contents
issue
46 costa culture
6
6
Cover story Springing into Spring by Mike Wilkinson
costa getaways
12
50 52
Benahavis
costa companies
15
Can you have both weight loss and no wrinkles?
Lose weight or burn fat...
What Men Want
What Women Want
Protect your skin from the inside out...
Cover story Dominic James No excuse not to exercise... New super food... Plums...
costa homes
36 38 42 46 48
Are you thinking about doing some work on your house... Costa Services
Cover story Furnishing your outdoor getaway Handy Home Tips... Attack of the Killer Caterpillars
Know your Palms Part II by Simon Hill
costa stuff
Local Business Spotlight
costa lifestyle
24 26 28 29 30 32 34
Obtaining a mortgage in Spain...
54 56 58 60 62 63 64 66 70
A Jar of Honey by Erny Harrison
32
Costa Cuisine Bytes & Pieces Showbiz Whispers / Movie Review Welcome to CHAIN
Spiritual Thought Auto News
Cover story It’s Back - F1 2009 Strange But True & Challenge
42
66
Hello and welcome... to issue 46 of Costa Life Magazine and it’s getting warmer, February was a bit chilly at night but we are definitely moving into spring! January and February are well behind us now and I am sure we are all pleased about that! Many people have complained about how quiet the last four months have been and I personally, am hoping everybody is getting sick and tired of the credit crunch and the negative media. It’s time to get on with things and be positive. There is plenty of opportunity out there if you only look for it. I am sure as a natural progression things will get busier as we start to enjoy the better weather. The sun always puts a smile on our faces and makes us feel better so use it as a kick start to a more positive 2009. In February we celebrated two years since we launched our online page turning copy and as always we have led from the front. Other magazines are catching up now but we have the satisfaction of being the first English speaking publication in Spain to use page turning technology online. By the time you read this we will have over 30 of our back issues on line for you to read and by the end of March all 47 issues of Costa Life will be online for you to enjoy on your pc. We are going to be marketing this new facility more over the next few months as more people read publications online. For those of you who sometimes miss your copy, for one reason or another, you need never miss Costa Life from now on. If you check it out at www.costalifemagazine.com and subscribe to our monthly newsletter which is starting in April we will give you advanced notice of Costa Life being online. In fact, since our first digital online copy in February 2007 you have been able to read Costa Life on your PC a week before it hits the streets and this will continue to be available. As I say, just subscribe to our newsletter and we will inform you of when it is online each month. We know you can’t wait to read it so now you can get it early!! We have recently upgraded our software and it’s easy to use. And once you get used to it you need never miss an issue and no matter where you are in the world you will always be able to read your favourite English language magazine every month! In January we had 5221 unique visitors who read issue 44 online. Why don’t you do the same? It saves you picking up a copy and it’s green and you will save a tree! There is a lot more coming from Costa Life Media over the next few months and to keep up with our movements subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on anything, you might find it worth your while in more ways than one. But that’s all I am saying at the moment! Otherwise I will have to kill you! Stay positive and have a great March, see you in April. SUBSCRIBE NOW!! www.costalifemagazine.com
Editor Sharon Holdsworth Consulting Editor Harvey Mann Design and Production David Philliskirk Advertising Sales Ronan Holdsworth IT Advisor Dave Howard Web Master Mike Wilkinson Contributors Linda Christie Erny Harrison Simon Hill Dominic James Annika Jonsson Harvey Mann Jan Morley Cruella Parsons Annette Riggall Russell Vaughan Mike Wilkinson Company Director Ronan Holdsworth Partner Barrie Shearman Images courtesy of Costa del Sol Tourist Board PR Shots
Deposito Legal MA-0054-2004
For Information on distribution points, sales or any other enquiries call 952 492 250, 600 713 028 or email: info@costalifemagazine.com read the magazine online at www.costalifemagazine.com
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 COSTA LIFE MEDIA
952 492 250 info@costalifemagazine.com
MACP 282
Alhaurin De La Torre
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JUST REDUCED FOR A QUICK SALE BY 100,000 EUROS Built Area: 170m2, Plot Area: 2000m2, Bedrooms: 4, Bathrooms 2/Half, Large Converted Outbuilding. A absolutely exquisite villa on a popular urbanization. This beautiful villa is fully (JUST RECUDED BY 100,000 EUROS FOR A QUICK SALE) fenced with a nice drive and electric gates. The property comes with heating ,air-conditioning double glazing and is gorgeously decorated throughout .The property is spilt into two levels with both having 2 bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, and could be converted into a large family home. This property also benefits from a large double garage and workshop and a wonderful pool and B-B-Q area with an easily maintainable garden.
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Alhaurin El Grande
295,000 Euros
JUST REDUCED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS Built Area:195m2, Plot Area: 3,200m2, Bedroom: 5, Bathroom: 3, Outbuildings. A fine country property. If you enjoy the beautiful peace and quite of the Spanish countryside then STOP LOOKING this has just that. A large property on one level with a huge entertaining kitchen which leads out onto the terrace that over looks the swimming pool. What make this property special is its privacy, lovely views and gorgeous out side space. There are good size outbuildings which can be converted into guest accommodation. A superb property.
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Malaga / Cartama 375,000 Euros RECENTLY REDUCED 2 properties on one plot
Built Area: 250m2, Land Area: 6000m2, Bedrooms: 7, Bathrooms: 4
Superb four bedroom country house with extra three bedroom property included. Stables and a training ring. providing accommodation for horses with 3,500m2 of excellent flat land including fruit trees. The land is fully fenced throughout. The surrounding area is fantastic for pony trekking. Both houses are located in an idyllic, peaceful valley with views of the mountains. Living downstairs is an enormous garage (this could also be converted into extra living quarters. Both properties have well and town water with full irrigation.
MAAP-420
ALHAURIN EL GRANDE
LAST 3 REMAINING from 45,000 Euros
New Luxury studios apartments and offices for sale located in the best part of Alhaurin town next to all amenities. The studios/offices have all been finished to a very high standard, with marble floors, solid oak doors, beautiful tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms. Some have small charming court yards with water features. Varied opportunities to use as small business centre, individual offices, or separate studio apartments.
>> costaCULTURE
Written By:
Mike Wilkinson mike@costalifemagazine.com
R
eaders amongst you who know me might find it hard to believe when I tell you that there was once a time when I thought I might be SAD. Yes, I know… ‘‘How could that be?’’ you must be asking yourself - such a rompingly happy chappie that I am. Well, it’s true. In fact, I may well still be SAD, I don’t know, seeing as in Spain the seasons are so clement that they don’t affect any disorder like they do back in the UK. People with so-called Seasonal Affected Disorder sleep too much, they are lethargic and lack the energy to perform everyday tasks; they eat unhealthy starchy foods and often feel depressed. Come on… that’s half the people living in Britain anyway, without taking into account the time of year. However, there seems to be adequate scientific evidence to suggest that a lack of natural light is the cause of these Winter Blues. Short dark days and longer darker nights are gripped together tightly with a cold hostility that leaches the melatonin from your glands and creates a numb nothingness within. That’s SAD. The reason why the nights are so long in winter is because the sun is busy on the other side of the world, ensuring that Australian pyromaniacs have a healthy supply of dry scrub to keep their bush fires burning brightly. But, as the months progress, the sun swings around on its ecliptic until it crosses the earth’s celestial equator, marking the vernal equinox and heralding, like a silent cuckoo, the fact that winter’s done and spring has begun. As the clouds roll away, the season’s sun brings new life to dormant seeds and the barren mountain rocks of the winter landscape are suddenly green and fresh and alive with a new cycle of life. It’s a time when the birds and the bees suddenly wake up and say, ‘‘Let's party!’’ Even the spring blossoms are calling out to each other ‘‘Ooohh, baby… bring that hairy stamen closer to my sticky pistil, blossom boy!’’ New life is beginning. This is why I believe that New Year starts at the wrong time of year. On New Year’s Eve, embroiled in the depths of their seasonal disorders, people optimistically make resolutions and promises to themselves that things will be better this year. ‘‘From now on,‘‘ they say, ‘‘I’m going to live a healthier life and go for a jog every morning.’’ What chance do they have of success when, on the 2nd of January, they look out at the cold grey, wet and windy streets and decide to start their new life when the weather picks up. Look out on a sunny springtime morn however, and you almost feel compelled to get outside and join the singing birds and calling blossoms. If we made
6 costa life
our resolutions in the spring, we would have a far better chance of success. Sure, it’s a radical idea, but look at how they scoffed at William Willet a hundred years ago when he proposed that the clocks should be put forward in the springtime to take advantage of the wasted morning daylight hours. In 1907, he published a pamphlet called ‘‘The Waste of Daylight’’ which outlined plans to encourage people out of bed earlier in summer by changing the time on the nation’s clocks. He spent the rest of his life fighting to get acceptance of his time-shifting scheme until he died in 1915, with the Government still refusing to back BST. But the following year Germany introduced the system in an effort to save fuel and resources in the midst of the First World War. Britain followed shortly after in May 1916, and we have been ‘changing the clocks’ ever since. This year, spring officially starts on 20th March, the day of the spring equinox, when night and day are both exactly 12 hours long (equinox is Latin for ‘‘equal nights’’). Whilst it passes relatively quietly in Britain, other than a few hippies jumping around half naked at Stonehenge, in Spain it’s a whole different ball game. All around the country you will find ferias, fiestas, carnivals, bonfires and celebrations of all shapes and sizes, marking the occasion of the new season. But, along with these high-profile big-top affairs, the Spanish also have other springtime traditions that pass by unseen to the unknowing ex-pat. One of the most popular activities of the new spring, especially for those living in the campo, is foraging for wild asparagus. Asparagus is one of nature’s healing foods. It is a diuretic which has the ability to locate and flush out toxins from your liver and kidneys and, after a Christmas of celebrations, I could use all the help I can
shoots is not everybody’s idea of fun, especially for the younger generation. But in Spain, if there’s ever a day that’s worthy of a celebration, the Spaniards will find a way to celebrate it - and the younger generation have recently found the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of spring… with a big booze-up on the streets - a botellón.
get. So, if you are looking for something a little different to do when in southern Spain this spring, take a trip into the countryside and join in the local pastime of picking wild asparagus. Many areas of the countryside in southern Spain at this time of year will be filled with Spanish out walking in a peculiar manner. They can be seen, eyes to the ground, knife in hand, walking through woods and undergrowth. Their walk will be interspersed with the occasional dive to the floor and grasp at illusive green shoots. Wild asparagus is similar to the cultivated asparagus that we find in stores, other than it is thinner and darker green - oh, and very much harder to find. It grows profusely in areas that are difficult to access, in particular under bushes with large thorns. Asparagus itself turns into a thorny plant, and many succulent, tasty looking young shoots can be found nestling away under this. The challenge is to get to them without lacerating yourself on nature’s own version of razor wire. Spanish families have their own favoured areas for wild asparagus picking, and often the exact location of their favourite area will be a closely guarded secret. After a busy couple of hours of asparagus picking, the bars in country villages resound to the noise of approving grunts as people come in nonchalantly carrying their spoils. It is quite a competitive activity. ‘‘Not bad,’’ one will say, ‘‘Yes, I was only out for ten minutes,’’ the other will lie. Obviously, scratching around in thorny undergrowth in search of elusive green
El Botellón - meaning ‘‘large bottle’’ in Spanish - is a decade-old phenomenon that sees young people gather in public places throughout Spain to share alcoholic drinks in the streets and socialise throughout the night. The new ‘‘spring tradition’’ version of the botellón was started by accident a few years ago when university students in the southern city of Seville celebrated the end of exams with a large-scale booze-up. Students at Granada University saw the media reports of the Seville revellers and decided to respond with their own version the following weekend. As news of the intercity challenge spread, other towns around the country rapidly joined in the call to celebrate ‘‘a spring fiesta.’’ The following year, via internet chat rooms and social networking websites, a nationwide call was made to see which city was able to muster the largest botellón - a macrobotellón. And so it continues today. Newspapers with headlines Spain braces for teens’ Hello-Spring drink-a-thon’’ merely such as ‘‘S fuelled youngsters’ interest. Most of the participants in the parties buy cheap alcohol from supermarkets and blend it with cola or lemonade, and then consume the drinks in some of Spain’s most attractive public spaces. In Seville in 2006 the celebration was attended by 5,000 revellers - last year the figure was estimated to be more like 50,000 leaving a cleaning bill for the council running into tens of thousands of Euros, so if you’re attending one of these bacchanalian events this month, remember to take your trash away with you afterwards. It’s springtime in Spain once again - a new season with new beginnings, new life and a new family of ants to get rid of in the kitchen. Sunshine and rosebuds and a dawn’s chorus just make you feel good inside - good enough to believe you can do things so much better this year which is where my springtime resolution comes in. I happily declare to you all that from now on, I will not miss another Costa Life deadline - and that’s going to take some effort, I’ll tell you. But it should make my editor even happier this year. Now is the time to spring into action.
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enahavis, a mountain village 7km from the coast, is situated between Marbella, Estepona and Ronda. Renowned for its restaurants - they call it the dining room of the Costa del Sol - it is above all a picturesque place, where one can find incredible mountain and sea views. Benahavis is concealed over the meander of the Gaudalmina River, at the bottom of its valley, surrounded by mountains which raggedly descend the highland by Las Apretaderas, Sierra Palmitera and Sierra Bermeja.
B
Located on the Southern face of the Serrania de Ronda mountain range, Benahavis is the most mountainous village on the western Costa del Sol. Its terrain is traversed by the Rivers Guadalmina, Guadaiza and Guadalmanza. Regions of great natural and historic interest are to be found within its boundaries, such as El Cerro del Duque, Daidin and the Montemayor Castle. On top of that, Benahavis is only a stone throw away from the beaches of the Costa del Sol and the spectacular mountains of the Serrania de Ronda. The Benahavis municipality comprises about 145 km2 and the medium altitude is 150 metres. The climate is Mediterranean, with a medium temperature of 17º Celsius, and the registered population approx 3800 inhabitants, of which more than half are foreigners although that is not reflected in the town hall personnel. At the end of the 11th century, Benahavis was founded by Arabs. Closely related with Costa del Sol's Arabic past, and particularly with Marbella, the district which it belonged to until it was granted the so-called ‘‘Carta Puebla’’ by Philip II in 1572. Montemayor Castle, built prior to the Construction of Benahavis, played a very important role in the battles between the various Arabs kings in Andalusia, because of its strategic position. It was disputed for many years by the military factions of the epoch. Its prominent location overlooking up to a hundred kilometres of coastline, and even the African coast, was extremely useful at a time when piracy and invasion were commonplace. The town takes its name from Havis, who reigned in Montemayor Castle. To be precise, Benahavis is basically Arabic (Ben al Havis) and means ‘‘son of Havis’’. The castle’s strategic location drew the attention of the Catholic Monarchs, intent on conquering the last Moorish kingdoms in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. Isabel and Ferdinand’s forces had already laid siege to the Nazarite kingdom of Granada, but they decided first to occupy the nearby province of Malaga. Soon on the 11th of June, 1485, Benahavis, together with the localities of Daidin, Montemayor Castle, Cortes Fortress, Oxen, Arboto, Almachor, Tramores and Calalui Fort (the Castle of Light), in the Bermeja Mountains, all within the district of Marbella, were handed over to King Ferdinand the Catholic, by Mohammed Abuneza after the signing of the capitulation. The Catholic King entrusted their custody to Don Pedro Villandrado, Count of Ribadeo, and the first Christian mayor of Benahavis. From that moment on, a dispute arose between Benahavís and Marbella which lasted three and half centuries, until Benahavís achieved the status of a completely independent community. As for
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>> costa GETAWAYS Montemayor Castle, it is worth noting that as well as its impressive location, it had an underground passageway connecting it with the coast, through which the Arabs were able to transport soldiers.
peach. But this is not being allowed to attack the old village, and the visitor who remains steadfastly at its centre, as most do, might almost be unaware of their existence.
As its name implies, this once Arab stronghold squats on top of the highest mountain in the locality, and anyone wishing to make the climb to visit the ruins and experience the truly sensational views of the coastline should be prepared for a strenuous but rewarding effort. The strife and tension of the Moorish age, in which Montemayor played a prominent part, is long gone.
It should not be assumed that restaurants are the only eating places in Benahavis. For those not ready for a heavy lunch there are numerous bars serving excellent tapas and even a small pizzeria. But its restaurants are its glory, and it celebrates the fact by describing itself on the road signs that guide you there as the gastronomic corner of Andalucía. If you plan to go there, breakfast lightly!
Today, to many Andalucíans, native and expatriate alike, Benahavis is now synonymous with food. It has the highest concentration of high class restaurants in the region and draws visitors by the thousand who come simply to savour the cuisine. It also has an extremely high percentage of resident expatriates who have found its situation and ambience irresistible.
The yearly fair and festivities take place between the 11th and 15th of August, with a mass and procession of the Virgen del Rosario. The Easter processions are also interesting and especially the pilgrimage of the Virgen del Rosario, which takes place on the 6th and 7th of October.
In spite of this, it has remained remarkably unspoiled, with winding narrow streets ill-suited to the motor car, and a picturesqueness which almost makes it seem like a specially-created film set. It stands 500 metres above sea level, 7 kilometres inland from the Guadalmina Golf Course, and is reached by driving through the Rio Guadalmina gorge up into the hills. Today, Benahavis is seldom quiet during the tourist season, but the greatest problems are finding a place to park, and choosing a restaurant. Even the old stone Arab walls around the town hall have been converted into one! If possible, a parking space should be found at the entrance to the village and the tour of its streets undertaken on foot. All too often this is easier said than done, and the best alternative is to drive carefully to the Restaurante Los Faroles on calle Málaga, beside which an enterprising villager has turned a rare spot of unused land into a welcome and cheap car park. A notable feature of the village is La Aldea. Almost a village within a village, La Aldea was the brainchild of the British sculptor, David Marshall, whose gallery is one of its main features. Though largely a recent creation, determined efforts have been made to make this enclave even more Andalucían than Benahavis itself, with marble fountains, antiques and old-fashioned doors and grilles. Inevitably, Benahavis is growing quickly. On its outskirts new urbanizations are springing up like mould forming rapidly on an over-ripe
As a form of touristic promotion, each year, Benahavis organizes a gastronomic day in June, in which the restaurants offer the visitors entering the town, an interesting sample of the best dishes. To get there drive down the N340 past Marbella and San Pedro and follow the sign for Benahavis. It’s a 10-15 minute drive form the coast and well worth a visit.
Local Business Spotlight
At Costa Life we dedicate more space to business editorial than any other publication on the coast. It is important to us to introduce to you information about our new clients and remind you on a regular basis about existing ones. We are a free magazine and we only exist because of our clients and we therefore feel it right to dedicate a section of the magazine to promoting to you, our readers, the people, both new and old, who make Costa Life possible.
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If you need to make use of the services or products promoted in this section or indeed throughout this issue please let our clients know that you have seen them in Costa Life Magazine.
20 SILVER WOLF 21 TIMMY’S BAR
Thank You.
EUINSURANCE DIRECT
18 19
Nature’s Philosophy Health & Beauty Salon
RESTAURANT
23
>> costa COMPANIES
LOCAL BUSINESS AND EVENTS NEWS
looking for a country home to buy, rent or sell your current property, please give us a try, we are still advertising every month and know the market inside out, so what are you waiting for, call us today for some free friendly advice. 627 292 562.
Alhaurin de la Torre 7.45pm Contact Box Office Tel: 952 112 057 Join Captain Tempest and his fearless crew on their journey into hyperspace ... and beyond!
The idea behind the local buisness and events news This Musical bursts with red hot rock and roll hits, including Great Balls of Fire, Good section is to provide firstly; our ENVIROCARE S.L. Envirocare S.L. are celebrating their 13th Vibrations, Teenager in Love, The Young advertisers with some additional year providing a Climatisation Service to the Ones and Monster Mash. space to upcoming events, offers Costa del Sol. Their showroom is located in Los Boliches, Fuengirola, although they cover and promotions. Or to just let our a very wide radius. Installations regularly TONI’S FIRST IN CARDS readers know of any news take them any where between Almeria and We are well known for our great selection Envirocare S.L. specialises in the and low prices and this year, credit crunch relating to their businesses and Portugal. installation, repair and service of Air problems have affected us all so we have seconldy; to give charities and Conditioning, Pool Heating, Pool Covers and dropped our prices considerably and also for Solar Systems, Gas Fires, Bathroom every euro spent, 10 cents will be donated to local organizations a chance to Rollers, Heaters and Central Heating. Call now and CUDECA. promote upcoming events, ask about their special offer discounts 952 We are are continuously expanding on our festival markets etc. if you would 663 141. great range of card making products and Craft Demonstration Days are proving very like to use this section please popular the next one being on 26th March. email no more than 100 words to LOW COST BUSINESS FAIR LOOKING Ring Toni: 679017127 for further details. s h a r o n @ c o s t a l i f e m a g a z i n e . c o m FOR STALL HOLDERS In response to the credit crunch, Marleen and we will include it in next Gosselin, owner of The Black Cat Bar in COSTA LIFE ONLINE months magazine.It will operate Calahonda has decided to organise a low cost Costa Life celebrated 2 years in February business fair to help small to medium sized on a first come first served basis businesses to promote themselves. It is being the first English speaking magazine in Spain to publish its copy online in digital designed for businesses from La Cala to so get your info in asap. page turning format. Wherever you are in the AZTEC HAIR ACADEMY
Greek students to go Spanish The Aztec Hair Academy in Riviera del Sol Have received on the 21st February is putting of 20 hairdressing students from the Agion Anargyron Iroon Polytechniou Institute of Vocational Training, in Greece. Co-owners Helen Brady, David Carlton and the Academy team have developed an exciting three-week programme, with the main focus on modern hairdressing skills and techniques but also including a strong cultural element with daily Spanish lessons, visits to cultural events and sampling local cuisine. www.aztec-hair-academy.com for details of courses and programmes.
more
SOLD-BY-ELVES With the current climate nearly all of the estate agents have closed but we at Sold by Elves Country Agents are still going strong and have nearly all the properties that are for sale or rent on our books. So whether you are 16 costa life
Elviria that are looking to attract new clients and will be held on Saturday 21st March from 11.00-18.00 and Sunday 22nd March from 11.00-15.00 at Las Postas Comercial Centre Calahonda. Please contact Marleen for more information 650 460 664 on or email stefilandsl@yahoo.es
world you can always read your favourite quality magazine online. Subscribe to their monthly newsletter and receive advanced notice of Costa Life online before it even hits the streets. Log on to www.costalifemagazine.com and subscribe now.
NATURE’S PHILOSOPHY
TÉCNICAS MARO
Nature’s Philosophy is offering introductory prices on the new range of NAETURA Ecocert products. Aloe Express with Orange blossom floral water buy 2 get 2 free, great for face, body and hair giving strength & shine. Shea body butter, with essential oils of tropical flowers buy 2 get 2 free & Coco Butter with citrus essential oils buy 2 get 1 free to moisturize from head to toe. Tel 952485172.
Técnicas Maro was founded in 1992 by a team of Danish engineers who recognised the lack of comfort in many properties on the Costa del Sol, AND a growing demand for renewable energy systems. The company is based in the province of Malaga and operates in the areas of heating, cooling and solar energy. Our main activities include: consulting, marketing and installation of high quality systems. We place particular emphasis on solar energy systems in combination with other energy sources. The systems we supply are suitable for residential homes, commercial and industrial applications. Tecnicas is approved by the government authorities to install grant supported solar energy systems. Our experienced consultants design systems specially tailored to meet our customer's needs. Our aim is to achieve optimum comfort and energy saving whilst considering the impact on the environment. Our team of specially trained engineers undertake the installation of these systems and provide a full after sales service to ensure maximum performance and reliability.
HOTEL TAMISA GOLF St Patricks Night on the 17th March, tickets 45 euros, come and enjoy the fun with singing and dancing etc….contact number for details 952 58 59 88.
T.A.P.A.S (The Andalucia Performing Arts Society) PRESENTS ‘‘Return to the Forbidden Planet’’ Thursday 19th - Saturday 21st March At Sol Andalusi Theatre
costa COMPANIES >>
EUINSURANCE DIRECT CAN YOU AFFORD TO BE SICK???
When people first come over to Spain, Private Health Cover is probably one of the last things they think about. The car has to be insured, possibly the house and contents but Private Health is way down the list of priorities. Many people think that the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) will cover them for all eventualities but unfortunately it doesn’t:The EHIC is for short term visitors to Spain and those temporarily living or working here. It is not intended for use by permanent residents. It only covers you for essential medical treatment of an emergency condition, on-going medical treatment or a treatment of a non-urgent nature is not included. The EHIC should therefore not be relied upon as a healthcare provision for residents in Spain.
So where do you start looking at Private Medical Healthcare provision? At EU Insurance we have a number of very affordable policies that would cover you. From as little as 35* euros per month (*male healthy 26 yrs) with fully comprehensive cover including in and out patient treatment all over Spain. Other plans offer full European Cover and a policy which promises to cover pre-existing conditions (small assessment needed). AXA Winterthur is one of the many companies offering Health Insurance in Spain and is fast becoming one of the leaders. Before you decide on your cover - ask the following questions: Can the Health Provider cancel your plan at any time due to the amount of claims, i.e. is it a plan for life? Does it cover you in the event of a road traffic accident, most don’t? Do you have freedom of choice of hospitals and consultants? Any additional payments when you claim? AXA Winterthur offers you a completely comprehensive policy covering all over Spain using their preferred network of practitioners. They also offer a policy that lets you choose the medical centre of your preference around the world so you can get the care of the physician of your choice, even in your country of origin through their expense reimbursement system. - No additional payments when you claim - Significant discounts when for cover of more than 3 members of your family - Special prices for non-smokers. - Up to 50% discount if you choose to have retractive laser eye surgery - Up to 25% on eye doctor discount on the cost of glasses - Authorisations processed on demand without hassle or documentation costs - Medical help line with personalised follow up services - Emergency assistance throughout the territory of Spain - 24 hours emergency assistance - International travel assistance - Ambulance service
Dental extractions, root fillings, root canals, periodontic procedures, preventative odontology, prosthesis, orthodontic procedures, implants, oral surgery and dental cosmetics at very economic prices. Free periodic check ups, oral cleanings, fluoride treatments and oral care information. Children younger than 10 are free! Whatever your needs are whilst living and working in Spain, EU Insurance has a wide range of policies, offering exceptional prices and a service second to none, giving you peace of mind, sometimes with the benefit of split payments for general insurance. EU Insurance also covers:Cars (UK, Spanish, Dutch and Northern Ireland Plates), Motorcyles, House and Contents including all risk jewellery cover, subsidence and landslip, Commercial (Bars, Offices, etc), Travel Insurance up to 84 years of age, Life and Mortgage Protection, Pensions, Savings, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness and Income Protection Plans for Self Employed, Repatriation and Funeral Plans. For information go to the website: www.euinsurancedirect.com , email: e u in su ra n ce d ire ct@h o tm a il. co m or call Wendy Codd on 952 83 08 43 or mobile: 676 09 84 64. Clients welcome to call at her office in Elviria in Framire Residencial between the hours of 10.00 - 5.30 pm Monday to Friday.
EUINSURANCE DIRECT All insurance and financial needs in plain English We cover Cars, motorbikes, homes and contents, boats and life/critical illness We also offer Mortgage protection, Mortgages, private health plans, travel protection, savings plans, Private Health Plan which covers 90% of pre-existing conditions and much more Also agents for AXA products We can insure you for less!! Contact Wendy on 952 830 843 or 676 098 464 Fax: 951 310 524 Framire Residencial, Local Comercial 6, Cerrado de Elviria, 29604, Marbella, Malaga
Also offered is Dental Insurance which covers you from the first day, giving you access to a first rate medical team as certified by the ISO 9001-00.
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‘‘Don’t worry - be happy!’’ Buy plants! The owner of the florists Flor Valentin, Janne Valentin Lassen, has just returned home from the world’s largest plant fair in Essen (Germany), where the trend for 2009 provided lots of new ideas and suggestions for how plants will be able to combat the present gloomy atmosphere during the course of the year. Plants have been part of interior design for a long time. Therefore, the Northern European gardeners will also carefully follow the fashion and how these times are influencing our desires and the messages for the 2009 trend are clear: We will look for glimmers of hope in all of this talk of depression and financial crisis that can be quickly acquired and are enjoyable and life-affirming. When the financial crisis results in major purchases for the home being put on standby, there will be a focus on the small things that can give us feelings of renewal and change. For a number of years the plant industry has collaborated with trend researchers on an annual basis in order to develop a range that matches the trends present within society and in 2009 four different directions of style will influence our choice of clothes and design. The Northern European gardeners were ready with ideas for how plants could be used in the different trends. ‘‘Don't worry - be happy!’’ is the motto for spring’s plant trend. This is both an escape from all talk about the financial crisis and a jazzing up of the grey, white and black universe of modern homes. Plants and the way in which they are used are both small glimmers of hope in our everyday lives. Simply placing some optimistic plants in the dog’s colourful food bowl will create colour, surprise and a cheerful atmosphere. Coloured plastic mats with amusing messages and naive decorations filled with plants arranged as ‘‘mixed sweets’’. Everything is allowed and everybody can take part. Examples of plants that match spring’s plant trends: Happy Home Argyranthemum frutescens, Bellis perennis, Campanula, Dahlia, Dianthus, Exacum affine, Gerbera hybrid, Helianthus annuus, Kalanchoe, Primula, Ranunculus hybrid. Nor should we forget the festive seasons, now that spring will thankfully soon be upon us and Easter is just around the corner. At Flor Valentin you will find everything to adorn your home, your terrace or garden. With the new input gained from fairs, Flor Valentin would like to add a little more colour, a little more fun and a little more beauty to Easter and the working day.
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Flor Valentin will be celebrating its second birthday on 24 March and will be celebrating with birthday bargains from Saturday 21 March until Saturday 28 March. The actual birthday will be celebrated with coffee and cakes in the shop. We hope to see old and new customers alike. And remember, if you want a much-needed timeout from all the talk of financial crisis, a quiet moment, when nothing will disturb you, have a look around Flor Valentin and loose your self in our very special flower universe. ‘‘Don't worry - be happy!’’ buy plants… We look forward to seeing you at Flor Valentin.
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Nature’s Philosophy
Nature’s Philosophy
Health & Beauty Salon
Health & Beauty Salon Retail of Natural Products
This month at Nature’s Philosophy introduces two new complementary therapies Raindrop and Vitaflex techniques, Naetura’s natural and organic face & body products and the Genie Complete - the answer to non-surgical, non-invasive cosmetic and health treatments. The Raindrop Technique incorporates the Vita Flex reflexes of the feet and is a procedure for applying essential oils to the feet, back and spine. It’s a form of Aromatherapy developed by a naturopathic physician Young Gary Young (Y Living Essential Oils ). Young worked with Lakotan Indians incorporating Native American concepts. Vitaflex is a therapeutic maneuver adapted from oriental Acupuncture, A c u p r e s s u r e , Reflexology, Native American healing and Aromatherapy. It is said to have originated in Tibet and can access more than 1,400 reflex points that are on the body, inducing the body to heal itself. This therapy helps stimulate every organ, muscle & bone of the body at a cellular level through the oils, boosting the immune system, bringing the body into structural and electrical balance, enabling the release of toxins, tension, congestion, imbalances or disease wherever they may be lodged - including those illnesses lodged in the mind & emotions. In one session, which can be adapted to the individuals needs, the use of 7 single oils and three blends, are used, the technique is named Raindrop as the oils are dropped directly from the bottle about six inches above the client like drops of rain and continue to work in the body for up to one week following the treatment and the body is continuing with its re-alignment process. Some of the possible benefits: Great pain reliever beneficial for conditions associated with bone, muscle and joint discomfort. Muscle relaxant - helps relax, calm and relieve tight, sore, tired, aching or inflamed muscles. Overcoming fatigue and exhaustion after illness, acting directly on viruses or bacteria, excellent protection against colds and flu. Improvement in respiratory and digestive systems. Stimulates the circulation. Balances electrical energies, giving courage, confidence and selfesteem. The new Naetura organic range of personal products are certified Ecocert, based on natural plant source, with the highest content of natural active ingredients. No animal testing or derivatives, no artificial synthetics, parabens or petroleums. Ingredients like Aloe Vera, Jojoba, Sheanut Butter, Coconut butter & Monoï Oil from Tahiti. The products are gentle on your skin and can be used by all the family, even babies.
Opening Hours
Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Sat 10am - 2pm Appointments can be arranged out of hours
Clinical Aromatherapy - Reflexology - Reiki Nail & Beauty Treatments
Calle Málaga, 39, Mijas Pueblo Tel: 952485172 www.naturesphilosophy.net Forever Aloe Products including aloe vera drinks, skin care products and cosmetics, bringing the remarkable properties of aloe to the entire body. Add to that the full line of vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements, and the nutritious products from the bee hive and you have a complete system for achieving better health and beauty naturally.
The Genie Complete is a face & body system aiding in pain relief, slimming, toning and skin appearance. It is effective in the relief of many body ailments from sciatica & back-pain to migraine & sinusitis. It is the most powerful non-surgical face lift machine on the market today, known as a personal trainer for the face; by rebuilding the ageing muscle mass to its previous state the face is fuller and benefits from a visible lift which can be retained with regular treatments. This fuller, healthier look also helps to eliminate many lines and wrinkles. This technology is the result of Dr. Baxendale, whose research was targeting those suffering Bell’s Palsy, and has resulted in a natural and effective face-lift without surgery. Demonstrations are available and the option to have group treatments at home. Why not start of this Spring with a Detox programme contact the Salon for some advice and a programme suited to you. If you would like further information regarding these treatments, products or oils, please contact jennifer@naturesphilosophy.net or call 952485172. Visit our website for more info. www.naturesphilosophy.net
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SILVER WOLF OFFER MORE TO BUSINESS IN ANDALUCIA SILVER WOLF LAUNCH NEW SERVICES Silver Wolf's vehicles have been a regular feature on our roads since 1994 when the company established a warehouse on the Coast and provided a regular weekly UK service for business and personal goods. Since that time the service has grown and their customers have benefited from a minimum of three departures from the UK to Spain and Gibraltar every week of the year. Now the service has expanded ...... Frozen and Chilled Food Wolf International, part of the Silver Wolf Group, have launched a new service this year for food retailers and wholesalers in Andalucia. A new weekly Frozen and Chilled transport service from the UK which began on the 1st February 2009. They have transported ambient foods for many years and have been regularly asked by many of our existing customers to provide a frozen and chilled service as well. Having researched the area there is definitely a need for a reliable and realistically priced tail lift delivery service which is exactly what they are offering. Labelling goods Retailers face heavy fines for failing to label UK products and their ingredients correctly in Spanish. There have been some recent cases that have affected both large and small companies on the Coast. This problem has now been solved as Wolf International offers a full labelling service. Goods are transported from the UK and then labelled correctly at the new warehouse facility in Alhaurin El Grande. At present it is for ambient goods only but in the future it is planned to extend this service for frozen and chilled products. New Warehouses in Alhaurin On February 1st 2009 Wolf International moved from their long established warehouse on the coast. The Poligono was becoming extremely congested and it became clear that it was necessary to move. When two newly constructed warehouses became available in Alhaurin El Grande they had no hesitation in re-locating. The new location is perfect for them and they have the possibility of operating from a third warehouse on the site should the need arise. Other services Wolf International offers a wide range of services between the UK, Spain and Gibraltar. They transport everything from a parcel to a full load of 25 tonnes and have a specialist relocation and removal department. They also can carry airfreight and arrange shipments by container throughout the world.
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Wolf International have a very large customer base and all receive the same high level of service. It doesn’t matter if you are a large business or an individual, they consider every shipment as important and do everything possible to deliver goods on time and in good condition. Established in 1990 Wolf International operate a fleet of satellite controlled trucks and trailers so the goods can be tracked whilst in transit. The receiving depots are in London, Alhaurin El Grande, Alicante, Madrid and Gibraltar and can be contacted on info@silverwolfgroup.net. Alternatively the phone numbers are 647 437840 or 610 727052 in Spain and 0044 1375 840640 in the UK You can also send any www.silverwolfgroup.net.
enquiry
through
their
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costa COMPANIES >>
TIMMY’S BAR RESTAURANT Timmy’s bar is like no other on the coast. Situated opposite the Fuengirola Park Hotel and a short walk from Torreblanca train station is where you will find this welcoming family bar restaurant. Formed from an empty shell by proud owners Arty and Belinda in 2006 and lovingly refurbished to a very high standard in November 2008 Timmy’s offers a warm and friendly welcome in warm and comfortable surroundings. Arty and Belinda named the bar after their late brother in law who was the inspiration for the move to Spain. Timmy’s is a labour of love and they can tell you that blood, sweat and tears have gone in to this business. You’ll know the instant you enter Timmy’s the effort and time that has gone into making it an establishment of the highest standards. Every effort has gone into making sure there is something for everybody. Arty and Belinda have also put together some great meal deals to beat the credit crunch. Try any main meal on the menu and get the second meal free (Monday to Saturday). Or you can try the 3 course menu including free bottle of wine per couple for only 14 euro per person (offering a superb and varied menu). Drinks prices have been slashed to 2 euro per pint and 1 euro per bottle. After dinner the lights are dimmed and you can relax and sing along or dance to the best ever golden oldies from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s and enjoy your evening. Timmy’s also serves the best roast on the coast as it says on the menu and what excellent value for money it is offering 1 course for only 7.50 euro, 2 courses for only 9 euro and 3 courses for only 11 euro. Every other week when the Champions League football is being shown you can enjoy the footballer’s special menu. Irish Sirloin Steak, Giant Barbecue Spare Ribs or an Indian Mixed Sizzler served on a sizzling hot plate plus a free bottle of beer, all for only 12.50 euro. So on Champions League night you take advantage of this excellent menu offer. Timmy’s is open every day from 10.30am till late. If you like a game of bingo get yourself down to Timmy’s every Monday and Friday afternoons where you can play for some great prizes and you could also stand a chance of winning the holiday jackpot prize. Arty and Belinda offer a warm and friendly welcome to all in a fully refurbished Timmy’s Bar Restaurant. With freshly prepared food served
all week and the best beers, wines and spirits and something going on every day all day Timmy’s will never fail to keep you fed, watered and of course entertained. And one final comment from me the coffee is the best I have tasted in a long time and if you don’t believe me try it for yourself.
TIMMY’S BAR RESTAURANT Opp Fuengirola Park Hotel, Torreblanca CREDIT CRUNCH MENU OFFERS Buy One Get One Free On All Main Meals or 3 course Menu For Only 14 euros per person includes Free Bottle of Wine per couple -----------------------------------------------Footballers Special Menu Champions League Nights Only Irish Sirloin Steak, Giant Spare Ribs, Indian Mixed Sizzler Plus Free Beer Only 12.50 euro ----------------------------------------------EVERY SUNDAY 12 - LATE THE BEST ROAST ON THE COAST 1 Course 7.50€ - 2 Course 9€- 3 Course 11€ ----------------------------------------------Monday and Friday Afternoon Bingo Win a Holiday Jackpot And Lots More Prizes Children’s Menu All Week, 6 Plasma T.V.s, Disabled Access Open Every Day From 10.30 am Drinks Offers 2€ a Pint 1€ a Bottle All Day 500 yrds from Torreblanca train station next to Tennis courts call 951 262 176
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Who has the oldest Sonderborg Kitchen on the Costa del Sol?
Since 1974, Sonderborg Kitchen Industry - called ‘‘Sønderborg Køkkenet’’ in Danish - has contributed to the design of the Classic Danish kitchen. Many Danish homes have throughout the years chosen this kitchen because of the innovative design and the fact that there has never been any compromise regarding materials and the level of quality. Today it is partly for the same reasons that many prefer this kitchen, but also because of the solid financial foundation of the company. Especially in this time where the actual financial crisis is causing more and more companies and shops to report stagnation, decreasing sales, redundancies and worst of all closure. As there is no compromise in the quality of their product, there is no comprise with agreements either - neither with clients or suppliers and throughout many years Sonderborg Kitchens have built a solid financial foundation, not so easy to shake at the best of times nor during a financial crisis. Thus, the company once again has been awarded the highest credit rating; Triple A. This is a very good achievement as only 4.7% of a total of 216.000 Danish companies that are bound to present their accounts, have succeeded attaining this credit score. The Triple A is a quality stamp that is only given to companies with a solid economy and a very high ability to meet actual engagement of payments. ‘‘We are experiencing more and more clients who are ordering their new Sonderborg Kitchen, because they feel safe that we will be here tomorrow. They know the quality is very good and with this stamp they are also sure that we can keep our promises’’ - says co-founder and owner of Sonderborg Kitchen Industry - Mr. Johnny Petersen. 22 costa life
Also on the Costa Del Sol, where Sonderborg Kitchens have been represented since 1988, is felt the demand for security regarding investing in kitchens, wardrobes and bathrooms and of course 20 years on the Coast makes a big difference when the clients makes the decision to purchase a new kitchen. ‘‘We have through the years seen many kitchen companies that have come and gone with the result that clients and suppliers have got caught in the middle with lost deposits, half-done kitchens and suppliers without payments. Therefore we put high demands on our dealer Unique Lifestyle S.L. - who take care of our interests on the Costa Del Sol - so that we make sure that clients also can be serviced later on if necessary’’ - says Mr. Johnny Petersen and he continues: ‘‘It is obvious that our dealers have to be honest and trustworthy human beings who have a natural talent for design and decorating, but they certainly also need to have the talent and ability to run a business, because it is the reputation of Sonderborg Kitchens that is at stake, but there is no doubt that Henrik B. Kristiansen, who is running Unique Lifestyle S.L. for the 7th year, has the talent.’’ ‘‘I am proud to be a part of Sonderborg Kitchens. It is like a family where you help and take care of each other and where my creative ideas are not met with limits by standard measures and exact door styles. Apart from that it is also fantastic continuing a story of success that goes back 20 years on the Coast’’ says Henrik from Unique Lifestyle S.L... There is no doubt that they are proud of their history and of their product. They are though, very aware that it is the clients that have made it all possible and they would like to take the opportunity to show their gratitude to all the clients that have shown them their confidence through the years. Therefore everybody who has a Sonderborg Kitchen is invited
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to participate in a competition. The main competition is about finding the oldest Sonderborg Kitchens on the Costa Del Sol and the 3 oldest will win an up-grade of hinges and drawers to the 2009 model. Among the rest of the Sønderborg Kitchens that are not old enough or new there will be a competition for another exciting prize.
It is easy to participate; Take a photo of the kitchen and the brand ‘‘Sønderborg Køkken’’. Put it together with your name, address, phone number and documentation for when the kitchen was bought and bring it in to the showroom in Fuengirola, which is open Monday to Friday 10.00 - 15.00 or by appointment. You can also send it by e-mail to hbk@uniquelifestyle.com. All proposals need to be sent in latest the 10th of April 2009 and the winners will be announced at a reception at the Showroom of Unique Lifestyle in Fuengirola where everybody is more than welcome to come and hear old kitchen stories and maybe start new ones…
Avda. Clemente Diaz Ruiz, Local 3 Puebla Lucia 29640 Fuengirola www.unique-lifestyle.com Tlf. +34 952 47 44 87 costa life 23
>> costa LIFESTYLE
CAN YOU HAVE BOTH WEIGHT LOSS AND NO W R I N K L E S ? A ll women, as Mae West put it back in the ’30s, ‘‘have to choose between their face and their butt,’’ sooner or later.
eating a well-balanced diet, which can slow down aging in all of the tissues, including the skin.
There are women all over the world having to make the choice: put up with a fuller figure so your face will have a plumper youthful feel, or hit the workout obsessively to achieve a super svelte, leading lady physique, and the chances are that your cheeks will be sunken and your skin will look baggy and wrinkled. Hollywood started the trend. Not happy with the normal size 10-12 UK, we are now bombarded every day with the size zero. Madonna, Victoria Beckham, Courtney Cox, Renée Zellweger, have all chosen their bottom over their face.
Fruit and vegetables are particularly important for preventing premature skin ageing because they contain a wide variety of antioxidants which help protect skin cells from damage by free radicals. It’s all the good things that we don't like to eat that we should eat. So, remember you are what you eat, and simple carbs such as white sugar, biscuits and sweets, tend to speed up your ageing process.
Anti aging foods…
‘‘Several years ago I knew I had to choose between my face and my body. I always knew I’d choose the latter.’’ Madonna.
Dairy: Aim for at least three portions of calcium-rich foods every day. It is important to keep your bones, tendons and ligaments as strong as possible for the structure of the face and support of the skin. If you’re not healthy underneath, anti-aging foods and creams will not live up to their full potential.
While slimming down to conform to the Hollywood trend, many actresses are finding their faces are the first place to show the strain.
Water: Drink 10 glasses of water a day. It prevents dehydration and keeps the skin looking plump, soft and smooth.
But you can still be slim and wrinkle free. When I say slim, I mean Halle Berry slim, Catherine Zeta Jones slim, Kate Winslet slim: these women all look fabulous, with great figures and great skin. This can be achieved by
Avocado: Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fats, which help stop wrinkles forming and keep skin looking tauter and younger.
‘‘In Hollywood, to get your bottom half to be the right size, your face may have to be a little gaunt,’’ says Cox.
Green leafy vegetables: Vegetables like spinach, rocket and watercress are full of antioxidant-rich carotenoids, which can protect the skin against sun damage and stop it looking wrinkled. Berries: They’re packed with Vitamin C, which is essential for healthy collagen - building blocks that keep skin firm and plump. Nuts and seeds: They’re a good source of selenium and contain Vitamin E, which hydrates and moisturises the skin to help it look smooth and plump. Oily fish: Oily fish like salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel contain selenium, an antioxidant that helps
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fight free radicals (molecules which damage your skin and cause wrinkles). They also contain essential fatty acids, which hydrate skin and make it glow. Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil contains an anti-ageing antioxidant called hydroxytyrosol, which helps protect the skin from free radical damage.
The skinny route… If you really want to be ultra thin, then make sure you are eating enough foods, especially protein. And don’t think that a bit of tuna or chicken is enough; protein should be in every meal. You need protein to stimulate the collagen and elasticity in the skin. When women yo-yo between putting on weight and losing it, stress is put on the skin, so everything becomes less elastic and bouncy. You also need Vitamin C for the collagen making process, from sources such as berries. Strawberries and raspberries contain ellagic acid; a good antioxidant that helps to diminish the pollutants that break down collagen. Avoid foods cooked at a high temperature: it’s better to steam fish than to grill it. If you grill or fry foods they release toxins - age-related glycolic toxins - that cause breaks in the collagen and elastin. Vitamin E is also good for your skin. If you want to preserve your face, wheatgerm, wholegrain foods and avocado all contain Vitamin E. Fish oils contain protein omega fats to keep the skin hydrated too. Every single cell needs omega to keep it watertight. It’s worth increasing your intake via soya milk or tofu. Foods to support a good hormonal balance: Artichokes Asparagus Spring onions Garlic Fennel These are liver supporting foods (there are large quantities of oestrogen in the liver).
Get active… Exercise may not halt the aging process, but evidence suggests that people who stay active can slow its effects. Low-impact and weightbearing workouts are great, but pounding a treadmill is counterproductive past a certain age, encouraging your facial muscles to sag.
Benefits of Exercise… It provides energy: Feeling tired and lethargic is largely a result of being inactive. So get active! It improves mental health: Regular physical activity can help reduce stress, manage mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety, improve sleep quality, boost mood, and enhance the overall feeling of well-being. Shed those pounds and keep them off: Burning more calories than consumed can reduce body fat. It boosts your immune system: During moderate exercise, immune cells circulate more quickly through the body and are better at destroying viral and bacterial infections. It prevents disease: Regular aerobic exercise reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing body fat, lowering blood pressure, and raising good cholesterol levels. It improves cognitive function: Studies have found that people who are physically active score better on mental function tests. It improves life expectancy: Numerous studies have found that people who partake in regular exercise, live longer. So remember that a good balanced diet, and of course moderate exercise, can give you that Hollywood bod you deserve!
>> costa LIFESTYLE
Lose Weight Or Burn Fat…
Quote…
A lot of people don’t seem to get the difference between losing weight and burning fat. When weighing yourself the number you see on the scale is meaningless. To get a body like a top athlete, you need to burn fat, not lose weight. As we age, our bodies tend to lose muscle mass. Without the proper exercise and nutrition, a person typically loses 510 pounds of muscle every decade after the age of 25. If you're losing muscle, but maintaining your weight, you are actually just trading muscle for fat. You need to work out long enough and hard enough to force your body to draw on fat reserves for fuel. Combined with appropriate eating, the result is you will lose body fat. The kinds of workouts that do this best are running and weight lifting. The additional muscle your body builds to handle the stress of a hard workout requires extra calories to maintain itself. So your body burns more calories during the day, even when you're not working out. That makes it easier for you to stay lean.
Polish Your Image… If you look good you feel good, so to keep in touch with your face you must follow these simple steps Twice a day cleansing is a must, first thing in the morning and then again at night. Then there’s the scrub, the facial scrub must be done twice a week. There are plenty of new products for men containing fine abrasives that gently exfoliate dead skin cells; they make the complexion look healthy and vigorous.
Exercise tip… If your workout has plateaued, use pauses to intensify your weight training. Lift the weight to the midpoint where there’s the most resistance, and pause there for five to 10 seconds before moving on. 26 costa life
Maintain moisture, hydrated skin looks better and protects you more effectively. When you wash your face, you stimulate the oil glands, which keeps your skin moist, that offers a defense against pollutants that clog pores, contributing to acne and infections. Apply moisturiser every morning.
Every successful person needs to have at least one person in their lives who is not afraid of them.
Cologne Clues… If you constantly smell the aftershave, you have applied too much; a couple of sprays are enough. Location pulse points like your neck and wrists will naturally diffuse a scent; always apply it to your skin, not your clothes. The summer heat or sweat will intensify a fragrance, that’s why citrus scents work best in the summer and then you can go heavier in the winter. You don’t have to use every product that goes with the fragrance, cologne, aftershave, body wash, and deodorant. One at a time is fine, but make sure the other products don’t clash with the scent you choose.
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
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Cool and classy… Black label grey suite jacket Burton
Dark loose and relaxed jeans Burton
A striped crew neck t shirt Burton
Black tram line loafer Burton Burton
Relaxed but st ylish…
men want
Short sleeve stretch poplin shirt Benetton
It’s TEE time…
Grey skull print tee with fake long sleeves Topman
Stones Tongue Classic Red Diamante tee Topman
Blue cycle style zip polo with pocket detail Topman
Delavé denim trousers Benetton
Accessorize… B-06 shoes Benetton
White plastic framed sunglasses Burton
Cream large faced watch with black strap Burton
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Store Locator A to Z
Aqua blue and orange contrast baseball neck tee Topman
5 row bead stretch wrist wear in black, beige and brown. Topman
Benetton www.benetton.com Fuengirola. Burton www.burton.co.uk Gibraltar. Dorothy Perkins www.dorothyperkins.co.uk Miramar and La Cañada. Evans www.evans.com Miramar and La Cañada. Monsoon www.monsoon.com Gibraltar. Promod www.promod.com La Cañada. Topman www.topman.co.uk La Cañada. Topshop www.topshop.co.uk La Cañada
costa LIFESTYLE >> Evans
Check it out …
Yellow and white check straw clutch Dorothy Perkins Check detail tea dress Dorothy Perkins
Check full skirt Dorothy Perkins
Bamboo stretch bangles Dorothy Perkins
women want Dress to Impress…
Grecian maxi dress Evans
Put your best foot for ward… Frill detail shoe in beige Promod
Pink beaded earrings Evans
Pink heeled sandal Evans Rose satin shoe Monsoon
Pretty red flower earrings Topshop
Peep toe suede shoe Topshop
Step back in time…
Metallic wedge sandal Evans A one shoulder silk play suite Topshop
Peta deco platform sandal Topshop
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>> costa LIFESTYLE
Celeb secret… Catherine Z e t a J o n e s rubs a mixture of honey and salt all over Protect your skin from the inside out… goes without saying that you should already be using olive oil instead of butter when you her body to moisturise Itcook, but did you know that it's good for your skin as well as your waistline? By substituting saturated fats found in butter for healthier unsaturated fats you will help protect your skin and exfoliate. from the inside out, banishing dry skin and wrinkles in the process.
Make up through the ages… 20’s In your 20s you can wear vibrant, metallic jewel colours.Your skin should be luminous, so add a sweep of shimmering highlighter across the tops of the cheekbones You can wear a sheer metallic shadow in a light shade all over the eyes and to complement this wear a coloured mascara.
30’s Make sure you get the balance right, if you go with strong vibrant lips keep the eyes soft. Eyes, cheeks and lips should all be enhanced with combinations of shimmer and matte. Add definition to the eyes with a dark brown gel or powder liner close to the lash line. Go for an illuminising concealer that can be used to brighten under your eyes or add radiance to your face. On the cheeks, stick to soft peaches and rosy pinks which instantly enliven tired-looking skin.
40’s Your 40s are a time when you can wear a more seductive look. A smoky eye can be striking, but try it in a different way, not the 30 costa life
typical heavy black look, which can be too harsh. Plum shades are a fantastic alternative. Beige eye shadows that were the staples of your 30s may have a tendency to make you look a little washed out in your 40s, so opt for warmer and richer shades like chestnuts, bronzes and golds. Use a creamy, dewy foundation it needs to be flexible so it doesn't pool in the facial lines. Avoid powders at all costs as they are ageing and drying and will only emphasise lines.
50 plus All areas of the face need definition, but you don’t want to look over-the-top. Your complexion should glow, so try using a mineral-based foundation which gives the skin a dewy youthfulness or switch to a tinted moisturiser. Rethink eye shadow. Apply a sheer wash of eye shadow all over the lid and bring it up to the brow so it fades to nothing. It’s a fresher, more contemporary look than the traditional three-colour method of lid color, dark-crease colour, and brow highlighter, which can make eyes look more hooded as we get older.
Gymnasium fully equipped gym with both fixed and free weights crosstrainers + bikes treadmills + rowing machines professional instructor available only gym open at 8 am
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Exercise has the ability to change body shape, reduce fat, rehabilitate from injury, fight depression and delay the ageing process. So, why make excuses? You don’t have to train at an expensive Health Club; just set aside a couple of hours each week to train smart and see the changes! Excuses and barriers to exercise always seem to be made to stop all attempts of any sort of exercise. Here are some tips to overcome these problems: 1. Complaining that you don’t have time in the day to include even the shortest programme. Cure: Workout near home or work, in order to save time travelling. Introduce exercise time at work: use the stairs, and walk about the office more often. Use workout videos at home. Employ a Personal Trainer to plan a workout at the venue of your choice: at work, beach or home. 2. Complaining that you’re too tired when you finish work. Cure: Train first thing in the morning. This may be hard at first but, once in the routine, it’s a great way to start the day. Eat regularly throughout the day, 4-6 small meals which include carbohydrates. This will keep your energy levels up. 3. You’ve tried exercise programmes before and got nowhere! Cure: Did your previous programmes have realistic goals? Set yourself realistic expectations: medium and short term goals bring success. Encourage small and steady progressions. Introduce different exercises: avoid doing the same work all the time!
4. Complaining you’re getting too old to benefit from an exercise programme. Cure: You are never too old to benefit from a healthier, leaner, stronger and suppler body. Weight bearing exercises have been proved to prevent osteoporosis and produce strength gains in all age groups. Aches, pains and fatigue are not symptoms of ageing, but are direct results of misuse or under-use of your body, which will be prevented with a sensible approach to exercise. 5. Hard to motivate yourself to exercise. Cure: Find a Personal Trainer who motivates and pushes you towards your goals and aims. Train with a friend: you can encourage each other through bad spells and you are less likely to let someone down who’s waiting at the gym. Reward yourself when you complete your goal: for example a new outfit. 6. Feeling too fat or unfit to start exercise. Cure: We all have to start somewhere! Laying off for longer won’t help. Get going with a sensible programme that works and you’ll wonder why you ever waited so long to start! So no more excuses… The cure is simple. Do something! Anything! Get active and follow a sensible healthy eating plan, and a long and happy life can be yours.
WHY EXERCISE BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT AS WE AGE When you reach that ‘certain age’ isn’t it time to slow down and take it easy? No way! If anything, regular exercise is even more important in older adults than younger adults. It is now known that changes associated with ageing are also linked with the result of inactivity. Simply our bodies work on a ‘use it or lose it’ system. Ask your legs to carry you to the shops every day, and your arms to carry the shopping back and you will keep the ‘gift’ of strength in these areas. Let someone else do this for you and your body will take back the strength it has given you. Those who engage in moderate activity most days of the week can reduce the effects of ageing and even improve their fitness. It is never too late! However de-conditioned you may be, your body has the ability to improve. How much is enough and what type? 30
Dominic James - Personal Fitness Trainer & Nutritionist 686 55 44 88 www.personaltrainingmarbella.com 32 costa life
costa LIFESTYLE >>
So the message is quite simple: do something, stay active and reap the rewards.
After all, you're only as old as you feel!
minutes of activity seven days a week can have a dramatic and positive effect on health and improved function for living. A good gym exercise can provide all the components of a well structured fitness plan. This is not the only way to get your 30 minutes a day. Walking the dog, washing the car, gardening, or anything that involves moving large muscle groups; these types of activity require you to breathe more rapidly and increase your heart rate, exercising the most important muscle of all.
>> costa LIFESTYLE
New Super Food…Plums… Plums are being heralded as the new ‘super-food’ by scientists. They found the purple fruit matched or exceeded blueberries in antioxidants, which help prevent disease. Tests revealed one plum contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of blueberries. Antioxidants are molecules that that sweep through a body looking for free radicals to knock out. Plums are also low in calories and fat free. The important thing is not to peel your plums - you must eat the skin because that’s where many of the colour agents and antioxidants are.
Cauliflower the Unhealthy cancer fighter… love handles… This popular vegetable is a natural detoxer, it also contains ingredients that helps to fight cancer. Research shows that adult’s who ate a lot of cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage) halved their risk of getting bowel cancer.
Top tip… If you feel tired just after eating lunch, (the 2 o’clock slump), you are probably eating too much refined/processed carbohydrates, and your body has become carbohydrate sensitive. Try and eat more complex carbs, and add more protein and fibre to your meals. 34 costa life
Love handles can increase your chances of an early death even if your weight is normal. For each extra inch you have around your waist increases an early death by 15%. Women whose waist exceeds 39in have a double rate of dying before they are sixty. If you tend to carry extra weight around your middle then it’s vital that you increase the amount of activity you do and follow a balanced diet.
High salt content in soup… People who regularly have soup with a high salt content could be increasing their risk of stomach cancer, according to an expert. Soups are one of the ‘worst culprits’ for hidden salt, she said, and a single serving of some leading brands contains half the recommended daily maximum intake. Salt is known to increase blood pressure and the risk of stroke and heart disease, but scientists also believe it is a cause of stomach cancer. The recommended intake of salt for adults is no more than 6g a day.
>> costa HOMES
Now is the time to do it There are many reasons for doing some work on your house. Maybe you have just bought yourself a house that needs some work or maybe you are tired of your old kitchen that you have had for years. Now, if you are one who trusts your own taste, you probably have a picture in your head of what you want it to look like when it is all finished. If you think that a quick brief to your builder (English, Spanish or any other nationality) is enough, think again. There are so many things that can go wrong. If you want to make sure that everything will turn out exactly the way you want it, you have to spend a lot of time on site. You also have to know in what order different jobs are done. Alternatively, hire a project manager. I am going to give you a few examples.
Bathrooms: É Let’s say that you have chosen your bathroom tiles and you tell your builder this is what you want. If you have chosen, for example, a dark grey colour on the tiles, and you don’t mention what colour you want on the grouting, you will definitely get white. White grouting on dark tiles can look fabulous but, if you want a more modern and streamlined effect with dark grouting, you have to tell him. And then you tell him again and then, to be on the safe side, you check one more time!!!
É If you have bought the taps yourself, think about if they are mounted on the basin itself (there will be a drilled hole at the top), or on the furniture the basin stands on, or if they should come from inside the wall. The plumber needs to know. And he is usually there doing his job in the very early stages.
É Remember that moving the WC could be an expensive change.
If you are on a
budget, try to place it where it was before, or close to it.
É Think about lighting and the sockets from the beginning.
There’s a lot of work involved if you realise, after everything is finished, that you wanted a socket for your hairdryer for example. The electric cables are always hacked into the wall before the tiling starts. And yes, here in Spain you are allowed to have sockets in the bathroom.
É Let’s say you want a Jacuzzi, as my friend recently did, and she told the plumber but,
Written by
Annika Jonsson BLOND of Scandinavia
40 costa life
as it was the first time he had installed one, all the pipes were positioned too low. He only found out after the tiling was done and the bath was to be fitted! On top of that, the electrician hadn’t put the electrics there for the pumps.
These are just bathroom examples; I could go on to examples from the kitchen and the rest of the house. But that might start to get a bit boring, so I won’t. I don’t want to scare you from doing these things yourself but, just remember, don’t leave everything to the builder. One little trick to get a job well done, which I use sometimes, is to find the builder’s soft spot, they all have one! One thing that works quite well are creamy cakes! At three o’clock, when my builder had his break, I brought him the creamiest cakes I could find. He really loved it. The more the cream the better, that’s what he said. And the more cream, the happier builder, the better job! And I should probably add that I as well, love creamy cakes; who doesn’t? So this was a perfect excuse for eating them every day! Maybe you don’t have the time, or maybe you just don’t want to do it yourself, so you can always hire a project manager. Maybe you want the work to be done while you are away. If so, a project manager is essential. I hope I haven’t scared you; I just want to give you some good advice how to get a job done better and often quicker. And I definitely don’t want to be negative; we have enough of that with the ‘crisis’ don’t we? No, I would say if you are thinking of doing some work on your house, now is the time to do it. A lot of builders are struggling at the moment so you could probably get a good price for the job. I can’t leave you without mentioning this economic crisis. We all are more than aware of it. All the doom and gloom that the media are bombarding us with. And, yes, times are difficult at the moment, but I am actually seeing a light in the tunnel. I take this from my own shop, selling furniture. We did have a tough time in the autumn but, since Christmas, things have been picking up. I think that a lot of us just don’t want to feel miserable any more because it doesn’t help, does it? No, I think that we should all try to leave those feelings behind us and look forward instead. Spring will soon be here with all its beauty, and the sun will start to shine as well (though today the rain is pouring down!).
>> costa SERVICES
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Contact Joe on Mobile 639 727 188 installation Tel 952 377 122 Fax 951 239 138 e-mail joe@joebayley.com
AP563: A 2 level town house in need of renovation situated in a central street of Alora. The house currently offers a sitting room and 3 bedrooms. It needs a new bathroom, new kitchen and would benefit from being rewired and re-plumbed. There is a nice terrace with views to the town. Water and electricity is available and there is good access to the property. The price reflects the amount of renovation required but when completed would offer any buyer a substantial family home.
specializing in
Fincas Country Villas Townhouses Cortijos Ruins Plots Rentals
AP471: Charming ruin on the outskirts of Alora with full renovation project and permission to build a 2 level, 145m2 house. It would offer a lounge, separate sitting room, kitchen/diner, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and separate w.c. Set in 10,000m2 of semi flat land with almonds, oranges, lemons and pomegranates. Mains electricity and well water is available. This property is in an ideal location for a rural retreat with stunning views of the Sierra de las Nieves Mountains.
Price: 125,000€ €
Price: 70,000€ €
952 498 454 mobile: 609 454 409 tel:
enquiries@aloraproperties.com www.aloraproperties.com Plaza Fuente Arriba s/n Alora
AP503: An end terrace house in Alora. The house extends over 2 streets with the accommodation over 3 levels. At garden level the current owner has converted the large garage/sub basement of 60m2 into a self contained apartment with independent access from the main house. The apartment offers a sitting room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom plus a 60m2 patio. The main house offers a reception hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a laundry room. Mains water and electricity is available.
AP560: A nice country house located on the outskirts of Alora set on 16,000m2 of gently sloping land planted with various fruit trees. The property offers an open plan bright and airy lounge, dining area, a large kitchen, 2 bedrooms, one en-suite, a separate shower room with w.c. and a storeroom. There is also a separate guest cottage offering an open plan living room/kitchen, 1 bedroom and bathroom. Approx 100m2 built. Both the house and guest cottage have central heating. There is a wooden studio/workshop, 10x4m swimming pool with sun terrace, wireless internet system and sunny and shady entertaining areas. There is electricity and a bore hole with a water purification system.
THE PRICE ON THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN DRAMATICALLY REDUCED FOR A QUICK SALE FROM 330,000€ € TO: 214,200€ €
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Fuengirola Town Centre ref 1996 fre An immaculately well maintained top floor apartment of 90m² situated only 50 metres from the beach & the main church square. This property which is of an open plan design, consists of 2 bedrooms, a lounge diner, kitchen and bathroom and 2 small terraces. No lift.
Cerros del Aguilla ref 2000 fre A well maintained independent villa, 110m ² in beautiful condition, situated in the community of Cerros de Aguilla. This 3 bedroom reformed villa comprises of lounge with fireplace, separate dining room, fitted kitchen, en suite bathroom. Built on a 890m² lot size with fruit trees, a number of terraces, BBQ area, covered patios and private pool. MUST SEE.
€ 148,000 €
€ 184,000 €
€ 335,000 €
Torreblanca ref 2021 fre Tastefully decorated 2 bed, 2 bath garden apartment set within the community of Monte Cañada. This apartment comes beautifully furnished with lounge diner, fitted kitchen leading to an enclosed garden + patio, 2 bedrooms one with en suite and a large terrace space from lounge and bedroom. Communal pool, gardens tennis and private parking space. Must see.
Torreblanca ref 2028 fre Charming villa with Spanish character in a quiet community with views to the sea and surrounded by gardens with fruit trees and own swimming pool. This villa comprises of an american style kitchen, lounge / diner with fireplace leading to a spacious sun terrace. Downstairs is a large master bedroom with en suite bathroom with circular tub, bedroom and a one bedroom apartment with own lounge, kitchenette and bathroom with own entrance. Covered parking and driveway with second drive on other side of the house.
D € CE 00 DU 5,0 RE 11 BY
Carvajal ref 2026 fre Paseo Maritimo Seafront one bedroom apartment with fantastic views of the beach and sea. This nice third floor apartment has a kitchen, bathroom with shower and bedroom. Private parking to the rear of the building. Ideal investment property.
Benalmadena Costa ref 1949 fre DISTRESS SALE A unique opportunity to acquire a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment of 110m² including 30m² of terrace and situated on the beach. Sensibly priced, taking into consideration that some upgrading is needed, the property also comprises of a spacious lounge diner, open plan kitchen, utility room & 1 bathroom. Uninterrupted sea views. Communal parking.
€ 160,000 € 199,000 € 360,000 € € € 29 C/ ESPANA, 29640 FUENGIROLA, MÁLAGA (same street as the main post office)
TEL: (+34) 952 479 749 · FAX: 952 478 662 Website: www.fuengirolarealestate.com E-mail: carol@fuengirolarealestate.com
e l i t e Glass Curtains SL SPECIALIST MANUFACTURERS AND INSTALLERS OF GLASS CURTAINS Create an all year round usable terrace Frameless glazing system Undisturbed views Specialist in manufacturing glass curtains 20 years experience in glazing industry Protect and reduce the effect of dust, wind, noise and rain Full public liability insurance Trade and commercial enquiries welcome References available upon request. From quotation to installation you can be sure of a first class product and service from Elite Glass Curtains For your free no obligation quotation call now on PHONE - 952 830 503 MOBILE - 630 625 085 E-MAIL - info@eliteglasscurtains.com WEB - www.eliteglasscurtains.com ELITE GLASS CURTAINS S.L., POLIGONO ELVIRIA 26, ELVIRIA 29600
S
pring is now on our doorstep and it’s the time to plan and create your oasis outdoors. Remember that your terrace, veranda, pool area and garden will now be your little piece of heaven on earth, your place of hiding while you relax and watch the beauty of nature all around you. As those warm lazy nights approach, now is the time to plan.
With so many places that sell this array of fabulous furniture where does one start? Furniture quality has never been higher, and manufacturers are paying closer attention to style and fabrics that mimic trends in indoor furniture. Because porches, decks and terraces have become your living rooms for the summer, their furnishings must be as functional and stylish as those inside the home. While wrought iron has always been an open-air favourite, there are many new
products on the market that can withstand the weather while still keeping their beauty and shape. Choose your furniture wisely; thinking of the style and theme you want to create.
Keep it natural‌
Abaca Lounger Designs of Asia 42 costa life
Wooden Garden Furniture can be the ideal solution to various seating problems in your outside area. You can turn a path into a destination for a sit down or consider adding a few pieces of wooden furniture to a less frequented corner. You can easily find some
costa HOMES >> pieces that add the perfect touch to your outside haven, since wooden garden furniture can suit just about any style. For example, rustic wooden furniture can add just the right touch; it is possible to get benches, tables and seats that are often made entirely from whole tree trunks that still have bark on them. Other pieces are a combination of pinewood and tree branches. This style of wooden furniture has a natural handcrafted look that makes them an excellent addition.
Wicker and rattan are always in style… One of the great things about this style is that it just doesn’t seem to get old. The smell, look and feel of wicker furniture for the patio is just as appealing today as it was 30 years ago. What’s improved is that now there are even more options than there used to be; chairs and table sets with cushions and pillows are fairly inexpensive and can be found almost everywhere. Then there’s rattan and abaca furniture which is strong, durable and made from tough fibre; it can be placed outdoors as well as indoors. It is not easy to wear out a piece of this furniture. It's fabricated to endure rigorous outdoor conditions, from sunlight exposure to extreme temperatures and heavy rain. You can place chairs by the pool or on the terrace. When evening comes, you can sit by the pool and sip your sangria while enjoying the evening breeze.
Teak Abaca Funiture set loungers from are beautifully crafted and gorgeous to look at. Designs of Asia These lounge chairs can be used on their own, or a pillow can be placed on them for added comfort. The classic look of teak will blend in beautifully with the natural environment and look stunning on a terrace. Teak requires some maintenance with semi-regular treatment using teak oil to keep it looking beautiful. Remember, a patio or deck doesn’t look finished if it is bare of furniture. A patio is complemented well by wooden, plastic or metal furniture. You should have no problem in locating the right pieces for your garden patio, and be sure to consider a patio heater. A heater can extend your use of the garden both daily and seasonally.
Take care… Care for any wood furniture, from Cedar to Kempas and everything in between, is exactly the same, so long as the wood is either unfinished or treated with an oil finish. For unfinished woods, which generally turn a beautiful silver or grey as the years go by, a light sanding once a year will knock down any fuzzy grain caused by rain, eliminate any larger fibres that could cause splinters, and
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Loungers… If you are looking for furniture specifically for lounging, you can choose from a variety of lounger chairs. Aluminium is an old classic for loungers that are easily stored, as they fold up easily and are lightweight enough to tote around, yet sturdy enough to support the weight of an adult. Plastic loungers are another option for you. These lounge chairs are moulded and therefore they do not fold down, resulting in a bulky chair that can be difficult to store. They are lightweight however, and may stand up longer than the aluminium ones.
costa life 43
point buying pricy loungers if you do not have the time or inclination to sit down and enjoy the weather. No matter what your choice is, with the wide variety of options available, there is something for everyone, and something to fit everyone's patio, deck, terrace or pool area - so enjoy!
generally give the wood a clean, smooth look. Don’t be overzealous in sanding, however: you don't want to sand through the silver and expose the original colour of the wood once the furniture is on its way to developing a natural patina. Furniture with an oil finish should be sanded in the same manner once a year, then given a light coat of whatever oil the manufacturer or retailer recommends.
Make the right choice‌ With so many choices available when it comes to furniture, it is important to remember to choose furniture that will suit your needs. There is no
44 costa life
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>> costaHOMES
Natural Air Fresheners… Here are some simple, homemade air fresheners to try: White vinegar removes odours naturally on surfaces and in the air. Baking soda absorbs odours, so place a few open boxes throughout the home. Boiling spices like cinnamon in a little bit of water releases its fragrance. Essential oils diluted in water can be used as a spray freshener-try a combination of your favorite essential oils like lemon and cedar. Or you can simply add oils to a bowl of water, which adds moisture to dry, inside air during winter months Burning essential oils in an aromatherapy diffuser is safer than burning paraffin candles. Soy or beeswax candles also offer natural waxes that can be burned to release pleasant fragrances.
Top tip… Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda works as a non-abrasive scouring cleaner on worktops and ovens, and in baths and sinks. It also rids clothes of perspiration odours when used in conjunction with clothes detergent in the washing machine.
Protect Your Organic Garden From Pests… Garlic.
Take 3 ounces of garlic (finely chopped) and add it to two teaspoons of mineral oil. Allow garlic to soak for at least 24 hours and then add one pint of water and a 1/4 ounce of dish soap. This makes a concentrate that will help control insects that eat up your organic garden. When you are ready to spray it on your organic garden, take 1-2 tablespoons and mix with one pint of water to make your spray on solution. Make sure to test the solution on the lower leaves first to make sure you have not mixed it too strong. Also be careful where you spray the solution because it can harm helpful insects as well.
Milk.
Milk can be used to control certain types of fungus in your organic garden. Take one part milk to nine parts water and spray on every 5-7 days for a total of three applications. Milk has proven to be effective against powdery mildew and black spots on organic vegetables and organic roses.
Newspaper/Cardboard. You can use newspaper or cardboard to help control weeds in your organic garden. These materials are biodegradable as well so they will eventually add carbon back to your soil. Place 4-6 sheets of newspaper or one sheet of cardboard over the weeds. It takes about a month, but the best time to do it is in the fall so that by spring, your organic garden is ready to go with some nice soil. Tip: If the weeds are in patches where you can isolate them, try pouring boiling water on top of them to kill them. 46 costa life
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I
was watching the news on Spanish TV the other day, as I occasionally do in a futile attempt to improve my pitiful Spanish vocabulary, when a news item came on with scenes of the strange behaviour of a bunch of cute furry caterpillars that were all walking in single file, head to toe, in an unbroken line that stretched for metres on end. The tickertape subtitle running along the bottom of the screen read ‘‘Plagas de Orugas Venenosas’’ which, after a quick consultation with the ‘Collins’, I managed to translate into ‘‘Plague of Poisonous Caterpillars.’’ What? Those cute little things? Poisonous? Then the video cut to a shot of strange, cobwebby looking balls hanging in a pine tree… apparently the place where the killer caterpillars live. I obviously didn’t understand a word of the actual story (other than peligroso being mentioned a number of times) so this problem plague could have been anywhere… I wasn’t really paying attention. It was only later that day, as I sat on my balcony looking out over the park below, that I noticed the same strange, cobwebby looking balls hanging in the pine trees in the park. Gasp! Shock! Horror! I’ve got killer caterpillars living next door to me! But how dangerous can a little furry caterpillar be? Well, after a bit of
research into them I can tell you that we are talking about the Pine Processionary Caterpillar (or Thaumetopoea pityocampa to biologists and pedants)… and it’s very dangerous. Google ‘‘pine processionary caterpillar’’ and you will discover the havoc that has been wreaked by this little critter, any many sad stories of the plight of people's pets after an encounter with one. Below is just one of many accounts of such an encounter. ‘‘We had a real scare the other day when we noticed that some of the pine trees had what looked like large silken webs in them and I thought they were large spiders’ nests or something similar. It turns out they are the nests of the Pine Processionary Caterpillar. Each about 3cm long, they are cute and furry and they follow each other around in long chains, sometimes metres long! They really are fascinating... and poisonous to dogs, cats, children and some adults. ‘‘Bobby, our nine-year-old lurcher/terrier, decided to eat some and the effect was horrible. He started salivating terribly but he couldn’t
swallow it as his tongue swelled up to double its size. The roof of his mouth was also badly swollen. Soon the saliva was dribbling down his chin and leaving little puddles everywhere. On inspection, his tongue had some awful black patches at the edges. He was in real distress and we took him to a fantastic vet who diagnosed ‘‘orugas de la procession.’’ He immediately put him on a saline drip and a hydrocortisone injection and, since my wife is a cardiac nurse, gave us another two saline drip bags and the tubes and whatnot medical stuff for another two days to do at home. ‘‘After about 24 hours Bobby was feeling a little better and was just about able to have a drink on his own but he wasn’t interested in food. 48 hours later and he was in much better spirits, but the black stuff on the edge of his tongue was tissue that the poison off the caterpillars’ hairs has killed and we were due to bring Bobby back to the vet about a week later to have this necrosis surgically removed. However, the day before we were due at the vet the rotten parts of his tongue (which turned from black to greenish-grey to white) fell of by themselves (or were swallowed - we never found them...) and all the vet did was dab some iodine on what was left of his tongue and prescribe a disinfectant mouth spray. ‘‘All in all this was not a pleasant experience, especially for Bobby. It has affected his ability to eat and drink, both of which he now does with a little difficulty and takes a noticeably longer time to accomplish.’’ Françoise et Danielle, Le Pouchan
Pine Processionary Caterpillar Native to southern Europe, northern Africa and parts of Asia, Processional Pine Caterpillars can be a major danger to animals and, to a lesser degree, humans. Do not touch them, warn your children that they are not like the friendly English caterpillar. The very fine hairs are poisonous and most dangerous. The caterpillars are first noticed living in silk cocoon style nests in the pine trees to which they are most harmful, stripping them of the pine needles and, when hungry, they will leave their cocoon to seek out another, as yet uninfested tree, on which to feed. They travel nose to tail in a line, hence the name Processional. They are most noticeable from January to mid April and are at their most dangerous in mid/late February, often seen in the evenings walking in lines going from tree to tree. If they drop on you or your pet don’t brush them off with your hands, the effect is most unpleasant, causing great irritation, rash and pain. Dogs, cats and people can suffer from shock. The caterpillars are still virulent even when dead. Do not hit them with sticks as the hairs flying in the air are just as dangerous. Burn them but be careful of floating hairs. If the caterpillars are in the tree cocoon state, spray with hair spray, cover the cocoon and the affected part of the branch with a plastic bag, cut down that part of the branch, place it on clear ground and burn it. If the caterpillars are on the ground marching, it is better first to spray them with lighter fuel then set them alight. This reduces the risk of flying hairs. Obviously, take care to only do this where you can not inadvertently start a forest fire, as the summer months can be very dry. If you live near pine trees it is recommended that you keep
Antihistamine tablets handy as an early treatment. In particular, avoid ingesting the hairs; dogs are most at risk by sniffing the ground where they are or have marched. Take particular care with your eyes. If affected, the result is serious, causing pain and swelling as with a bad case of conjunctivitis. If you’d like to know more about these pests, the following web page contains a detailed description of the insect, its lifecycle and ‘processional’ behaviour http://web.cortland.edu/fitzgerald/PineProcessionary.html. If you see any of their nests in a public park you should report it to the town hall who will arrange to have them removed. Don’t mess with them yourselves - and keep your pets and children well away.
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Obtaining a Mortgage In Spain W
ho offers mortgages?
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.
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.
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?
What is the cost of arranging a mortgage?
Mostly commonly, 15 or 20 years, but up to 35 years can be arranged.
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.
What information will the bank require:
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. 50 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
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.
ACCOUNTANT, TAX AND LEGAL ADVISOR Bookkeeping for Companies & Self Employed Resident & Non Resident’s Taxes Assistance regarding procedures at the Social Security, Tax Office, Trafico, Town Hall, etc. Possibility of collecting & delivering paperwork in Costa del Sol
Mercedes Martínez García Economist Tel: 606 53 35 11 Email: mercedes@legatum.net
The Complete Property Service Package Pre Crash Sterling Payment Rates Available quote this advert when phoning
Tel:952 832 656 Fax:952 832 717 www.casacare.com info@casacare.com Edificio Framire, Calle Alcornoque, Elviria, Marbella 29604
Jubaea chilensis
Article & images by
Simon Hill
T
here are 3,000 or more known species of Palms, but few will have the opportunity to see them in their natural habitat. We are more likely to see palms along an avenue or promenade such as in Fuengirola or Benalmadena. The ‘plague’ of beetles that has been the recent scourge of coastal palms has caused the death of thousands of Canary Island palms but has so far not spread to the other palms commonly cultivated in our region, Washingtonia and Syagrus. The loss of many palms over the last ten years makes it more urgent for gardeners and municipal authorities to consider to use a more diverse range of palms, as yet not susceptible to the palm beetle and allowing more interesting planting schemes.
Of all fan palms, Bismarckia nobilis, the Bismarck Palm, has to be considered one of the most stunningly elegant. Its huge grey-blue fanshaped fronds, up to 3m across, are unique. In its native Madagascar it will reach a height of 20 metres. It is unlikely to reach this height other than in subtropical climates such as Florida but Bismarckia can succeed in our coastal zone and it is a pity that it is not more widely planted. Although this palm tends to be more expensive than Washingtonias, it should be a worthwhile investment for many gardens.
Differences between palms can be both subtle and striking. Brahea armata, the Mexican Blue Palm, is not as its name suggests, strikingly blue. The fan-shaped leaves have a grey-green hue. In nature, Braheas can be found growing alongside the Washingtonia Palm. Brahea armata is well-suited to our climate and has the additional bonus of being adapted to drought conditions. Long flowering stems that sprout from the heart of the plant almost reach the ground. This palm will reach 15 metres. Older specimens are reported to stand frost down to -10 oC making this plant a good alternative inland as well as along the coast. Of the same genus, Brahea edulis, the Guadalupe Palm, is almost extinct in its native habitat: the island of Guadalupe off the west coast of Mexico. Sailors would often leave goats at places where they were staying in order to guarantee a fresh supply of meat. As many readers will know, goats will eat virtually anything and the Guadalupe palm became a victim of the goats’ greed. Happily, this palm is very popular in cultivation, preferring dry, warm, frost-free conditions, although slight frost may be tolerated. It is a fan palm but has distinct, diamond shaped leaves. Unlike the washingtonias, this palm tends to shed its dead leaves and may not require cleaning! As the latin epithet edulis suggests, the fruits of this tree are edible but do not have any culinary merit here in the west. They are said to be similar to a date.
Fruit of Gaudalupe palm - Brahea edulis There is a common misconception that few palm species are cold hardy. This is far from the truth. A fine example is the feather-leaved Chilean Wine Palm; Jubaea chilensis. In its native habitat this palm will grow up to 1,400 metres above sea level and stand frost to -15 oC. Historically, the Wine Palm has had a variety of economic benefits. The sap from its trunk was traditionally turned into a fermented drink as well as being boiled down to make a thick syrup, locally called Miel de Palma. The whole tree must be cut to harvest the sap and the once enormous native population of Jubaea chilensis has become threatened. The palm fruits are also eaten locally. Jubaea has a massive trunk and will grow to 15 metres. Butia capitata or the Jelly Palm is another feather leaved palm that has become popular with gardeners over the last few years, needing a warm climate but able to survive short periods at -10 oC. It is a relatively small palm, only reaching 6 metres at maturity. Size does not matter as the trunk of this distinctive grey-blue palm is clothed in the stubs of old leaves, giving the appearance of an armoured dinosaur! As with many palms, these stubs can be used as a support to grow aerial Bromeliads. The graceful palm fronds are similar to those of the canary and date palm. Once again, as the common name ‘Jelly’ would suggest, the palm has a culinary use. Its fruits contain sweet yellow flesh that is made into a jam-like substance, eaten by the local people of its native southeastern Brazil. Though I have never had the opportunity, one can eat the date-like fruits, said to be delicious, straight from the tree. Butia is frost hardy to -10 oC. As we can see, palms may have an exotic feel but a large number are tough enough to withstand short periods of frost and the other extremes of our climate. When deciding to plant any palm, other than dwarf species, it is important to bear in mind that, as they mature and reach for the sky, they will require maintaining. This mainly involves the clearing away of old and dead foliage. This can become an expensive job, requiring to be carried out yearly with some specimens. It is fascinating to watch specialists in this field dash up and down a palm trunk with the aid of crampons. Neglecting this task can lead to a palm tree becoming a danger as heavy dead foliage may fall to the ground in high winds. Most garden centres or agricultural merchants will point you in the direction of a skilled local palm trimmer. Lastly, if we are to believe the Press, the bad drought that has affected our region for the last five years or so is over. A trip out to the lakes above El Chorro and Ardales will confirm this. In the eight years of living here I have never seen so much water. Summer this year promises to be a less worrying period than in previous gardening years for those of us who rely on water from the lakes, as we can now expect to receive our full quota of irrigation water throughout the dry summer period.
Bismarckia nobilis Bromeliad growing on a palm trunk
For further details, advice or if you have any questions contact Simon at fincarosablanca@telefonica.net
Butia capitata
Brahea armata in its native habitat of Mexico
Written by
Erny Harrison
o
ne of my favourite snacks is a hot waffle with a thick lashing of butter and a generous helping of honey, dripping all over the place. Not to be recommended if you’re on a slimming diet!
To fill just one 500 gram jar with honey, bees have to visit a staggering 2.5 million flowers. They are very prolific: not only do they produce around 30,000 tons of honey in Spain alone (and even then Spain still has to import honey from abroad, mainly China and Argentina) but think of the other products: wax, royal jelly and pollen. Much less known is that honey bees also produce propolis, a natural substance with which they cover their hives, as we would cover our home with paint. Human beings have availed themselves of this by-product for well over 2,000
costaSTUFF >> (remember To the Manor Born?) does not do a lot of harm as it is interested in other insects, especially the wasp. The most serious threat comes from a mite, the ‘Varoa destructor’ which attaches itself to the body of a bee and sucks their blood, leaving open wounds which weaken the bee. They enter the beehives attached to the bees and are capable of destroying entire beehives in no time at all. Since around 2003 they have caused the destruction of some 40% of the Spanish bee population. Now that more and more products are coming onto the market, which cause bees to become less prone to this disease, the numbers are slowly rising again. From paintings portraying honey collection discovered in La Cueva de la Araña (The Cave of the Spider) in Bicorp, Valencia it seems that the relationship with honey bees goes back around seven to eight thousand years. Spain has around 26,000 beekeepers of which 6,000 are professional. Up to six years ago some 720,000 million domestic bees were active in this country, making Spain the proud owner of the largest amount of bees in the whole of Europe. This amounted to 24 million beehives, each containing some 30,000 bees. There are many different kinds of honey, depending on the kind of flowers in the area. The best known is undoubtedly the milflores (thousand flowers). Other varieties consist often of only one flower, of which the sunflower is the most popular one, followed closely by orange blossom, thyme, heather and rosemary. Many of these honeys are now protected by a ‘Denominación de Origin’, which to the bee keeper has the same importance as that title has for the vineyard owner. The same stringent set of rules applies. The ‘Denominación’ was introduced by the Spanish Government to improve the bad reputation of many locally produced honeys by amateur beekeepers, who still used the same old fashioned and not very scrupulous methods which had been in the family for generations. Checks are very detailed and include details of water content, acidity and colour amongst other things. Hygiene, correct labelling and storage conditions also form part of the regular inspections. Over the years, the ‘Denominación’ has become of great importance to the professional beekeepers and has improved the quality of Spanish honey considerably. One very interesting and hardly known aspect of bee keeping is the number of professional Spanish itinerant beekeepers. They form 60% of the total number of beekeepers. They travel with their bees over Spain, moving from crop to crop where the flowers are in bloom, and there they gain their different kinds of honey. But too much travelling and the honey production can drop considerably as the bees, which are very sensitive insects, get unsettled and restless which of course does harm to their production. Most travelling hives are of the popular ‘Layens’ brand, a single storey wooden hive with a hinged lid, a fixed floor and, on average, 12 to 14 large honeycombs.
years! Applied to wounds and a great help in curing infections, it is sold by chemists and health food shops in a variety of forms: creams, tonics, tablets and powders. It can be applied directly onto the wound or infected areas, but keep it well away from your eyes! Bees also produce apitoxina, which we know better as a bee sting. It is a colourless liquid which, as we all know, causes pain and irritation. To people who are allergic to bee stings it can do much more than that, producing anaphylactic shock with symptoms such as breathlessness and, in severe cases, unconsciousness. Always remove the sting completely from the affected area and, in case of hyper allergy, apply an anti-histamine cream or take a Poloramine tablet as quickly as possible (available at the chemist). In defence I must add that this same colourless liquid is also beneficial to the human race. Studies and experiments are being conducted on the effect this natural product can have to combat the symptoms of rheumatism and other joint disorders. The Spanish bee (melifera iberica) is considered to be more aggressive than his other European counterparts. It is small, black insect with short body hair. There are not many predators. Even the Bee-Eater bird
However there is a growing demand for a totally new concept in beehives, developed by the Termos La Campera SL in Cordoba. This company uses polyurethane for the production of their hives. In summer the soaring heat also affects the inside of wooden hives. To keep them as cool as possible bees have to keep fluttering their wings, which takes up a considerable amount of time. By using polyurethane the hives are kept at a constant temperature. No more fluttering means more time for honey production! Because they are lightweight they are easier to transport and maintenance is kept to a minimum. Next time you go to the supermarket to buy honey spare a thought for those thousand of bees which made it possible!
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Costa
Cuisine
by Jan Morley
‘‘FINGER ON THE PULSE’’ It is great news that pulses are back in fashion, just when we need inexpensive, hearty food with lots of flavour!
What are pulses? Pulses and soya Peas, beans and lentils, collectively known as pulses, come in dozens of varieties with a host of flavours and textures. Pulses make a comforting and filling ingredient for winter dishes - they also successfully thicken soups and casseroles and soak up flavours well.
About pulses Pulses form a significant source of protein and iron for vegetarians. They also absorb the flavours of other ingredients particularly well - whether it’s a pungent mix of garlic and ginger in Indian dhal or the meaty flavour of sausage in a typically Andalusian stew of chickpeas and pork.
When choosing dried pulses look for shiny beans, all roughly the same size: faded beans are likely to be old. Lentils need no pre-soaking, but other dried pulses are best left in cold water over-night. Canned (pre-cooked) pulses are a great option because they have already been soaked and cooked, you can add them straight to salads, soups or stews, but the dried versions are usually cheaper and better quality, but take more time to prepare.
Types of pulses Black-eyed beans are small, creamy-flavoured beans with a black ‘scar’ where they were joined to the pod. They are much used in American and African cooking. Borlotti beans are an Italian bean with a mild bittersweet flavour, used in regional stews and often mixed with Broad beans or fava beans, and are floury in texture when dried. Butter beans are large, creamy-coloured beans with a soft, floury texture when cooked. They make a great vegetarian pate and in mixed bean salads, or rich, wintry stews. They are also a useful source of potassium. Cannellini beans are creamy-white and have a fluffy texture when cooked. They go well in soups, salads and stew.
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costa STUFF >> Chickpeas are shaped like hazelnuts and have a nutty, buttery flavour. They’re used around the world in dishes such as the Indian spicy curry, kabli chana, or the Spanish soup, caldo Gallego. They’re a key ingredient of hummus (a dip of chickpeas, tahini, oil and garlic) and falafel (a deepfried Middle-Eastern snack usually served hot). Chickpeas need to be soaked from dried, but canned chickpeas do just as well for most recipes. Garbanzos (Spanish for chickpeas) are a good source of cholesterollowering fibre, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, their high fibre content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, garbanzos provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. Kidney beans go well in mixed bean salads and stews such as chilli con carne, dried kidney beans should be cooked carefully because they contain toxins on the outer skin when raw. Soak overnight in cold water, boiling for 10 minutes, removes the toxins then simmer for 50 minutes approx until tender. LENTILS-Large, flat brown or green lentils retain their shape during cooking and are delicious in soups. Red and yellow lentils cook down well, can be pureed, and are much used in Indian recipes such as spicy dhal. Tiny green Puy lentils have a distinctive flavour and keep their shape and colour when cooked, making them great in salads. Pinto beans are the original ingredient of Mexican refried beans.
Soaking and cooking pulses Most dried pulses need soaking overnight before cooking. Exceptions are lentils, green and yellow split peas and mung beans. A quicker method is to bring them to the boil in a pan then turn the heat off and soak them for about an hour covered. Always discard the soaking water, rinse and cook in fresh water. Allow about 55g/2oz dried weight per person. Once soaked and cooked they’ll at least double in weight. Canned pulses need to be rinsed before use. Soya beans are high in calcium, low in saturated fats, and cholesterol-free. They are proteinpacked and full of iron. The beans can be ground into flour, fermented, or can undergo several other processing methods to form a variety of foods.
SPANISH CHICKPEA, SPINACH AND CHORIZO STEW 225g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained 50ml plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 large onion, finely diced 1 leek finely sliced 1 large tin whole tomatoes, chopped 1 400g tomato frito 225g Spanish chorizo, diced 400g spinach,chopped, thick stems discarded Salt and freshly ground pepper Few sprigs of thyme
Method
If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight in cold water. In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, about 2 hours; add more water as necessary to maintain the level. Drain the chickpeas and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. In a large pan heat some olive oil. Saute the garlic, onion and leek, and cook until they are softened. Add the tomatoes, tomato frito, chorizo and chickpeas. Simmer for 10 minutes, stir in half of the spinach and cook until wilted, then stir in the remaining spinach. Simmer over moderately low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use the reserved cooking stock to thin the sauce, if required. Season with salt and pepper. As a vegetarian option, simply omit the chorizo and add diced peppers and courgette, when adding the onions.
costa life 57
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By Russell Vaughan Mintmicro S.L 952 596 346
How much Electricity does my computer use? A typical desktop computer uses about 65 to 350 watts. To find the figure for your particular computer you can contact the manufacturer (not me), or see the section on measuring electrical use. With most devices you can look at the label to see how much energy they use, but that doesn’t work so well with computers because the label gives the theoretical maximum, not the actual amount used. A computer whose label or power supply says 300 watts might only use about 70 watts when it’s actually running, and only 100 even in peak times with serious number-crunching and all the drives spinning. Computers Desktop Computer On screen saver Sleep / standby Laptop
60-250 watts 60-250 watts (no difference) 1 -6 watts 15-45 watts
Monitors Typical 17’’ CRT Typical 17’’ LCD Sleeping monitor (dark screen) Monitor turned off at switch
80 watts 35 watts 0-15 watts 0-10 watts
As long as your computer goes into sleep/standby when you’re not using it, your computer doesn’t use much electricity, compared to the rest of your household. You’ll save a lot more energy by addressing your heating, cooling, and lighting use rather than obsessing over your computer. For most people, their computers’ energy use is not a significant portion of their total use, even if they use their computers a lot. Of course, you should absolutely make sure your computer is set to sleep automatically when you’re not using it, because it’s silly to waste energy, but your computer likely isn’t even close to being the biggest energy-waster in your home.
How much it costs to run your computer To calculate your costs use this formula: Watts x Hours Used x Cost per kilowatt-hour = Total Cost For example, let’s say you have a big high-end computer with a gaminglevel graphics card and an old CRT monitor, and you leave them on 24/7.
That’s about 330 watts x 24 hours x 365 days/yr = 2,890,800 watthours, or 2891 kilowatt-hours. If you’re paying €0.14 per kWh, you’re paying €405 a year to run your computer. Let’s try a different example: You have a computer that’s less of an energy hog, which uses about 105 watts, and you’re smart enough to turn it off when you’re not using it. You use it for two hours a day, five days a week. That’s ten hours a week, or 520 hours a year. So your 105 watts times 520 hours = 54,600 watt-hours. Divide by 1000 and you have 55 kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you’re paying €0.14 per kilowatt-hour, then you’re paying €7.70 a year to run your computer. That’s quite a range, €7.70 to €405 a year. It really depends on what kind of computer it is, and how much you use it -- and especially whether you sleep it when you’re not using it. Both the examples above are extremes. I said that was just an example. Your situation is almost certainly different, and you need to consider all the variables, like what kind of computer it is, how much you use it, and most especially whether you leave it running all the time or sleep it when you're not using it.
Is the UK trying to save on IT The British Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has spent £4.7bn ($6.6bn) on its new biometric ID card system. In a statement released earlier in the year, the IPS reiterated its schedule for releasing the cards, beginning with over 50,000 foreign nationals by this April, then airport workers in the fall of 2009, and leading up to full availability in 2011 and 2012 ‘‘to the wider population on an entirely voluntary basis.’’ But according to reports in the press there are no police stations, border entry points, or job centres equipped to actually read the cards. And IPS planning documents make no mention of card readers. Without the necessary card readers, the biometric information such as fingerprint or Iris scans stored in the cards are inaccessible and therefore useless for modern ID purposes. Without card readers, British citizens will need to decide whether it is worth their while to acquire the biometric cards at a fees quoted up to £140 ‘‘On an entirely voluntary basis,’’ of course.
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Kate Thornton lets rip at X Factor boss… Kate told Closer magazine: ‘I’ll never talk to Simon again. He fired me to create headlines without even telling me beforehand, when we had been good friends. ’She added: ‘Sharon and Louis Walsh really supported me, but at the end of the day it was a game of ‘Simon Says’ and he wanted me out.The 35-year-old is now a happy mother-of-one. And now instead of mingling with the stars, the presenter says she is much happier being a mother.
Paul McCartney has yoga eyes … Sir Paul McCartney is hooked on a bizarre new workout from India - eye yoga. Macca picked up the strange eye-stretching techniques during his divorce from Heather Mills. And now he works out his eyes up to six times a day. He said: ‘‘When I was in India there was a guy at one of the hotels who offered to teach me eye yoga exercises’’. The ex-Beatle, now dating US trucking heiress Nancy Shevell, has even developed his own moves, which he has called the Union Jack and Tree Hand.
Mickey’s sad news… Mickey Rourke is mourning the death of his pet Chihuahua, Loki. Mickey said: ‘‘Loki is deeply missed but is with me in spirit. I feel blessed that she fell asleep peacefully in my arms.’’ The Hollywood actor carried the pooch with him to premieres, and once spent £3,500 flying Loki to England to be with him while he filmed. At last month’s Golden Globes the star thanked all his pet pooches, past and present: ‘‘I’d like to thank all my dogs, the ones who are here and the ones who aren’t here anymore, because sometimes when a man’s alone, all you got is your dog. And they’ve meant the world to me.’’
Heidi Klum has defended her body image… The move comes after a designer allegedly slated her for being ‘‘too heavy’’. Fashion pro, Wolfgang Joop is quoted as saying the mum-of-three ‘‘is no runway model’’. ‘‘She’s simply too heavy and has too big a bust, ‘‘Now Heidi herself has hit back at the apparent claims. ‘‘Do I care? I really don't think about it. What am I supposed to say? It’s his opinion,’’ she told the Metro, from a New York Victoria’s Secret store, the brand for which she also models. ‘‘In this business you have to be fit, but I always try to be a good role model and not too thin," she added.
>> Quantum of Solace Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Gemma Arterton Daniel Craig returns as Ian Fleming’s most famous creation in Quantum of Solace, the first film in the James Bond series to follow directly on from the previous entry. Continuing where Casino Royale concluded, Quantum of Solace finds Bond on a perilous mission to uncover the truth behind the betrayal of his beloved Vesper, while keeping one step ahead of M (Judi Dench) the CIA and a shadowy organisation fronted by the diabolical Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric).
>> Changeling Angelina Jolie, Gattlin Griffith, Michelle Martin, Jan Devereaux Based on a shocking but all-too-true story about child abduction and police corruption in 1920s Los Angeles. Single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) finds her 9-year-old son, Walter, missing when she returns home from work one day. She files a report with the Los Angeles Police Department, an outfit that was wildly unpopular at the time. When a child roughly matching Walter’s description turns up in Illinois five months later, the LAPD,claim that he is Collins'’missing child. What follows is almost too nightmarish to believe--except that it actually happened.
>> The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
>> Easy Virtue
Cara Horgan, Jack Scanlon, Asa Butterfield, Sheila Hancock, David Heyman
Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jessica Biel, Kimberley Nixon, Ben Barnes
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is set during the Second World War, in and around a Nazi concentration camp. It tells its tale through the eyes of two young boys. One is the son of the camp's commandant, while the other is wearing the striped pyjamas of the title.The two boys meet and ultimately befriend one another, and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas tells the difficult story of their companionship. It does it extremely well; too, careful to understate proceedings and demonstrate a restraint that serves the subject matter well.
Set in the twilight of the roaring twenties and at the cusp of the next decade, EASY VIRTUE is the story of John Whittaker, a young Englishman who, after falling head-overheels in love with glitzy American Larita, finds himself getting married rather promptly. Returning to the family home, Larita’s newfound mother-in-law develops an instant allergic reaction to the Whitakers' newest family member. While accommodating to Mrs Whittaker's prickly personality at first, Larita quickly discovers that in order to make her marriage work, she must play her mother-in-law at her own game, and a battle of wits ensue...
AmberNight DVD and book store Specialists in UK and US TV series box sets Latest DVD and book releases, both fiction and non-fiction DVD and book orders taken Open 10-2 & 5-9 Mon - Fri Sat 10-2 AVDA Jesus Santos Rein, Fuengirola Near Horses Head roundabout
952 467 785 ambernightspain@aol.com
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>> costa STUFF
Welcome to
CHAIN! A new charity has arrived in Malaga. CHAIN (Charity for Animals In Need) has been set up to support all animal related charities. By using its bulk purchasing power it can ensure that the limited funds available to charities are put to best use. All of the team are volunteers - giving up their time to ensure a better life for the abused and abandoned animals in the province.
home made produce such as pickles and vegetables are particularly wanted.
The charity officially launched on the 3 February with the opening of its charity shop behind Leslie’s Bar in Sierra Gorda on the Coin/Cartama road. Animal lovers mingled with a constant flow of bargain hunters. Nice nibbles, an abundance of wine, donations and music from the team at 106.8 Ace FM helped to make the evening a success. In the UK, charity shops are one of the few One of the stunning businesses making profits at this time. And outfits you can pick up why not? As well as the chance to buy cheap People browsing for ready for this years you are doing your bit for recycling and you bargains at the new shop Ferias might pick up a retro bargain just like Steve and Moira from Celebrations in Alhaurin. As well as donating to CHAIN, So if you’re a bit sceptical about the charity scene - try CHAIN and you they picked up a jigsaw puzzle with a 1960s theme - bringing back might find that they provide the link you’ve been looking for. memories of the Beatles and mini-skirts. Just what you need for these Contact Details: long winter nights! Shop Can CHAIN help you? If you are a charity or an animal-related cause you Chrissy 679814799 can apply for help from CHAIN. Just contact one of the team for further Sunday Market Irene 672399320 details on they can try to help your good work. Animal Issues & Adoption 672399323 And can you help CHAIN? It’s difficult times for everyone - but especially Kelly those trying to raise money. You can support CHAIN by making donations Press, PR and Face book of unwanted goods, they will collect and by coming along to their events. Wendy chaininspain@hotmail.com CHAIN is not just about cats and And if you want to try and combine helping out and making a bit of money dogs we help all animals for yourself - why not hold a stall at the Sunday Market or the Saturday including horses, donkeys and Craft Market. There are pitches available for a small fee. Bric-a-brac and
birds Some of the animals waiting to get out to good homes
Duke - one of our first success stories. Found in a fountain, badly injured and scared of everything, he has just been re-homed to the UK 62 costa life
costa STUFF >>
NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS?
W
hether or not that saying is true, it seems to be a fact that most of the news we hear today is bad! We are constantly bombarded by the media with news of plane crashes, fire devastation, earthquakes or flooding leaving total disaster in its wake. If it’s not natural disasters being reported then we hear of shocking child abuse, murders and terrorist activity. At present we are continually told how bad the global economy is with accounts of individuals struggling to survive in this financial climate. All in all the media appear to delight in giving us shocking and distressing news. How often do we hear about anything good that may be happening in the world today? How refreshing it has been to read and hear of the plane that landed in the Hudson River recently! A story of survival and courage! It cannot be denied of course that we need to know what is happening around the world today but why must it always be the bad news? Stories of courage in the face of adversity or survival of individuals in desperate circumstances through unexplained divine intervention are few and far between. If these accounts are ever reported we would usually find them on the inside back page of the newspaper or as an afterthought on the TV news.
So my question to you is …..What news are you focused on? Are you absorbing a steady diet of horrendous, depressing and alarming news bringing you into a state of fear and hopelessness? Or do you know how to focus on good news? We all have a choice! We can concentrate on the negative climate in which we live and allow ourselves to be dragged down into despair and fear. Or we can hear the bad news but decide to focus on uplifting aspects of the world we live in. For example in the midst of this global credit crunch there are reports of some enterprising individuals and small businesses finding the gap in the market that they need in order to prosper and succeed while many others are failing. Certain ‘‘pound shops’’ are doing a roaring trade while more expensive establishments are failing. Once our ears are open to hear the good news that comes to us from God Himself we find that we can have peace in the midst of despair all around us. As we experience that peace we have an overwhelming desire to share that with others. Some may think that we are trying ‘‘to ram the Bible down their throats!’’ but it is impossible to remain silent when one discovers such a treasure. Jesus set out his mission in his hometown of Nazareth, ‘‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favour has come.’’ God tells us to share the good news wherever and whenever we can. ‘‘So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food, drink and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing?………..Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not!’’ Why not decide today to direct your attention away from all the depressing news that continually bombards our ears and turn your hearing towards the Good News. God loves you and desires to bless you right now. Scriptures (New Living Testament) Luke 4:18,19 & Matthew 6:25 Annette Riggall The Evangelical Christian Fellowship ‘‘an oasis where the Word of God is preached and the love of God is shared.’’ Sundays 4.30pm Iglesia San Miguel, Calahonda Tel/Fax (0034) 952 930 275 E-mail: tecfellowship@gmail.com Website: www.calahondachurch.com Pastors Peter and Annette Riggall
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>> costa AUTOS announced 850 redundancies at the Cowley production plant in Oxfordshire.
Auto News New Focus Here are the pictures that prove the Focus is on style at Ford like never before! It’s a new three-door Coupé version of the blue oval’s family hatchback and it has VW's Scirocco and Renault's Mégane Coupe in its sights. Ford has ambitious plans for the next-generation Focus range, with the first variant, the C-MAX MPV, due in 2010. As Renault has shown with the Mégane, it's possible to offer two very different hatchbacks in the same model range with a more conservatively styled five-door that appeals to core family buyers - and a sleeker coupé-style machine for younger customers. And that’s just what this Focus aims to do. These exclusive pictures give the best view yet as to how the newcomer could look. It takes inspiration from the successful shape of the latest Fiesta with its lower grille, which is accompanied by bold headlights and LED spotlights. Chunkier wheel arches and huge alloys add visual muscle, but the most head-turning features are the steeply rising waistline and angular C-pillars. At the rear is a sloping tail with neat lights, a diffuser-style lower bumper and a smart roof spoiler. Up front will be a new dashboard that boasts even higher quality materials than the current Focus, but the big change is a control system similar to BMW’s iDrive and Mercedes’ COMAND set-ups, which will help reduce clutter. Under the skin lies Ford’s new compact family car platform, which engineers at the company are currently developing. The three-door will have slightly stiffer suspension settings than the five-door for more agility and driver appeal. The Focus Coupé will arrive in late 2010, with an estate and a CC due around a year later.
Honda Insight Prices Honda has confirmed that the new hybrid Insight will go on sale in the UK priced from £15,490. That amount buys you the entry-level SE, but the most popular model is expected to be the mid-range ES, which comes as standard with 16’’ alloy wheels, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, front fog lights, heated front seats, leather steering wheel and gear knob, paddle shift control of the CVT transmission, privacy glass and a USB port for MP3 players, and costs £16,790. The top model is the £18,390 ES-T, which is the same as the ES except for the addition of a handsfree phone facility and DVD s a t e l l i t e navigation.
Spain approves 4bn euro car industry aid On Friday 13th February, Spain’s government said it had approved a 4 billion euro package to support the country's car industry and protect jobs. Spanish Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian said Spain’s car sector urgently needed support, as it drove 6 percent of Spanish economic growth, 64 costa life
provided over 350,000 jobs and accounted for more than 20 percent of exports. Under the Spanish plan, the government will channel 1.2 billion euros in state credit to boost car purchases during 2009 and 2010. Spain will also earmark 800 million euros to help car and vehicle part makers upgrade plants and boost value-added production. A further 950 million euros will go towards improving rail, road and sea distribution systems and 320 million euros towards research projects, over 2 years. The government will give 100 million in tax breaks on research spending by firms. The remainder of the 4 billion euro package is made up of state credit lines. Most of the measures have been previously announced as part of Spain’s 70 billion euro economic stimulus plan. Spain has been hit hard by the economic recession and new-car sales in the country have fallen steeply as consumers avoid big ticket purchases. Spanish car sales fell by 41.6 percent to 59,835 in January versus a year earlier. Spain is the latest country to offer help to automakers. Germany has a 2 billion euro program and the UK government has announced a 3 billion euros aid package. The French government is loaning Renault and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen 6 billion euros in low-interest loans.
Mini joins auto sector woe with 850 lay-offs In February the Mini became the latest car manufacturer to give in to the economic downturn as BMW, the brand’s owner
The company is blaming ‘‘volatile market conditions’’ for the need to change from a three-shift to a two-shift pattern, which means closing production altogether at weekends. All the staff to go will be agency workers, and any BMW employees working on the weekend shift will be redeployed. Mini joins a growing list including Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Ford that have been forced to make job cuts by plummeting demand. M i n i , renowned worldwide since it starred alongside Michael Caine in ‘‘The Italian Job’’ in 1969 has been a considerable success story for its German owner. The brand was bought by BMW in 1994 as part of the Rover group. And when BMW finally gave up the struggle and sold Rover off in 2000, Mini was the only part that was kept. Since the launch of the new model in 2001, the marque has hit the big time worldwide. 5.3 million were sold across the globe between the launch in August 1959 and the closure of the Longbridge plant in 2000 and more than a million Minis have been exported, to 80 countries, since the new style went into production at Cowley in 2001.
Brits mostly unaware of drink driving laws in Spain Most Brits appear to be unaware of how strong the d r i n k driving laws are in Spain. So before you think about drinking and driving now the weather is getting warmer think again. Spain has stricter drunk driving laws than many other countries. The legal limit is 0.05% and 0.01% for new drivers. They are serious about drunk driving and have strict penalties, such as heavy fines, loss of license and imprisonment. Alcohol is a major factor in a high percentage of Spain's road accidents (around a third of drivers in fatal accidents are over the alcohol limit), particularly those that occur late at night. Drunken driving can result in a fine of up to €1,500, loss of points from your license or its suspension and even imprisonment. Drivers who refuse to take a breath test are liable to a prison sentence of 6 to 12 months and a loss of six points. Note that the same regulations apply to cyclists, although they don't lose any points! If you have an accident while under the influence of alcohol, your car and health insurance could be nullified. This means that you must pay your own and any third party’s car repairs, medical expenses and other damages, which could run to millions of euros.
For all your insurance needs, do it the right way. Motor insurance for UK and Spanish plates, home and contents, health insurance, pet, travel and commercial insurance. Established on the coast for over 7 years thousands of satisfied customers Situated Centro Comercial Las Postas, Local 9, Sitio de Calahonda or arrange cover by calling
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A
s an introduction to our new Costa Autos section in Costa Life what better way to start than with a look at the upcoming 2009 Formula 1 season?
The 2009 Formula One season is the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. As it stands, there are a total of nine teams signed up to compete in the championship. The Formula One Teams Association and the FIA have also agreed to reserve an entry for the Former Honda team, which has been put up for sale by the Honda Motor Company and will either not take part in the 2009 season or will take part under another name. At the time of going to print Richard Branson was in the news as a possible buyer. After becoming the youngest ever World Champion last year Lewis Hamilton has already laid down the gauntlet to his competitors and is determined to defend his title. He helped McLaren set the fastest time of the 2009 cars during the final day of the week’s tests at Jerez in February. Although Sebastian Bourdais was guaranteed the top spot as his Scuderia Toro Rosso outfit were alone in running their 2008 car, it was left to Hamilton and Renault's Fernando Alonso to lead the way with
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the new cars. Hamilton's best lap of one minute 19.632 seconds, set with his McLaren fitted with a 2008 rear wing, was just more than two tenths of a second clear of Alonso, who appeared to eek some more pace from the R29 than it has shown capable of earlier in the week. Nico Rosberg was fourth fastest for Williams, almost one-and-a-half seconds adrift of Alonso, while Mark Webber was fifth for Red Bull Racing. The BBC has regained the rights to broadcast the Formula 1 season, the first time since 1997. The season is scheduled to take place over 17 rounds, starting with the Australian Grand Prix on 29 March 2009 and ending with the debuting Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on 1 November 2009. The French and Canadian Grand Prix's which were in the 2008 season calendar have both been dropped for the 2009 season claiming economic reasons. Several rule changes will be implemented by the FIA, in a bid to cut costs due to the global financial crisis and to improve the on-track spectacle. New rules governing tyres, aerodynamics and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, among others, are some of the biggest changes in the Formula One regulations for several decades
costa STUFF >> Rule changes Slick tyres will return for the 2009 season for the first time since they were banned in 1998. Bridgestone will continue to be the sole supplier of tyres, and drivers will still have to use both compounds of tyre during a race. The aerodynamic regulations have been radically altered for the 2009 season. Front wings will be lower and wider, while rear wings will be much higher and narrower. This makes the 2009 cars strikingly different in appearance from those of previous seasons, and several drivers have expressed concerns that the larger front wings could trigger more accidents; especially at the start of a Grand Prix when the cars are racing close to each other. As well as the changes in the dimensions of the wings, bodywork will be much more regulated with many of the additional components seen in previous seasons effectively outlawed (including barge boards, winglets, turning vanes, chimneys, Viking horns and dumbo ears), the diffuser at the rear of the car has been moved back and upwards. Many other minor chassis components have also been standardized. The aim of the new aerodynamic regulations, as well as the reintroduction of slick tyres, is to decrease reliance on aerodynamic down force and increase mechanical grip with the aim of making wheel-to-wheel racing easier. For the first time, cars will be allowed to use ‘‘driver adjustable bodywork’’, in the form of adjustable flaps in the front wing. The flaps can be adjusted by up to six degrees, limited to only two adjustments per lap. Along with changes to bodywork and tyre size, the 2006 document includes details of a ‘‘Kinetic Energy Recovery System’’. This is a regenerative braking device designed to recover some of the vehicle’s kinetic energy, which is normally dissipated as heat during braking. The recovered energy can be stored electrically, in a battery or super capacitor, or mechanically, in a flywheel, for use as a source of additional accelerative power at the driver's discretion by way of a ‘‘boost button’’ on the steering wheel. The regulations limit the additional power to around 80 bhp for seven seconds a lap. The regulations do not make this compulsory, and due to concerns about both limited performance gains and safety implications many teams are believed to be unlikely to use the new KERS systems for at least the start of the 2009 season While it was reported in 2008 that the FIA were planning on introducing a budget cap to limit the amount of spending by Formula One teams, the amount was not agreed upon and the budget cap idea was dropped. Instead, costs will be brought down by an almost total ban on in-season testing, a forced reduction in wind tunnel usage, the sharing of more data during race weekends, and the doubling of minimum engine lifespan. Each driver will be limited to a maximum of 8 engines throughout the season, in addition to four engines for practice/testing purposes. To aid improvements in reliability, the engines will be detuned from 19,000RPM to 18,000RPM.
On 27 January 2009, the FIA announced that the rule stating that the pit lane is closed during a Safety Car period will be scrapped in 2009. The rule was introduced in 2007 to avoid people rushing back to the pits to refuel, possibly speeding through a danger zone, but software has been successfully developed to solve this problem. Lewis Hamilton demonstrated his driving consistency in last year’s 2008 Formula 1 season and he pushed his F1 car in the final lap to secure a much needed title-winning fifth place when the odds looked like they were stacked against him to lose the championship. For the 2009 Formula 1 season, Hamilton comes back as the World Champion with the number ‘1’ on his car and he is determined to win again. Hamilton also has the full support of his very technically capable Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, which is an enviable position for any driver to be in. For the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, the 2009 F1 season brings significant changes to the FIA regulations governing an F1 car's design. As described above. Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, says, ‘‘In sporting terms, the 2009 Formula 1 season will be a highly interesting one, particularly because of the so far biggest technical challenges in contemporary Formula 1 history... We developed and built the new car (MP4-24) at most favourable conditions and it turned out to be strikingly elegant. Our colleagues in Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart did an excellent job. I am convinced that the rule changes combined with drastic cost reduction measures will improve the Formula 1 show - and that's great for the interested spectators’’. Lewis Hamilton has said that he believes the Formula 1 2009 season is very open and because of the significant rule
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changes, the opening few races will give an idea of where each team stands in the development work they have done with the KERS and rear air foil design aerodynamics. He thinks the F1 fans will witness some spectacular racing this season due to the improved capability of F1 cars to overtake each other at higher speeds. The new KERS technology brings a ‘green’ element to F1 as braking energy is now being recovered and used again for racing. 2011 will see further advances in F1 FIA efficiency power engineering and it is expected that the sport will soon take the leadership position in technology development for automotive efficiency research and development, whilst providing ample power and breathtaking speed. After securing his title as the youngest ever World Champion Lewis is now focused on retaining his title as are all his fans around the World.
2009 Formula 1 calendar March 29 Australia April 5 Malaysia April 19 China April 26 Bahrain May 10 Spain May 24 Monaco June 7 Turkey June 21 Great Britain July 12 Germany July 26 Hungary Aug 23 Europe (Valencia) Aug 30 Belgium Sept 13 Italy Sept 27 Singapore Oct 4 Japan Oct 18 Brazil Nov 1 Abu Dhabi*
MERCEDES BENZ CLK 200 COMPRESSOR CABRIO 2004 88.500KMS 163CV 29.800€ € price negotiable
Ford C-max 1.6 TDCI GHIA 105cv 46.041kms 08.2005 12.500€ € one year guarantee
AUDI TT SPORT QUATTRO 1.8 2002 124.041KMS 225CV 18.500€ € price negociable
NISSAN X TRAIL 2.2 DCI CONFORT 2003 113CV 98.716KMS 11.800€ €
FORD CONNECT 1.8 TDCI 70.707KMS 2004 8.500€ €
FORD MONDEO 2.0 TDCI GHIA 130CV 6 MARCHAS 47.000KMS 2004 12.800€ €
FORD FOCUS 1.6TDCI 90CV 2005 58.139KMS 10.800€ €
CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 2.5 2005 142CV 29.500KMS 13.800€ €
FORD RANGER 5VP DOBLE CABINA 4X4 26.12.2008 KM 0 21.800€ € price for businesses
AUDI A4 2.0 130CV 2002 24.000KMS like new
FORD PUMA 1.6 16V 103CV 2002 132.390KMS 6.000€ €
JEEP CHEROKEE LAREDO 3.0TD 140CV 2000 169.000KMS 12.800€ €
>> costa STUFF
Money stolen from garden… An elderly Japanese businessman buried four million dollars in his garden for safekeeping only to find it dug up by a thief, police said Thursday. The man in his 80s discovered the theft and died two months later. He had put cash into a container over four decades, repeatedly digging it up and then placing it back in the ground in his garden. He noticed that parts of his garden were dug up. Then he learned that the container in which he kept the money was gone. Police were searching for the culprit behind the theft of the cash, estimated at 360 million yen (four million dollars). He chose to bury the cash in his garden to avoid damage from possible house fires or earthquakes.
Woman has Man in it… Mrs. has Mr. in it; Female has Male in it; She has He in it; Madam has Adam in it; Ok, it all makes sense now... Ever notice how all of women’s problems start with MEN? ? MEN tal illness MEN strual cramps MEN tal breakdown MEN opause GUY necologist AND ... When we have REAL trouble, it’s a HIS terectomy ...
True facts… Celebs say the strangest things… Arnold Schwarzenegger: ‘‘I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.’’ Mischa Barton: ‘‘Pretty people aren’t as accepted as other people. It comes with all these stigmas.’’ Justin Timberlake: ‘‘I kiss people with my soul. I don’t kiss them with my mouth.’’ P Diddy: ‘‘I’m not afraid to say I have imaginary friends. And Frank [Sinatra] is one of them.’’ 70 costa life
When the Titanic hit an iceberg in the north Atlantic the silent version of the film The Poseidon Adventure was being shown on board ship. The nursery rhyme ‘‘sing a song of sixpence’’ originated as a coded message for recruiting pirates. The term ‘‘bank teller’’ originated in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, when banks began hiring low-paid workers to ‘‘tell’’ throngs of frantic depositors that their money was gone.
Celebrity facts… The trucking company Elvis Presley worked at as a young man was owned by Frank Sinatra. John F. Kennedy was an accomplished ventriloquist. Glamorous movie star Brad Pitt once had a summer job posting warning signs at coal mine entrances. Actress Keira Knightley’s feet are so ugly she reportedly had a foot double in her latest film. Nicole Kidman hired every helicopter in Sydney Australia in a bid to keep the paparazzi away from her wedding.
costa STUFF >> Sudoku answers for Issue 45
3 7 9 1 8 5 6 8 2 9 6
7 6 3 9 5 7
8 2 3 1 6 4 1 3 9 7 2
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.
Across 1. Official sitting (7) 5. Saloon (3,4) 9. Tool for chipping ice (7) 10. Many times (5) 11. Living in a city (5) 12. Russian secret police (3) 13. With ease (6) 14. Complete (6) 15. Strike lightly (3) 17. Six (4-5) 21. Used for resting (3) 23. Make possible (6) 24. Russian sleigh (6) 27. Extinct flightless bird (3) 28. Son of Abraham (5) 29. Inanimate object (5) 30. Exterior (7) 31. Knitted jacket (7) 32. Burst violently (7)
Down 1. Holdup (5-2) 2. Fruit-flavoured sweet powder (7) 3. Foolish persons (6) 4. Capital of Tonga (9) 5. Sphere (5) 6. Midday (8) 7. Meantime (7) 8. Very long (7) 16. Eighty (9) 18. Yes (3,5) 19. Governing bodies (7) 20. Prisoner (7) 21. Baby (7) 22. Expert marksman (4-3) 25. Part of the foot (6) 26. Coming after (5)
Crossword answers for Issue 45 costa life 71
Useful numbers & information
>> costa GUIDE
TRANSPORT >> AIRPORTS
EMERGENCIES >> LOCAL POLICE Local Police Alhaurin el Grande Alora Antequera Arroyo de la Miel Benalmádena, Málaga, Marbella & Ronda Cartama Coin Estepona Fuengirola Local Fuengirola Municipal Nerja Torremolinos
092 952 491 074 952 496 468 952 708 104 952 562 142 092 952 422 211 952 453 267 952 800 243 952 580 900 952 197 090 952 521 545 952 376 000
>> NATIONAL POLICE National Police Guardia Civil Alhaurin el Grande Alhaurin del la Torre Alora Cartama Coin
>> MEDICAL SERVICES Emergencies
>> AMBULANCE Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Málaga & Marbella
902 505 061
>> STATE HOSPITALS
062 952 595 830 952 960 067 952 496 020 952 422 639 952 450 138
Calle Mauricio Moro, Pareta, 22nd Floor, MÁLAGA. Open 08:30 - 13:30 Enquiries 952 352 300
MARKET PLACES MONDAYS >> Alora, Marbella near the football stadium
TUESDAYS >> Benamagosa, Fuengirola (Feria Ground), Nerja weekly market (Calle Chaparil)
THURSDAY >> Alhaurin el Grande, Pizara, Frigiliana, Torremolinos, Velez Malaga, San Pedro, Torre del Mar
FRIDAY >> Benalmadena Tivoli Gardens, Casares, Cartama, Aguamania, ctra Cartama, Las Chapas
SATURDAY >> Fuengirola, La Cala, Ojen Pueblo, Coin, Competa, Puerta Banus near bullring
SUNDAY >> Estation de Cartama, Fuengirola near the mosque, Malaga near the football stadium, Sabinillas, Estepona, Sotogrande, Nerja car boot sale
TOURIST INFORMATION 952 410 005 952 491 275 952 495 577 952 702 505 952 422 126 952 453 211 952 442 494 952 802 002
Portillo Customer Service Direct Line Algeciras Alhaurin Benalmádena Coin Estepona Fuengirola La Linea Málaga Marbella San Pedro Torremolinos
902 143 144 956 654 304 952 490 709 952 443 563 952 450 366 952 802 954 952 475 066 952 172 396 953 350 061 952 764 400 952 781 396 952 380 965
TRAIN STATIONS
1619516500 2890330099 2072229633 1383738866 1604230230 1252513500 1132345678 1514721110
Halifax Lloyds TSB Mastercard Nat & Provincial Nationwide Natwest Yorkshire Bank
8457203099 1702364274 1383621166 1274331522 1793543888 1132778899 1132424800
SIZE COMPARISONS >> Don’t let being unsure about sizes impare your shopping sprees...
Shoes
WEDNESDAY >> Benalmadena Parque de la Paloma, La Cala, Estepona, La Linea, Rincon de la Victoria
952 441 545 952 802 900 952 471 000 00350 70027 952 327 950 952 774 488 952 476 593
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 Allied Irish American Express Bank of Scotland Barclays Bank Diners Club First Direct Girobank
TAXIS Benalmádena Estepona Fuengirola Gibraltar Málaga Marbella Mijas Costa
BUS STATIONS
061
Benalmádena & Fuengirola Emergencies only 902 505 061 Málaga 951 290 000 Marbella 951 976 669 Torremolinos 952 386 484 Torremolinos (Centro de Salud) Health Centre 951 924 100
>> BRITISH CONSULATE
Alhaurin de la Torre Alhaurin el Grande Alora Antequera Cartamar Coin Benalmádena Estepona
080 952 455 020 952 804 483 952 461 046 952 774 349 952 381 414
091
>> GUARDIA CIVIL
952 048 844 00350 73026
Malaga Gibraltar
>> FIRE BRIGADE Benalmádena, Málaga & Mijas Coin Estepona Fuengirola Marbella Torremolinos
SP 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
Men’s Wear UK 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
SP 44 46 48 50/52 54 56 58
UK 34 36 38 40 42 44 46
Men’s Shirts SP 35 36/37 38 39/40 41 42/43 44
UK 14 14.5 15 15.5 16 16.5 17
Women’s Wear SP 36 38 40 42 44 46 48
UK 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
>>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 Fuengirola Gibraltar Málaga Marbella Mijas Nerja Torremolinos
952 467 457 0350 774 982 952 213 445 952 771 442 952 485 900 952 521 531 952 374 231
TOWN HALLS Coin
952 453 020
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 Estepona Foreigners Dept Fuengirola Gibraltar Málaga Marbella Mijas Nerja Torremolinos
952 801 100 952 589 440 952 589 300 0350 774 902 952 135 000 952 761 100 952 485 900 952 548 449 952 379 400