning I thought was an unobtainable dream, and asking people for money was not very easy," says Joan. "In 1996 Benalmadena Council gave us the land, so then our fight to raise money really began, along with the construction. The cost of the construction of the hospice facility and the building and equipping the then 12-bed inpatient wing came to approximately 400 million pesetas."

Joan smiles proudly as she says, "Now the inpatient unit has been increased to 15 beds and, since 1992, more than 4,000 have received palliative care. With 140 patients that are looked after at any given moment, and added to this the 300 medical professionals that receive Cudeca training annually, the hospice has become a national reference in specialised palliative care, with ongoing support and advice to the families during the illness and after the loss of their loved ones. Last but not least are the many, many women volunteers who work in the 11 Cudeca shops in the ten towns throughout Malaga province that provide an important source of finance."

Joan received her OBE from Prince Charles during the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. The Prince asked Joan about the help she had received during the setting up of the hospice, and he said how wonderful it was to hear about the project, and wished that it may long continue.

I would like to take the liberty to add my own personal tribute to Joan. I have met many people in my travels that in today's modern language can be called movers and shakers; people that are said to have achieved or created wonderful things. Joan Hunt without doubt is very much one of them, and I think maybe the time is right for the Government of Andalucia to equal the accolade that the British Government bestowed on Joan for her unstinting work.

As I drove away from the hospice, overhead the cable cars were slowly inching their way up to the summit of Mount Calamorro. For Joan Hunt OBE, Dr Marisa Martin Rosello, and nursing director Susan Hannam they have achieved their summit. The Cuidados Paliativos is certainly a place of dignity and caring.

>> costaSTUFF

A Bloke, A Bike, and the road to...

a 単 a p Es (or 2 days and nights on the Autopista)

Written By:

Part TWO

You

Portsmouth

Caen

Rennes

Lee Jay

may recall from the last issue, that I was biking down to Spain on my Suzuki VS800 Intruder whilst my wife Pat is driving our Citroen van. En route I had lost my wife, my mobile phone wasn't connecting to the French networks and, unable to pay by credit card at a petrol station, was running on vapour. Apart from that all was fine! I'd slept overnight on a picnic table in Northern France.

Nantes

Monday 2nd September 2002 Niorte

Dawn arrived and I decided there's no point in trying to sleep more. Aware that a coach party of French people are waiting for me to do something Bordeaux stupid like drop off the table and crash to the floor, I casually swing both legs inside my sleeping bag Biarritz over the side of the picnic table and land on my feet on the grass.

Zarautz Standing with my feet still inside the sleeping bag I realise I now have to extract my feet, which I perform with a brilliant trip and fall Vitoria - Gasteiz motion and land flat on my back. The tourists are happy as they've seen me make a total arse of myself.

After a wash and brush-up I find a tourist map on the wall.

Madrid There's a village about 3kms so I set off to find it. The bike is now running on hope as there can't be any fuel left in it. The village has a petrol station; even after my wash earlier I must have looked rough. I'm eyed with suspicion, not improved when I answer with confused British grunts.

I have some catching up to do and Valdepenas the phone's found a network. A chat with Pat has improved my mood; she's well on her way after finding fuel Granada about two miles from where I slept last night. I head for Rennes, about 150kms from where I am now. The bike feels Malaga good and it's cruising at a relaxed 70mph.

After missing my first turn off onto the A18 I begin to get the hang of French road signs - you just need to know where you're heading and route number, ie if you are travelling on the Sants

74 costa life

costaSTUFF >>

E03 it can also be the E402 and A84, as across Europe it's been all of these. Or it's just referred to as the Autoroute du Nord simple!

The roads are good with long straight sections where the speed limit is 130kph in the dry and 110kph in rain or poor visibility. Near a town the limit drops to 90kph. French drivers are not so much aggressive as "I see zis space and zerefore I weel fill it even if it's not quite beeg enough" but they do indicate in and out when overtaking and then pull in and don't hog the outside lane. Most French road users tend to give bikes an easy time and not try to run them off the road (not so British French Roads holidaymakers who so far have been my biggest nightmare).

Having sorted the bike out with fuel, I realise I need fuel too so start to look for an 'Aire', equivalent to a rest/services area. Some have fuel, some cafés and some just toilets but all seem clean and tidy. The Aire I choose is close to Mont St Michel which I'd like to see but sadly there's not enough time this trip.

The bike seems to create quite a stir with both French and English travellers who gather round all trying to figure out if it's a Harley or not.

The sun is out and it's starting to warm up so I peel off the first layers of last night's clothing.

"Café au lait et un Croissant s'il vous plaît."

A miracle happens as food and coffee arrive. I take a seat at a table opposite another biker. We chat about the roads the weather, car drivers (scum of the earth) and cyclists (one stage below scum of the earth). What a fantastic way to spend a morning; unfortunately we both have to ride on.

We say our farewells and set off on the road down to Rennes.

The best way of describing the "Route du Nord" is like the new A34 round Newbury but without so much traffic on it, and certainly no reps in company cars doing 100mph whilst they eat, drink and steer with a spare knee. No, this road is filled with the odd tourist, truck and motorbike.

Amongst the more interesting sights I encounter along this section is a couple that are definitely old enough to know better on an old Norton Commando with sidecar, both clad in leather complete with leather flying helmets. They remind me of those daft dogs that lean out of the side of cars with ears flapping in the wind. They beep and wave cheerily as I pass. The Norton's chugging along at about at 45mph where as I'm hitting about 80mph now.

This road bypasses towns so it's easy to maintain a good speed. Round Rennes go and on to the next town, Nantes. The E03/401/A84 has now magically transformed itself into the E03/N137, I'm getting the hang of it now! As the sun climbs in the sky and I ride further south the temperature rises and I wish I'd brought my jeans with me instead of just leather trousers. Still the only time I really feel the heat is when stopping to fuel up, as at 80mph there is a slight breeze to cool you off.

Mont St Michel I am travelling faster than I thought I would but I do need to make up for last night spent on the picnic table. It would be nice to arrive in the same week as Pat. Thinking things through I start to realise if I can maintain this rate of travel and the roads remain as good as they have been so far I might just make it to Spain in a day. That would be good as I should get to the Costa del Sol by Wednesday.

I'm keeping my sister informed of my progress by text; she's plotting my journey on a map on her office wall which feels a bit weird as I visualise this little dot moving down a map on her office wall.

Usually when a biker passes another biker in the UK they might nod or lift a hand slightly up from the handlebars. Here anything goes from a casual wave to waggling your feet. It's quite a laugh figuring out which part of the anatomy is going to be waved next! A husband and wife on Harleys cheer as I pass them and both look really happy. I know why. When the road is good, the sun is shining, and your bike's running well, life is great.

The only real horror I find is large trucks of any nationality, as you overtake you get hit by really dirty air when the wind buffets and bangs you about, blasting you with all sorts of debris from the road. Having then found a slot in which to pull out the hot blast of air from the engine is the next problem. Once past a strong cold side wind gets you and tries to move you over to the left. It's a trial but of course there's loads of chance to practise.

Skirting Nantes, a quick pitstop it's onto the E03/A83 to Niort. There the route changes and the road becomes the E05/A10 to Saintes, Bordeaux and the Spanish border. My back is aching and bum is numb so the 100mile breaks are really quite essential. As I circumnavigate Saintes I'm wondering about the reality of making the border before nightfall.

Wine country makes me feel even more in need of a real drink, names like Medoc, Graves Cognac and Champagne keep flashing past on the overhead signs.

After Saintes the road changes name again and is now the N10/E05/E70 - I hope you're keeping up with this, I'm not sure I am. I've passed Bordeaux and the border is once again my target, España here I come.

The road is made up of long straight sections lined with tall pine trees and I can't help thinking of the movie Girl on a Motorcycle with Marianne Faithful batting through France on a large bike in skin tight leathers.

It's no good. A wave of tiredness hits me and I've got to stop and rest after riding for 12 hours. An Aire surrounded by pine trees on a long straight section is the ideal site. I pull off and look for a place to sit and rest. It's just pine trees, scrubby plants and sand, no seats so I roll out my sleeping bag on the sandy ground; it's almost dried out from the dew of this morning and it's off with the sundry items of clothing followed by a thud as I hit the ground in exhaustion.

costa life 75

>> costa STUFF Written By

Dave Wakelin

REVIEW

>> Insomniac - Enrique Iglesias His eighth studio album and yet again Enrique delivers top songs that showcase his beautiful voice. There's the up-tempo Do You Know/Dimelo, Tired Of Being Sorry/Amigo Vulnerable which I think deserves to be a single and the rock of Sweet Isabel. Push is an interesting experiment into hip-hop which certainly works as a one-off, although I'm not sure I'd like a whole album like that. Then of course you have the gorgeous, delicate ballads that his voice just seems made for, songs like Somebody's Me/Alguien Soy Yo, Little Girl and Don't You Forget About Me. Stay Here Tonight is also a favourite and the remix of Hero is seriously cool!!

>> My December - Kelly Clarkson If I am being really honest, the first time I heard "Never Again", I was filled with disappointment, as, comparing it to the sheer genius of hits like "Since U Been Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes" from Breakaway, it really didn't seem to live up to Clarkson's previous standard. However, after another listen or two, the song immensely grew on me, and now, while still not my favourite track from "My December", it certainly brings a smile to my face and makes me immediately want to sing along when I hear it.

However, after hearing the rest of "My December", I have yet again been mesmorised by the wonderful, meaningful music that is so different, but so much superior, to anything that Kelly has ever released previously.

>> Instant Karma: the Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur - Various Artists A superb charity double album containing reworkings of John Lennon tracks by some of todays most influential artists, including the title track from U2, #9 Dream (REM), I´m Losing You (Corinne Bailey Rae), Imagine (two versions from Avril Lavigne and Jack Johnson), Just Like Starting Over (Flaming Lips), Isolation (Snow Patrol) and the classic Working Class Hero (Green Day) to name but a few. Whether they match or equal the spectacled masters original verions is up to you but Amnesty International rarely put their name to anything but quality recordings.

>> Get the Party Started - Shirley Bassey She is a Dame! The diva was made a Dame in the 1999 New Year's honours list (the BBC report is still on their website.) Using that title is something her generation for serious musicians do - compare Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth. They are recognised for their contribution so why not use the title to celebrate a milestone in her career. More importantly, Dame Shirley still has a big sound and humour in her delivery. (Listen for the slight giggle in the "kiss my **** " line of "Get The Party Started".) The set list on the CD fits together well and is a great selection of standards across the generations: fitting for a celebration of a career that has spanned so many years.

>> Time On Earth - Crowded House Time on Earth, the first Crowded House record since 1993's superlative Together Alone, began as a Neil Finn solo record, but morphed into a reunion album after bassist Nick Seymour joined the studio sessions and new drummer (Matt Sherrod, formerly of Beck) was recruited to replace the late Paul Hester. Hester sadly took his own life in 2005, and Time on Earth is, in that sense, a tribute album; yet it's simultaneously a move into the future.

In true CH style, Time on Earth weaves together a range of moods, from touching, introspective ballads, to upbeat, Beatles-esque rock 'n' roll.

76 costa life

All CD’s above can be purchased online at www.ccfmradio.com

costa STUFF >>

>> You and the law in Spain David Searl You and the Law is revised annually and is widely regarded as the 'bible' for those settling in Spain The Complete and Readable Guide to Spanish Law for Foreigners - Incorporating the Spanish Property Guide (Paperback)

>> Retiring in Spain Joanne Styles An important new book for anyone planning to retire in the sun, whether permanently or for only part of the year, and is worth its weight in sunshine. As with all life-changing decisions, the key to a successful retirement in Spain is planning ahead and doing as much research as possible before you go, which is where this book will prove invaluable. It is the most comprehensive book available about all aspects of retiring in Spain and is essential reading for anyone planning to retire there, packed with vital information to help readers save time, trouble and money.

>> Be mine Laura Kasischke Gives us a chilling tale of seduction in which a wife and a mother confronts her most deepest desires and her worst nightmares. When sherry begins receiving notes from a secret admirer, her quest to discover his identity leads her to a faculty member at the collage where she teaches. As events spiral out of control Be mine spirals to a shocking conclusion.

>> Room outside John Brookes This is a thoroughly revised and beautifully illustrated edition of the book that first made garden design accessible to everyone. This deals systematically with the creation of a contemporary garden whatever its size, from a tiny roof terrace to a substantial suburban plot. He sets the scene by exploring what we can learn from the evolution of garden design and use, and then asks the vital questions: 'What do you want?' and 'What have you got?' Then he brings together all the practical aspects of successful garden making, from basic planning, ground shaping and drainage, to enclosure, hard and soft ground surfacing, and maintenance and improvement.

costa life 77

>> costa STUFF

>> Ghost Rider His Curse Will Become His Power.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Peter Fonda Based on the marvellous Marvel comic book character, lifelong Ghost Rider fan Nicolas Cage stars in this all-action adventure.

The prophetically named Johnny Blaze and his father perform death-defying motorcycle stunts, but the real danger to his dad's life is the cancer growing within his dying body. To save him, Johnny makes a deal with Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) and sacrifices his soul. But years later, it's time for the devil to take his due as Johnny enters into an epic battle with Blackheart (Wes Bentley). In the presence of evil, Johnny transforms into a super-strong skeleton with a flaming skull who has the power to defeat the power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself....

>> Outlaw Fighting Back!

Starring: Sean Bean, Danny Dyer, Bob Hoskins A new film from Nick Love, director of The Football Factory and The Business.

In lawless streets the guilty are left unhindered to go about their business. Returning from a tour of duty in Iraq, former Paratrooper Bryant (Sean Bean) is appalled by what he sees in a country he no longer recognises.

Determined to do something about it, he assembles a group of like minded souls who resolve to restore the balance between right and wrong, good and evil, enforcing justice with a brutality to match that of the once unpunished wrongdoers. But who decided when enough is enough?..

>> Norbit Sometimes nice guys finish first!

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Cuba Gooding Jr. Norbit (Eddie Murphy) has never had it easy. As a baby, he was abandoned on the steps of a Chinese restaurant/orphanage and raised by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy). Things get worse when he's forced into marriage by the mean, junk food-chugging queen, Rasputia (Eddie Murphy). Just when Norbit's hanging by his last thread, his childhood sweetheart, Kate (Thandie Newton), moves back to town.

>> The Number 23 The Truth Will Find You Starring: Jim Carey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston, Rhona Mitra The story of an average man thrust into quite extraordinary situations after a series of strange events cause him to question everything he's ever taken for granted. On his birthday, Walter Sparrow is given a mysterious and tattered book called THE NUMBER 23 by his loving wife, Agatha. As Walter reads the book, he quickly notices its alarming similarities to his own life. Rather than stop reading, he continues, unknowingly inviting the book to take over his life. The deeper Walter gets into the plot, the more he sees himself in its protagonist, Fingerling.

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See our advert on page 98

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Costa

Cuisine

by Jan Morley of FreezerMor

Mexican food This month I thought that you might like to try something different to throw on the barbeque . Quesadillas are great for kids or vegetarians, and you can choose whatever filling you prefer!

A Brief History of Common Ingredients Mexican fare is like the melting pot of cuisines. They started with their own native flavours and then eventually added influences from Spain, Europe, India and even China.

Native Ingredients Meat was scarce before the Spaniards arrived, so the Mexican natives used corn and beans as their main nutritional staple. Chilles and heavy spices were used to give their dishes flavour.

Mexico's seaside communities relied on the plentiful array of seafood as a source of meat for their dishes.

Soon the Spaniards brought over garlic, onions, cheese, wheat, chicken and more. The native Mexicans soon integrated these new items into their indigenous recipes.

Chiles One of the first things that may come to mind when you think of Mexican food are chilles.

There are many types of chilles used such as the spicy jalapeno, the flavorful ancho and the fiery serrano.

Chilles flavour anything from soups and sauces to salsas and mole. They can be used fresh, whole, smoked, dried or powdered and can be considered a spice. When making a dish, add in small quantities, until you are satisfied with the degree of spiciness.

Beans Another widely used ingredient beans, such as black beans and pinto beans. They are used to make dishes such as refried beans, bean salads, soups and more.

Fats You won't find butter in traditional Mexican cuisine. Today most people will use vegetable oil as the fat for cooking, but the more traditional way is cooking with lard. Lard gives a wonderful flavour to the masa used for tamales and to refried beans.

Vegetables Let's not forget corn. The natives have used this staple for centuries as one of the main sources of nutrition. It is usually dried and ground then liquids or fats are added. Ground corn makes up tortilla chips, corn tortilla's, masa and more.

Fresh tomatoes are used raw in salsas, and are also used as toppings and fillings for taco's and burritos. Most of the red sauces you find in Mexico are made from chilles. Cooked or canned tomatoes are also used as flavors for rice, salads and soups.

Unusual Ingredients Sometimes unusual ingredients are used to layer flavors. A perfect example is traditional Mole (MOH-lay.) Over 30 different spices are used to make it including cocoa and peanuts or peanut butter. Cocoa is a great seasoning to bring out a rich flavor.

Cactus is also commonly used as a base for main dishes. The prickly spines can be difficult to work with and there are even special knives to make it easier.

Now that you have a little knowledge of common ingredients used in Mexican food, try out a recipe!

These are ideal to pop on the barbeque, for a quick snack, or can be made in a heavy based frying pan, a cast iron one is ideal.

225g/8oz cheddar, coarsley grated QUESADILLA 3-4 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped "Queso" is cheese in Spanish. And a 4 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced quesadilla is a toasted tortilla with melted 6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced cheese inside. But in addition to cheese, 50g/2oz pine nuts, toasted you can put practically anything in a 8 mushrooms quesadilla.

4tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander 8 x 20cm/8in soft flour tortillas

INGREDIENTS

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METHOD 1. Mix the cheddar with the chillies, diced tomatoes, spring onions, sliced mushrooms, pine nuts and herbs.

2. Spoon some of the mixture in a line along one side of each tortilla and carefully roll them up.

3. Lay 3 rolls, side by side, in the centre of 4 large squares of extra thick foil. Bring the sides together over the top and fold and pinch the edges together to make well-sealed parcels.

4. Rest the packets to the side of a medium-hot barbecue and cook for 10 minutes, turning frequently, until they have heated through and the cheese has melted. Unwrap and eat straight away!

Traditionally the tortillas are laid flat in a frying pan, the fillings placed on top, then another tortilla added as a lid, or folded, then when the cheese has melted, they are cut into wedges, but I found when using a barbeque to cook them, it was easier to roll them up!

Other ideas for fillings -Sweet corn, Chicken pieces, cooked, avocado, ham and pineapple, Brie and peaches Serve with the lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

VEGETARIAN

QUESODILLAS

SERVES

4

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How Hollywood can change reality's, just by the stroke of a pen, 1940's murderess Martha Beck who killed 17 women, is to be portrayed by sexy slender Mexican actress Selma Hayek, in the film about the killers life, John Travolta will play opposite her as the cop. In reality Beck weighed in at 200lbs, and had to sit on the arm of the electric chair when executed. "As the star of the film is less than half her weight, we have re-written the main character" a film exec said, slim actress, slim plot? …Sienna Miller once the regular squeeze of Jude Law, has once again got a new kisser, he is the son of British singer Bryan Ferry. Sienna and Isaac gave an exhibition of dancing and kissing at an all night charity bash…Away from our screens for ages iconic actress Julie Christie makes her return to the big screen when she plays an Alzheimer suffer in the film Away From Her, maybe that's why I had forgotten Julie…Woody Allen has buried the myth of his former love Diane Keaton, "was she a great lover" asked everyone? "She is punctual, and she is thrifty, and she has wonderful handwriting" said Allen…Singer Myleene Klass, is extremely clever, "I have a degree, but I prefer to pose half-naked in newspapers, good to see you stupid…Going down in the world? Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are to buy a new yacht with a submarine on the side, up periscope, dive for cover…Cameron Diaz revels who her favourite actresses were, Katherine Hepburn, and Claudette Colbert; Cameron did the voice over for Shrek 3. "your all on your own in a room doing a characters voice, then you finally get to meet the other stars at the premiere…She's at it again, wild child and star of Mean Girls Lindsey Lohan has been arrested for drink driving after an accident in her car, police then checked her car out and found some unexplained substances, a fair cop I would imagine…Singer Beyonce Knowles was involved in a scare recently after she and other guests at a party had eaten sushi, other party goers including Leonardo Dicaprio's girlfriend Bar Rafaell was also checked out for Hepatitis A, it sounds fishy to me…He left his heart in San Francisco, is the famous song sung by Tony Bennett, now his ex wife Sandy tells of how he left his wallet somewhere?, "He was paranoid, jealous. A slave to drugs, and although he was incredibly rich he was very mean, sing it again Tony…Ewan McGregor once played Obiwan Kenobi in the Star Wars films will return to the stage as the amoral villain Iago in the Shakespeare's play Othello, also alongside him will be the stunning Kelly Reilly who will play Desdemona…Melanie Griffith wife of Spanish guapo Antonio Banderas was recently seen with plumped up lips and line free forehead, however the next day she was seen again in shorts, and her knees were wrinkly and sagging, "she may have been topped but not tailed" say close friends… So what else is new…?

costa STUFF >>

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STRANGE BUT TRUE Clever Advertising‌ On a Maternity Room door: "Push. Push. Push" At an Optometrist's Office: "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."

On a Taxidermist's window: "We really know our stuff."

On a Fence: "Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive."

At a Car Dealership: "The best way to get back on your feet -- miss a car payment."

In a Veterinarian's waiting room: "Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"

In a Restaurant window: "Don't stand there and be hungry, Come on in and get fed up .

Outside of a funeral home: "Drive carefully. We'll wait."

Old Boy’s Big Match Two 90 year old men, Mike and Joe, have been friends all of their lives.

When it's clear that Joe is dying, Mike visits him every day. One day Mike says, "Joe, we both loved football all our lives, and we played Sunday football together for so many years. Please do me one favour, when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's football there."

Joe looks up at Mike from his death bed," Mike, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favour for you.

Shortly after that, Joe passes on.

At midnight a couple of nights later, Mike is awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to him, "Mike, Mike."

"Who is it? asks Mike sitting up suddenly. "Who is it?"

Mike, it's me, Joe." "You're not Joe. Joe just died."

"I'm telling you, it's me, Joe," insists the voice."

"Joe! Where are you?"

"In heaven", replies Joe. "I have some really good news and a little bad news."

"Tell me the good news first," says Mike.

"The good news," Joe says," is that there is football in heaven. Better yet, all of our old friends who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we're all young again. Better still, it's always spring time and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play football all we want, and we never get tired."

"That's fantastic," says Mike. "It's beyond my wildest dreams! So what's the bad news?

"You're playing Tuesday."

Just Remember...

On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the....

escape key!

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I told you

not to pull my

EARS!!!

My Mom taught me...

My mom taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE: "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside -- I just finished cleaning!"

My mom taught me RELIGION: "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mom taught me about TIME TRAVEL: "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My mom taught me LOGIC: "Because I said so, that's why."

Sudoku and Crossword answers for Issue 27

Sudoku

costa STUFF >>

5 2 6 3

1 8 5 6

2 7 8 6 5 9 1 8

2 9 8

7 8 4

4 6 1 5 8 6

2 7

4 6 3 1 5

The rules of Sudoku: place a digit from 1-9 in each empty cell, so every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9.

CHALLENGE Across 1 Scorch 5 Alphabetical start 9 Throng 14 Fit 15 Eastern royal 16 Artist Matisse 17 Killers 19 Computer printer maker 20 Big lie 21 Go along with 23 "Agnes Grey" author 25 "Odyssey" setting 29 "Four Quartets" poet 30 Carpentry tool 31 Slowing down by degrees, in music 35 Baseball gear 36 Something in writing?

37 The 51st Psalm 42 Available when summoned 44 Annoys 45 Decent 46 Starlet's ambition 49 In proportion 50 Pampers 55 North African capital 56 Impermanent 58 Exhilarate 59 Divulged 60 Labyrinth 61 Window parts 62 Piercing tools 63 Exhibition

Down 1 Masticate, informally 2 Corned beef dish 3 Furthermore 4 Collect crops 5 Ordnance depot 6 Kid in Kilmarnock 7 Atlanta-based station 8 Put out of commission 9 Cigar 10 Contrition 11 Beginning 12 Penned 13 Flintstones pet 18 Gap 22 Broad beam 24 Conger, e.g.

25 Cold-war weapon: Abbr.

26 Asian cuisine 27 Website statistic 28 Affirm 32 Linguist Chomsky 33 Yawn-provoking 34 Exclusively 38 Money-back deals 39 Departure 40 Annual Henley-on-Thames event 41 NY time 42 Donny's family 43 Exigencies 46 "The flowers that bloom in the spring, ___" 47 "Turtle Diary" author 48 Poker challenge 49 Kind of school 51 Lowers, as lights 52 Rachel's sister 53 Auto maker Ferrari 54 Fret and fume 57 Spat

crossword

costa life 85

>> costa STUFF

FLEAS T

his month, we are going to talk about fleas. Apart from being annoying parasites for the dog, cat and for his owner, are difficult to eradicate and may even cause serious injury to the animal and transmit disease. Only rigorous and effective treatment will give you "peace of mind" WHAT ARE FLEAS LIKE? Their small size makes them difficult to see. Furthermore, they have an extraordinary capacity for reproduction. When beginning any treatment against fleas, it is very important to treat not only the pet but also the environment. The adult fleas live on the host (dogs, cats). The females lay from 15 to 20 eggs on the host every day, which fall into the surrounding environment. The larvae feed on the excrements of the excrements of the fleas present in the environment. And the pupae develop into adults and search for a host.

WHAT DISEASES DO THEY MAINLY TRANSMIT? FLATWORM (dipylidium caninum) Fleas can transmit a flat worm. When the dog or cat scratches with their mouth, they may ingest a flea with the cyst of the flatworm. This is then released in the intestine and develops into a worm. In the animal contracts the flatworm disease, apart from treating the fleas, it will also be necessary to treat the intestinal worm. The following health problems can be caused by dipyludium: Nutritional losses, diarrhoea, bad general condition, anaemia (in serious cases) FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS. Flea bites in animals can cause irritation, pain and itching. When, in addition, the animal is allergic to the components of flea saliva, this causes Flea Allergy Dermatitis, whose symptoms are: Generalised itching, loss of fur of the rear part of the body, darkening, swelling and loss of elasticity of the skin. In the case of cats, they may even injure themselves, causing considerable wounds.

HOW CAN I PREVENT THEM? It is important to prevent these parasites by not only protecting the animal, but also treating the surroundings to reduce the number of new fleas caufht by the dog as much as possible. This is only way to ensure that the house does not become infested. This means that it is important to ensure prevention by using specific products. Ask your veterinary surgeon about the latest products available on the market, and remember: The quality of life of you pet is in your hands!!!

We look forward to welcoming you to our Practice and helping you to an enjoyable and rewarding relationship with your new reptile.

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Myramar animal Hospital.

Av/Santa Amalia esq voluntariors 29640 Fuengirola. .

952588543 667433678 myramarhospital@hotmail.com

costa STUFF >>

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>> costaSTUFF

brought to you by Russell Vaughan

The Internet is growing!!

It's true the internet is growing. The world's top domain name registrar is reporting record growth rates and confirming the Internet is no longer just for the experts. With the leading players using automated systems to make it even easier to register domain names and manage Web sites online. The new technology allowed one of the largest to register a total of 1 million domain names in the month of April alone. This has never happened in the history of the Internet.

So with all these new websites, "How's your Internet service?" Even more of us are connecting to the net recently updated statistics on world Internet usage claims that 43.9% of the homes in Spain have internet service of one type or another. So next time your internet connection slows down think about the other 19,765,031 connected Internet users and you may just have a reason for your slow Internet.

Looking for a part time job?

Running a website is fast becoming the modern way of earning pin money. If you have a computer and internet connection and some spare time you too can join the fastest growing new home based business on the net.

Make money from running a website.

The Romance network http://findlove.notlong.com has created a hassle free way to add a web based dating service into any community website. In addition to the easy set up they are offering you a chance to run your own dating website for free.

So how does it work? Simply by joining your dating agency to The Romance network they can offer a greater range of candidates looking for fun and romance. More choice allows all communities to earn more commission. You get people to your website and they register free, as a website owner you are paid a 40% Recurring Commission Guaranteed when candidates find a match and sign up for love.

Running your new dating agency couldn't be simpler. The romance network is offering you a free page to add to your community website and for the cost of a few classified adverts and some time, adding your new site to the search engines and other community websites in your area you too could be earning from your new career. Even if you don't currently have a website it is still simple to set up.

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iPod Shuffle Bottle Opener The Bevy is a hard case for your iPod Shuffle that incorporates a bottle opener and a hole to hang from your key chain.

Morphie the manufacturer got the Idea at an exhibition. The company asked its visitors to submit ideas for new products. One guy, a 17-year-old skateboarder from Santa Cruz, submitted the idea for the Bevy, and the company decided to produce it.

Time to replace that old monitor?

The price of flat screen monitors has dropped in price making this a great time to think about replacing that old monitor. As more monitor companies stop manufacturing CRT monitors and gear up their flat screen production the price keeps dropping. You can buy Flat screen computer monitors from 7in to fit in the headrests of your car up 30in widescreen desktop model, a replacement 17in flat screen monitor for as little as â‚Ź140 euro. Replacing you old monitor has an added benefit, as a flat screen doesn't generate as much heat as your old monitor.

costa STUFF >>

Places snapped up for gruelling Spanish mountain challenge Leading overseas development agency, CARE International, is pleased to report an excellent response to this year's CARE 3 Peaks Spain Challenge - an extremely demanding outdoor mountain event aiming to raise funds for its overseas development work, and scheduled for 6-8th September 2007.

The Challenge, run by CARE International's in-house Challenge Event team for only the third year running, takes place in Andalucia's Sierra Nevada region, and is spread over 3 days.

Participants will be challenged with hiking and biking up mainland Spain's 3 highest mountains - Alcazaba, Mulhacén and Veleta - with a cycling finale descent into Granada, the longest in Europe. They will ascend a total of 3,747 metres and cover a distance of 85km.

Already, 17 intrepid individuals from across the UK have taken up the gauntlet - including 6 employees from London-based World Design and Trade, 4 employees from Northampton-based BarclayCard, 3 from Dorchester-based Acheson Construction, 2 from Durham-based Waterstons, and one from Heathrow-based Penauille Servisair. This is already set to well exceed last year's event total, which saw 12 participants from 3 companies collectively raise £31,000 for CARE. Jonathan San Jose, Executive Lounge Coordinator at Penauille Servisair, explained why he decided to take on the challenge: "I felt that I could help less fortunate people across the world while benefiting from it myself. I have recently been on holiday in Sri Lanka and saw at first hand the fantastic work that charities, including CARE International, have done in the aftermath of the Tsunami. My New Year's resolution was to get fit again, so by taking part in this event I had the motivation and a goal to aim for… The CARE 3 Peaks Spain Challenge immediately appealed to me as my father is Spanish and I know the area quite well. The fundraising support I've received from the CARE Challenge Team has been fantastic; I am aiming to raise £1500 and have got a third of the way there so far, and it is incredibly satisfying to know that people are willing to give you this support to help others that are less fortunate."

There are still places left for this year's event but the advice is to sign up fast to avoid disappointment and allow enough time to prepare - as Neil Munro, CARE Challenge Event Manager, explains; "We're delighted with such a high level of interest in this year's CARE 3 Peaks Spain Challenge. However, this is the toughest event in our CARE Challenge portfolio, and we support participants every step of the way with their preparations, including the fundraising. Nevertheless, proper fitness training is essential, so we would advise potential participants to sign up as soon as they can".

2006 participants, Leeds-based company Peter Duffy add: "This was a great testing experience, and extremely tough. However, since it was run by such a fantastic set of people from CARE, the pain was all the more bearable!"

The charity benefiting from the fundraising, CARE International, tackles the deep-seated causes of poverty in order to create

lasting changes - from safe drinking water systems in Tanzania to girl's education projects in India - as well as responding in times of emergency. This includes the Eastern Africa region affected by the ongoing food and water crisis, where CARE has decades of experience running development programmes.

For more information please contact: Helen Stoddart, CARE Challenge PR Officer, at +44(0)20 7934 9414 or stoddart@careinternational.org.

About CARE CARE is one of the world's largest aid agencies, working in 70 countries to fight poverty and helping more than 48 million people every year. Our long-term programmes tackle the deepseated causes of poverty and we are always among the first to respond when disaster strikes. We remain with communities to help them rebuild their lives long after the cameras have gone.

CARE is working to put an end to the causes of hunger and poverty that keep 120 million people in sub-Saharan Africa permanently living on the edge of emergency. Our Living on the Edge campaign is calling on the international community for a dramatic overhaul of the system which is keeping people trapped, and to give higher priority to recovery and prevention programmes, like seed distribution and improved veterinary services so that families can pull themselves back from the edge and be in a stronger position to fight off the next emergency themselves. For more information about CARE , visit www.careinternational.org.uk The Challenge Team at CARE has been running mountain-based corporate fundraising events for thirteen years. In 2006, our CARE Challenge portfolio collectively raised an unprecedented £1.2m for CARE. Companies that took part in the 2006 CARE 3 Peaks Spain Challenge included Bowmer and Kirkland, Simons Developments, and Peter Duffy Ltd. For details of our 2007 events please visit www.carechallenge.org.uk

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>> costa STUFF

ARE YOU

A

re you hoping to find the answer around the next corner? Do you live your life each day running to keep up with yourself? Never satisfied, always looking for a way out? Too often we are trying to run away from ourselves.

What do I mean by that?

? s s e l t s e R

I'm glad you asked!

A son from a very wealthy family left home and started travelling. Wherever he went he was surrounded by new friends who enjoyed his company and everyone had a good time.

Money was no object and he continued to entertain these new friends as time went by.

But eventually his money began to run out and he had to cut down on his spending and suddenly he found that the friends were disappearing. He was no longer the popular life and soul of the party and he found himself alone and wondering what had happened. That scenario is repeated again and again all over the world. Wealth, social status and power can be lost overnight and then it's time to look inside oneself to face issues that may have been buried for many years.

Childhood abuse, rejection or even scornful words spoken can create wounds that have never healed. A barrier of protection is often erected that becomes impossible to penetrate and only superficial relationships can develop.

Have you been hurt and rejected by a spouse who has betrayed you? Have your children abandoned you in your old age and left you to battle through life on your own? Are you a child of parents who have pushed you aside and belittled you all your life? So many people carry these deep wounds inside but present a totally different picture to the world around them.

Simply moving into another relationship or second marriage in the hope that everything will come right is never the answer. The same issues will emerge in the new relationship because the wounds have not been healed. A hectic social life, relocating to a new country, or changing jobs cannot be the answer. The issues have to be faced and dealt with so healing can come.

Sometimes deep emotional hurts can cause actual physical sickness. It is a known fact in the medical world that stress is the cause of many illnesses and debilitating conditions.

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Rehearsing the memory of the betrayal or rejection continues to build stress into our everyday lives and when bitterness and resentment takes hold the body will respond by breaking down in some area, either mentally or physically.

So what is the answer? Psychologists are available to help but even they cannot help until the issues are faced within ourselves. If you are reading this and you need help, or if you know someone who needs help, reach out to the Creator of all flesh and He will help you. He has made us so intricately and He knows exactly how we function and what we need.

The manufacturer always knows his product better than anyone else!

In the Old Testament of the Bible the prophet Isaiah says of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 61 "….the Lord has anointed me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. …….To comfort all who mourn….to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…."

The Messiah has come, His name is Jesus and He can heal the brokenhearted today.

Annette Riggall

All your local information for the costa del sol

>>

Useful info numbers, phrases and shopping tips that will aid your stay in Spain

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>>

Indoor/outdoor activities

96

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Bars & Restaurants Sponsored by

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BENALMADENA to MARBELLA

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Business Directory All your services and business needs in our comprehensive guide Sponsored by

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Costa info is sponsored by

Useful numbers EMERGENCIES >> LOCAL POLICE Antequera Arroyo de la Miel Benalmádena, Málaga, Marbella & Ronda Coin Estepona Fuengirola Nerja Torremolinos

952 708 104 952 708 104 092 952 453 267 952 800 243 952 589 324 952 521 545 952 381 422

>> NATIONAL POLICE National Police

TRANSPORT >> 080 952 804 483 952 461 046 952 774 349 952 383 939

>> MEDICAL SERVICES Emergencies

061

>> AMBULANCE Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Málaga & Marbella

902 505 061

>> STATE HOSPITALS 091

>> GUARDIA CIVIL Guardia Civil

>> FIRE BRIGADE Benalmádena, Málaga & Mijas Estepona Fuengirola Marbella Torremolinos

062

Benalmádena Fuengirola Málaga Marbella Torremolinos

902 505 061 902 505 061 951 030 300 952 769 946 952 386 484

>> EMERGENCY LOCKSMITHS CostaLocks

>> BRITISH CONSULATE Calle Mauricio Moro, Pareta, 22nd Floor, MÁLAGA. Open 08:30 - 13:30 Enquiries 952 352 300

TOURIST INFORMATION Benalmádena Estepona Fuengirola Gibraltar Málaga Marbella Mijas Nerja Torremolinos

952 442 494 952 802 002 952 467 457 956 774 982 952 213 445 952 771 442 952 485 900 952 521 531 952 379 512

TOWN HALLS Estepona Fuengirola Gibraltar Málaga

952 801 100 952 467 625 952 774 902 952 135 000

Marbella Mijas Nerja Torremolinos

952 476 013

952 761 100 952 485 900 952 520 404 952 379 400

TOUR OPERATORS Airtours Cosmos Direct Holidays First Choice JMC Thomson

971 900 100 952 386 012 952 382 035 952 384 827 952 384 470 952 812 132

AIRPORTS Malaga Gibraltar

952 048 844 956 773 026

TAXIS Benalmádena Estepona Fuengirola Gibraltar Málaga Marbella Mijas Costa

952 441 545 952 802 900 952 471 000 956 770 027 952 327 950 952 774 488 952 476 593

BUS STATIONS Algeciras Alhaurin Benalmádena Coin Estepona Fuengirola La Linea Málaga Marbella San Pedro Torremolinos

956 654 304 952 490 709 952 443 563 952 450 366 952 802 954 952 475 066 952 172 396 953 350 061 952 764 400 952 781 396 952 380 965

TRAIN STATIONS The Coastal Service stops at every major town between Fuengirola and Málaga from 06:45 and 22:30 from Málaga 902 240 202 Call

LOST/STOLEN CREDIT CARDS >> Abbey National

1619516500

Halifax

8457203099

Allied Irish

2890330099

Lloyds TSB

1702364274

American Express

2072229633

Mastercard

1383621166

Bank of Scotland

1383738866

Nat & Provincial

1274331522

Barclays Bank

1604230230

Nationwide

1793543888

Diners Club

1252513500

Natwest

1132778899

First Direct

1132345678

Yorkshire Bank

1132424800

Girobank

1514721110

costa GUIDE >>

Qué ?...

?

>> Some phrases in Spanish to help you get by: Hola Hola, diga Adiós ¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo está?

Muy bien, gracias Buenos días Buenas tardes Buenas noches ¿Cómo te va? ¿Cómo le va? ¿Qué tal? ¿Qué hay? ¿Qué pasa? ¿Cómo te llamas? ¿Cómo se llama usted?

Me llamo Chris Mucho gusto. Encantado Bienvenido, bienvenida, bienvenidos, bienvenidas ¿Dónde está ... ? ¿Dónde están ... ? ¿Por dónde se va a ... ? or ¿Cómo puedo llegar a ... ? ¿Está lejos? ¿Está por aquí?

Estoy perdido (perdida if you're female) ¿Dónde puedo coger un taxi (un autobús)?

Escríbalo, por favor.

Hágame el favor de hablar más despacio.

No entiendo bien el español. ¿Hay alguien que hable inglés?

Hello, hi Hello (on the telephone) Goodbye How are you?

Very well, thank you Good day, good morning Good afternoon Good night How's it going? What's happening?

What's happening?

What's your name?

My name is Chris It's a pleasure to meet you Welcome Where is ... ?

Where are ... ?

How do you go to ... ?

Is it far away? Is it near here?

I'm lost.

Where can I catch a taxi (a bus)?

Write it down, please.

Speak more slowly, please.

I don't understand Spanish well.

Is there anyone who speaks English?

>> QUESTIONS ¿Quién?

(keeehn)

¿Qué?

(keh)

What?

¿Dónde?

(dohn-deh)

Where?

Who?

¿Cuándo? (kooahn-doh) When? ¿Por qué? (pohr keh)

Why? How?

¿Cómo?

(koh-moh)

¿Cuánto?

(kooahn-toh) How much?

¿Cuál?

(kooahl)

Which?

>>Spanish Facts >> Telephone: to make an international call from Spain, dial 00 and then add the country code (UK 44; USA 1; Australia 61; Canada 1; Irish Republic 353; New Zealand 64) and the rest of the telephone number minus the first zero if there is one. To call Spain from abroad, the country code is 00 34. >> Business hours: the normal opening hours for shops are Monday to Saturday from around 10am until about 1.30 / 2pm. After siesta they reopen from around 5.30pm until 8pm or 9pm. Large stores usually stay open all day. Most places are closed on Sundays.

>> Banks: generally open from 9am to 2pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9am to midday or 1pm on Saturday. Hours may vary in summer. >>Customs allowance- importation from Gibraltar into Spain 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22% or 2 litres of wine 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 gms tobacco Goods brought in Gibraltar may only be imported into spain between 0900 hours and 2100 hours

>>NUMBERS 12345678910 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 500 1000 -

uno dos tres cuatro cinco seis siete ocho nueve diez once doce trece catorce quince dieciséis diecisiete dieciocho diecinueve veinte treinta cuarenta cincuenta sesenta setenta ochenta noventa cien quinientos mil -

oo-noh dohs Trehs kooah-troh seen-koh sehees see-eh-teh oh-choh nooeh-bveh dee-ehs ohn-seh doh-seh treh-seh kah-tohr-seh keen-seh deeeh-see-sehees deeeh-see-seeeh-teh deeeh-seeoh-choh deeeh-see-nooeh-bveh bveheen-teh treheen-tah kooah-rehn-tah seen-kooehn-tah seh-sehn-tah seh-tehn-tah oh-chehn-tah noh-bvehn-tah seeehn kee-neeehn-tohs meel

... Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 330 million people speaking it. ...

>> costa GUIDE

Costa

MARKET PLACES

Shopping

L

f you can drag yourself away from the beach long enough to venture out shopping, the Costa del Sol offers a wide selection of retail outlets catering for all tastes and budgets. From shopping malls such as La Cañada shopping centre in Marbella, La Colonia shopping centre in San Pedro de Alcantara and the new Myramar centre in Fuengirola to small boutiques and markets, there’s something for everyone. Along with those favourites from home, United Colors of Benetton and Dunnes Stores, Spain offers its own chain stores such as El Corte Ingles, Zara, Bershka and Oysho. El Corte Ingles is one of Spain’s leading department stores, featuring Spanish aswell as International designers. Zara and Bershka offer a wide selection of up to the-minute fashions for men and women at high street prices.

Oysho, one of my favourites, sells the best sexy/sporty underwear and nightwear.

Marbella and Puerto Banus are where you’ll get the chance to really flash your cash, featuring stores selling Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Gianni Versace and Gucci to name but a few as well as smaller boutiques selling lesser known designer wear.

I

Most large stores open 10am till 9pm but many of the smaller boutiques will shut for siesta.

Credit cards are accepted in all department stores and most shopping outlets. Proof of identity may be requested to complete a credit card transaction.

SIZE COMPARISONS >> Don’t let being unsure about sizes impare your shopping sprees...

Shoes

Men’s Wear

Men’s Shirts

Women’s Wear

SP

UK

SP

UK

SP

UK

SP

UK

37

4

44

34

35

14

36

8

38

5

46

36

36/37

14.5

38

10

39

6

48

38

38

15

40

12

40

7

50/52

40

39/40

15.5

42

14

41

8

54

42

41

16

44

16

42

9

56

44

42/43

16.5

46

18

43

10

58

46

44

17

48

20

ooking for a bargain? Try one of the open-air markets that most towns on the Costa feature. Leather goods, linen and ceramics are particularly good value but there’s always a very varied selection of goods on sale. Many of the markets combine antiques and new goods aswell as local fresh produce. On a Saturday, Fuengirola hosts the biggest flea market on the Costa.

MONDAYS >> Marbella near the football stadium

TUESDAYS >> Fuengirola (Feria Ground) Nerja weekly market (Calle Chaparil)

WEDNESDAY >> Benalmadena Parque de la Paloma La Cala Estapona La Linea Rincon de la Victoria

THURSDAY >> Torremolinos Velez Malaga San Pedro Torre del Mar

FRIDAY >> Benalmadena Tivoli Gardens Las Chapas

SATURDAY >> Fuengirola La Cala Puerta Banus near bullring

SUNDAY >> Fuengirola near the mosque Malaga near the football stadium Sabinillas Estapona Sotogrande Nerja car boot sale

>> costa GUIDE your A - Z guide on

fun action &

INDOOR/OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

,

96 costalife

adventure

ADVENTURE TRIPS >> Natural Ronda Ronda +34 952 873 496 In the Natural Park of Grazalema, feautures walking, trekking, horseriding, mountain biking, canoeing, archery, cycling routes and all adventure sports.

Fuengirola Jeep Safari Fuengirola +34 616 337 996 Paisajes Andaluces Malaga +34 952 060 656 / 659 266 333 Features Jeep safaris, Canyoning, Hiking, Walking and Mountain biking.

ANIMAL THEME PARKS >> Selwo Marina Benalmádena +34 902 190 482 Enjoy all the fun of the deep at Selwo's fantastic Marina. Fun and interesting.

also catered for with tasty flame grilled meats and a delicious selection of salads.

CABLE CARS >> Telecabina Benalmádena cable car +34 952 575 038 These cable cars leave from the Tivoli esplanade, crossing high over the motorway to the peak of the Carramolo mountain, from where one can view the entire Costa del Sol and the mountains of Africa across the Mediterranean on a clear day.

CASINOS >> Casino Marbella Marbella +34 952 814 000 Open everyday from seven til late, Casino Marbella features a wide choice of games such as Bingo, Keno, Roulette, Black-Jack and different kinds of poker.

CINEMAS >>

Tivoli World Benalmádena +34 952 577 016 Tivoli world. Fun packed day or night out for the whole family at one of the coast's best theme parks and childrens fun fairs. open all year round.

Crocodile Park Torremolinos +34 952 051 782 With over 300 crocodiles, and featuring the largest crocodile in Europe.

Gibraltar Dolphin Tours +34 956 680 741

SCUBA DIVING >> Scuba Med Fuengirola Scuba +34 660 719 233 Scuba Tours Fuengirola +34 639 676174 Simply Diving Torremolinos +34 600 506 526

TENNIS CLUBS GUN & COUNTRY CLUBS >> >>

Marbella Gun & Country Marco Tennis Club Academy Monda Marbella +34 952 112 161 +34 952 83 17 39 Features clay pigeon shooting, archery, air rifle Tennis Club del Sol target shooting, quad bikes, Calahonda go-carts and jeep +34 952 939 595 safaris.

El Madro HORSE RACING >> +34 952 778 580 The Hipodromo Fuengirola Lew Hoad Tennis +34 952 592 700 Club Racing fans can enjoy the Mijas horse races at Mijas Costa +34 952 474 858 from October to May on Sunday mornings from THEATRES >> 10.30h/From June to Salon Varietes September on Saturday from Theatre 23.00h. Racing lasts around Fuengirola approx. 5 hours. +34 952 474 542 Teatro Cervantes Málaga Horsin’ Around +34 952 224 109 Nerja +34 625 809 875 Salla Marbella Situated in the National Park Marbella in Nerja, Horsin’ Around +34 952 825 035 offers happy, healthy horses for all ages & abilities. Sala del Encuentro Lessons are also given.

Marbella +34 952 825 035

Fuengirola Zoo Fuengirola +34 952 666 301 Open from 10.00h to midnight during July and August, giving a chance to see nocturnal animals by moonlight.

Otherwise open from 10.00h to sunset.

QUAD & BIKE RENTAL >> Quad Rental Fuengirola +34 687 727 074

BOAT TRIPS >>

Dawn Approach Fishing/Boat Trips Fuengirola +34 952 668 052 Based in the port of Fuengirola, Dawn Approach allows you to search for dolphins or simply relax and enjoy the view. A wonderful Sunset Cruise & BBQ is

Dolphin Safari Gibraltar +34 956 690 702 Dolphin Safari Spain specialise in dolphin trips in the Bay of Algeciras, to suit all age groups and tastes.

They guarantee dolphins on every trip and cater for fun and educational trips alike.

HORSE RIDING >>

Selwo Adventure Park Estepona +34 952 792 150 At Selwo Adventure Park you’ll witness the wildest animals closer than ever, such as lions, Bengal tigers, elephants, giraffes and rhinoceroses.

Aqua Vista Fuengirola +34 952 666 601 Boat trip with submarine vision and dolphin trip.

DOLPHIN TOURS >>

Yelmo Cineplex Cinema 20 Ultramodern cinema screens, With a 20 screen cimema (showing some English films in English everyday), Times, 15.00h - Last session at 1am Malaga Highway E15

WATERPARKS >> Parque Aquatico

Mijas Rentaquad Fuengirola Fuengirola +34 952 460 404 +34 676 771 120 friendly Rentaquad tours will take Family you over the breathtaking waterpark at the views from the mountain heart of the Costa tops down to the del Sol. Open May Mediterranean coast of the t h r o u g h September.

The Costa del Sol. park offers everything for a full BCT Torremolinos Quad day of sun and Rental exciting water Torremolinos adventures. Great +34 676 299 155 value.

The Music Factory is predominatly a music, dance & drama academy for adults as well as kids based on the

Want to play in a band, learn new things and make new friends?

Come to our band workshops throughout July

Camino de Coin, Mijas Costa

Summer School Workshops in - Rock Guitar - Classical Guitar Drums - Vocals saxophone

Whatever you want to do this summer, keep fit, learn or just have fun -

The Music Factory has it all...

All welcome Call 952 582 077 www.themusicfactory.biz

Get Your Band Together

Dance Workshops covering various styles including Hip Hop, contemporary and more!

YOU! can advertise

Here for as little as

125 â‚Ź

ACTIVITIES The Activities available include Clay Pigeon Shooting, Archery, Quad Biking, Air Pistols, Horse Riding and you don’t have to have a go at all the activities in one day, you can carry on where you left off the next day.

CLUB RESTAURANT

Marbella G u n

a n d

C o u n t r y

C l u b

Set in 140 acres of stunning countryside in the foothills of the Sierra de las Nieves, Marbella Gun and Country Club boasts the finest facilities in Europe

The Restaurant offers an innovative menu, featuring fresh fish, the finest quality meats, a good selection of vegetarian options and, if a full meal isn’t to your fancy, there is also a wide choice of light meals and snacks to be enjoyed in the bar area or out on the poolside terrace.

The first of seven new superbly appointed Scandinavian log cabins is now ready for viewing. This first phase will be located close to the pool, patio, restaurant and boasts some of the finest views the club has to offer. Anyone interested in a viewing please contact the club to make an appointment. Available from September. Ideal for short breaks, long weekends etc.

We are also the perfect venue for your private function, weddings, birthdays, celebrations and corporate events. We can arrange live music, buffets, set menus and barbecues.

Opening Hours From 10am (open 7 days per week) Please call for further details Marbella Gun and Country Club, Monda, Málaga, Spain Tel:952 112161 Mob: 627 963 747 Fax: 952 112162

Email : marbellagun@yahoo.co.uk www.marbellagunandcountryclub.com

BARS

& restaurants Where to eat and drink along the coast....

Sponsored by

Photo courtesy of Aroma Restaurant - Fuengirola

Happy hour 6 till 7pm 1/2 price drinks

BENALMADENA to MARBELLA

Beach

El Faro Fuengirola

Captains Bar

Km202

La Cala Marbella

Blancos Restaurant

www.barsinspain.com - (0034) 952 499 400

costa life 101

BENALMADENA to MARBELLA

102 costa life

www.barsinspain.com - (0034) 952 499 400

>> costa BUSINESS DIRECTORY >>

Costa del Sol Business Directory

Welcome to the Costa del Sol Business Directory, your comprehensive source for all your business needs on the Costa del Sol...

AIR CONDITIONING >>

BATHROOMS & KITCHENS >>

ENVIROCARE Cooling, heating & dehumidifying.

Quality installations. Service contracts available.

Envirocare SL 952 663 141

TIM HART-WOODS Kitchens & bedrooms. Free planning and design service, free quotations without obligation. Deal with the professionals. Camino Viejo de Coin, FUENGIROLA, call 952 667 370 or Local 31/32 Dona Lola CALAHONDA, (N340 KM 197 beach side) Call 952 935 159. info@thwkb.com

VILLASLOMAS AIR-CONDITIONING All aspects of air-conditioing. Full installations/Pre-installations.

Repairs and servicing.

952 453 917/652 558 454

ANIMALS & PETS >> MYRAMAR ANIMAL HOSPITAL Are you looking for the best animal care for your pet? For an appointment call 952 588 543 or emergency number call 667 433 678. www.myramarhospital.com

BRITISH FOOD SUPPLIERS >> COSTALESS For all your favourite groceries, Fresh, frozen, chilled and dry.

Brands include Heinz, Birds Eye, Tetley, Youngs, Muller, Princes and Many More! Three great stores at Arroyo de la Miel, Centro Comercial Benavista and Calahonda.

FREEZERMOR Your favourite British chilled and frozen foods now available in

Alhaurin el Grande. Plus a wide selections of mugs, dinner services, Kitchen utensils, tin openers, baking trays, potato peelers, acrylic glasses, dishes, gift ideas and much, much MOR‌.! Tel 677838830 Find us on: Avenida Blas Infante

CARTRIDGES (PRINTER) >> CARTRIDGE CONNECTION Refilling and remanufacturing of inkjet and laser cartridges. Refill while you wait. Inkjet & Photo paper.

952 494 360

COURIER & MAIL SERVICES >> OFFEX COURIER OFFEX COURIER,EASIMAIL, need a parcel collected in the UK? OFFEX offer a choice of services to suit your individual requirements. First and second class mail, royal mail parcel service, recorded delivery, courier and freight service, UK courier and parcel service and Worldwide courier.

TEL: (0034) 952577816 FAX: (0034) 952561298 Email: mail@offexspain.com

DENTISTS & DOCTORS >> ARCO IDEAL D.r. Joachim Stickel, Orthodontist, 25 years experience.Choice of systems for that perfect smile.

Individual assessments, personally optimised treatments, beautifully aligned teeth in the quickest time.

Ceramic brackets, Invisalign and lingual brackets. First consultation free, easy payment plans available.

Calle Ramon Gomez de la Serna, 22, Edificio King Edward(behind the needle on the golden mile) Oficina 409, 29600 Marbella.

952 866 571 fax 952 776 690 e-mail: joachim.stickel@web.de

www.barsinspain.com - (0034) 952 499 400

costalife 103

>> costa BUSINESS DIRECTORY

The Evangelical Christian Fellowship An oasis where the Word of God is preached and the love of God is shared

We welcome you to visit us and meet new friends!

Sundays at 4.30pm Ermita San Miguel, Calahonda

www.ecfmijas.com tel: (0034) 952 467 394 or e-mail: fef@tele1.org Pastors Peter and Annette Riggall

CLINICA EUROPA DENTAL D.r. Kirstin Brorson and D.r. Lars Brorson. Established family dental practice. All the latest equipment and technology. All types of dental work carried out. Swedish dentists speaking English, Spanish, German and Scandinavian. open Monday to Friday, 10-8pm.

Avda Gerald Brenan 37-2D, Alhaurin el Grande. Above Solbank, 2ND Floor next to Manzanares. 952 499 366 or 654 454 860 CLINICA SANDALF Mr Alf Neuhaus Orthopedic Surgeon and Sandra Vincenti Chartered Physiotherapist. Treatment of arthritis and rheumatism. Joint replacements - Hip, Knee, Ankle, Shoulder, Diagnostic Ultrasound, Back and neck problems, Keyhole surgery, Hand and foot surgery and rehabilitation. 24hr Emergency service 656 313 293.

Calle Pepa Guerra Valdenebros, 29631, Benalmadena 952 577 766 MARBELLA CLINIC World famous clinic for Plastic and aesthetic surgery, Breast augmentation, cosmetic surgery, Orthodontic treatment, lipo suction, sports traumatology, laser therapy.

Calle Gladiolas, Urb Royal Garden, Marbella. 952 816 981 www.marbellaclinic.es

costalife 104

EXHIBITION & PUBLICITY MATERIAL >> EXPOSOLUCIONES SL Pop Ups, Roll Ups, Banners, Brochure holders, A boards, Expoline display system for windows and walls. Large format printing, Vehicle sign writing.

CALL 952 963 597 www.exposoluciones.com

HAIR AND BEAUTY >> THE RETREAT HEALTH AND BEAUTY Decleor facial and body treatments, massage, hot stone therapy, St Tropex tanning and waxing, Jessica manicures and pedicures, reflexology, Reiki and Indian head massage. Call Hannah 952 595 846 or 666 143 901

HEATING >> ENVIROCARE Gas Fires and central heating.

Quality installations.

Envirocare SL 952 663 141

Arctic.S.L. Fully registered & insured company over 10 years in Spain Air-conditioning & Heating With de-humidifiers.

Installations from â‚Ź525 Including fitting & 3 years Guarantee.

Service & Repairs to all makes of Air-conditioning Machines

Why not use your swimming pool All of the year round We supply Heat-Pumps with covers And rollers to keep the water warm All year

TEL. 952592785 Mob. 637892298 e-mail. arcticsl@hotmail.com

www.barsinspain.com - (0034) 952 499 400

>> costa BUSINESS DIRECTORY >>

INSURANCE >> SANTALUCIA INSURANCE Specialists in Home, Business & Offices, Communties, Public Liability, Life, Funeral and Pet insurance For further information on coverage and a no obligation quote on any of Santalucia policies call 902 886 079 Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm

PETS SERVICES >> POSH-PETS-SPAIN incorporating “Hair off the dog II” The English canine grooming salon & canine beautician training centre, pedigree pooches to Heinz 57’s. Also pet relocation specialists by land, small doggie hotel, English pet feed stockist & on-line designer pet wear.

Call Rachel on 952 597 035 or 676 249 782 www.poshpets-spain.com & click on links you require or email hairoffthedog2004@yahoo.co.uk WORLD SERVICES Kennels and Cattery, Worldwide pet travel, Vet service, Grooming parlour, Collection and delivery, Pet homecare.

902 301 002 www.vi-pet.com

POOL ACCESSORIES & MAINTENANCE >> GREEN DRAGON pool maintenance, chlorine free systems, repairs and problem solving, garden maintenance service also available.

Call Ian on 650 200 040 or 952 455 282 SPLASH SWIMMING POOLS S.professional pool maintenance, new pool construction, renovations and repairs, quality pool furniture, great water games, inflatable rafts and islands, part packs, solar showers and more.

Call 952 591 053

POOL HEATING PUMPS >> ENVIROCARE Swim all year round. Very low running costs.

Envirocare SL 952 663 141

TRANSPORT, REMOVALS & STORAGE >> WARM HORIZONS Ltd Local, National, European and international removals, storage and distribution. No job to big or to small Call (00 34) 952 499 337 or (00 34) 628 003 358 or email warmhorizonsltd@msn.com

www.barsinspain.com - (0034) 952 499 400

costalife 105