QFocus On Costa Blanca South May 2023

Is chocolate good for our eyes?

While we all know too much fat and sugar is bad for our health – there can be some benefits to chocolate in moderation. And, when it comes to our eyes, dark chocolate is best.

Giles Edmonds, Specsavers clinical services director, explains: ‘As dark chocolate has higher proportions of cocoa in it, it is a much better alternative to milk and white varieties.

‘Although often still high in sugar and fat, when eaten in moderation it can be a good source of iron, copper, magnesium, zinc and also offers a range of antioxidants, flavonoids and flavone, which can be of benefit to eye health.

‘In fact, a study by a school of optometry in Texas1 showed that dark chocolate can help to improve visual perception. It revealed that consuming dark chocolate improves the ability to see low- and high-contrast targets. Copper, which is also found within dark chocolate, has also been shown to help protect against optic nerve damage2.’

Mr Edmonds adds: ‘Another vitamin which can be found in good quality dark chocolate, is vitamin A. This is a vitamin which contributes greatly to healthy eyesight. It can help us to see in low-light conditions and also supports the function of the cornea, which is the protective outer layer of the eye. Without enough vitamin A you may find that your eyes don’t produce enough moisture to stay lubricated which can often cause discomfort3.’

While evidence suggests there are some health benefits to be had with chocolate, it is important to maintain a well-balanced and healthy diet to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs.

There are six Specsavers Ópticas stores on the Costa Blanca, in Javea, Calpe, Benidorm, Torrevieja, Guardamar and La Zenia. For more information or to request an appointment at your local store, visit www.specsavers.es.

¹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6145773/ ² https://eyecliniclondon.com/dark-chocolate-benefits-eye-health/ ³ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326758#vitamins

We have the pleasure of working with a very successful travel insurance provider that is Covid-19 and Brexit friendly.

We at Jennifer Cunningham Insurance can give you a no obligation quotation if you are a resident in Spain, with single trip and annual cover to meet your needs.

Single Trip Travel Insurance is for up to 180 Days, (31 days maximum for over 65s), available up to age 79 and there are discounts for Couples & Families.

Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance allows individual trips of up to 17 days, however, you can choose 32, 45, 90 Days, (subject to age restrictions).

Cover up to age 79, and discounts for Couples & Families.

With three levels of cover to choose from – Silver, Gold and Platinum, with varying levels of sums insured depending upon your travel needs. You have the choice to adapt the insurance to your travel requirements. Our standard travel insurance also includes cancellation, medical and repatriation, Personal Accident, baggage and personal effects, money, cards and documents.

There are additional cover options, the most popular of which are: Covid-19 – This optional extension is useful if you wish to be covered for Covid-19 before and whilst on a trip.

Winter Sports – if you are participating in winter sports whilst on holiday.

Pre-Existing medical Conditions:

Europesure do not cover all pre-existing medical conditions, however, there are many conditions that are covered. It is not necessary to complete a medical questionnaire. Contact us and we can provide more information.

My advice to you is to go nowhere without insurance and to find out more, and have everything explained to you fully, contact one of the offices.

For more information or a quotation, telephone one of my offices, email info@jennifercunningham.net or visit the website www.jennifercunningham.net.

How wonderful that people are travelling again with ease, confidence and enjoyment.

It has been a long 5 weeks but finally within the next few days I should have the cast removed from my arm, just in time for our weekend away to Mojacar. Although that will not be the end of it as the consultant has said that I will need a few months of physio to build the strength back up and obviously it will be vulnerable so I need to take it easy.

It must be the first Easter in a long time that we haven't had any rain….the weather has been glorious and it has been great to see so many visitors over for holidays. The traffic on the roads can be a bit tedious when you need to be somewhere in a hurry though. There is a high chance we will have another busy spell of holidaymakers during May as there is an extra bank holiday for the Kings Coronation, and I'm sure people will take advantage of that to escape to the sun.

Until next time....

Michelle

QFocus Magazine covering the Alicante South region and Focus On Magazine covering the Alicante North region.

QFocus Office: Mon to Fri. 10am - 2pm Tel. 657 501 055

Pick up your next issue on 2 May Deadline for advertising & editorial - 17 April

Ciudad Patricia, A Place to Thrive in your Senior Years.

Are you looking for a retirement community that offers comfort, security, services and a vibrant lifestyle? If so, you should consider Ciudad Patricia Senior Resort in Benidorm, Spain. This resort is the first “Integrated Retirement Community” in Spain, which means it has everything you need to thrive in your golden years.

Ciudad Patricia Senior Resort is located on a 100,000m² park surrounded by the natural park of Sierra Helada, offering stunning views and fresh air. It is also close to the town of Benidorm, where you can find shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment options. You can choose from different types of apartments that suit your needs and preferences, all with modern facilities and design. But what makes Ciudad Patricia Senior Resort truly special is the range of services and activities it offers to its residents. You can enjoy delicious meals at the restaurant and bar, relax at the beauty centre, stay fit in the gym and many pools, socialize in the central building or join one of the many cultural events organised by the resort. You can also benefit from medical care, personal assistance, transportation and other personal services if you need them.

Ciudad Patricia Senior Resort is more than just a place to live; it is a place to thrive. It is ideal for seniors who already live in Spain and want to continue to experience the Spanish lifestyle in a retirement community that caters to their needs and wishes. If you are interested in learning more about this resort, please visit our website: www.ciudadpatricia.com or contact Line Colman on 622 526 152, or email: lcolman@ciudadpatricia.com to make an appointment to visit and find out more.

Which currency's future do you believe in?

We can invest in 3 currencies for you; According to Google the top currencies traded in the world vary in order but the Euro, Sterling and US Dollar always feature in the top 4.

High inflation is eating your money, therefore, your money held in a savings account earning bank interest is still going backwards in value. Fix the problem by calling me or popping into Seagate Wealth Management office in Benijofar, ask for me, and join our 100s of satisfied clients.

THIS IS OUR NEAREST PRODUCT TO OFFERING A FIXED RETURN.

(note: The above is what new investors would receive and investors of over 5 years would receive 1.2% p.a. more than published rates above)

Other benefits of the above package are:

• Avoidance of Spanish inheritance tax liabilities between spouses if written as a joint policy which is all held in Ireland i.e. outside of Spain.

• All income tax deduction and reporting and Modelo 720 asset reporting is done for you in Spain by the Product Provider. This is very simple for investors.

• Minimum investment £20,000 or €25,000 or US$35,000.

• 1.5% allocation bonus for investments over £150,000, (immediately worth £152,250), €200,000, US$250,000. 0.5% allocation bonus for investments over £75,000, €100,000, US$ 1525,000.

Please call me for information on investment solutions for your circumstances and I also have some special investments for experienced investors.

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Tel: 865 751 713 / 615 607 278 / 965 704 338. Seagate Wealth Management, Avenida

Federico Garcia, 101, Benijofar, 03178, Alicante, South Costa Blanca. Email: dave.diggle@seagatewealth.es. Website: www.seagatewealth.es / www.daviddiggle.es

PRICE INCREASE IN RETROSPECTIVE LICENCES FOR BUILDING WORK DONE WITHOUT A PROPER LICENCE EXPECTED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

article supplied by Martinez de la Casa Architects

Due to the overall boost in prices, an increase in the cost of Retrospective Licences is expected within the next few weeks.

A minimum of 350,90€ IVA included will be stated as the final product's nominal cost of the service.

The conditions to obtain a Retrospective Licence remain the same at the moment (but the Government could also move their goalposts in the near future) and are:

• In Murcia, extensions must be at least four years old to obtain a Retrospective Licence.

• In Almeria, the building work needs to be over six years old.

• In Alicante, the building work needs to have been completed before August 2010. Retrospective licences / Certificates of antiquity are used to make building work done without a licence unobjectionable and therefore avoiding fines or demolition orders. They are also used to upgrade the escrituras (title deeds) or council tax with extensions or pools carried out with or without a licence. Purchaser's lawyers request them to allow the sale to go through.

Once issued Retrospective Licences don't expire.

Martinez de la Casa Architects is the Nº1 company for Architectural Certification Southern Spain, including Energy Performance Certificates (121€ inc IVA) and Nº1 Company for Habitation Licences (prices depending on each Town Hall).

Currently the price of a Pool Retrospective Licence is 190€+IVA (229 € IVA Inc), and for Extensions 270€+IVA (326 € IVA Inc, all extensions in the property included), delivery guaranteed within ten working days.

For all enquiries or to arrange an appointment, please call 665 810 411 (English) or visit www.martinezdelacasa.com to see an impressive list of over 200 testimonials by different clients.

GARDENING HINTS AND TIPS from the Vega Baja Gardening Club BUG RIDDANCE GETTING RID OF GARDEN PESTS

One of the most asked questions at the garden club is how to deal with plant pests and weeds without nasty chemicals that spread into the environment. There are many natural ways to go about controlling those pesky weeds and bugs. Weeds first, as mentioned last month a salt solution is great on paths, away from your precious blooms etc, but you can also kill weeds in your beds with boiling water, just pour it on. If you want to be economical, use the water from cooking. You will have to do it a few times, but there is no soil contamination so it's worth doing.

Deterring bugs is a problem everyone has, I have a slippy little trick that works well. Add a teaspoon full of vegetable oil to 500mls of water and put in a spray bottle. Shake well and repeatedly and spray on to the plants and bugs. The oils covers the little pests and basically suffocates them. It’s effective against aphids and white fly, and is best done in the evening, you don't want to fry the leaves. Another good spray is to puree a garlic bulb in a blender with a little water then leave overnight. In the morning strain into a 500ml jar and dilute with water and a little soft soap. This mixture can be diluted into 4 parts of water and sprayed as necessary. That's all for now, more tips next month.

Andrea Oates. vegabajagardenclub@gmail.com

Costa Blanca Morris Dancers

Costa Blanca Morris Dancers (affiliated to Torrevieja U3A) are a group of friends who meet at the Ayuntamiento, Plaza Florida, Pinar de Campoverde 03191 (near Pilar de la Horadada) every Friday from 4 – 6pm to practice and learn new Morris dances which they are happy to perform at any indoor or outdoor social or charity event. The group, who believe they are currently the only English Morris team in Spain, are always looking for new members, men or women of any age. No previous experience is necessary as training will be given, so if you are looking for a fun and not too strenuous form of exercise, contact the Squire, Jean Tonge, by email at costablancamorrisdancers@yahoo.com

The dancers are also happy to welcome any experienced musicians who would like to join the accompanying band. To learn more about the band contact Ian Smith by email ian@isadmin.org

You can also find Costa Blanca Morris Dancers on ‘Facebook’ or call in to a practice any Friday (except July and August).

The Home Made Radio Telescope.

Part 2 (even more ways to go crazy)

Last month I talked about how I started this project, and all my mistakes and frustrations just to hear a ping from meteorites as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. That eventual success, modest though it was made me eager to try something new with the various electronic gubbins that I had. What about Jupiter I thought, it's famous among amateur astronomers for having huge storms and pumping out a lot of radio noise.

All this was in the winter when Jupiter was high in the sky, a bold, beautiful planet loved by observers for its incredible cloud formations and sparkly little moons dancing around the planet. It was Galileo's discovery of those moons that lead to the understanding of how the solar system works, the heliocentric system with the Sun at the centre.

I've been looking at Jupiter through a telescope on and off for over 50 years, so I thought doing the same thing with my radio telescope should be easy. I was wrong, very wrong. The first problem is the antenna, to work properly and receive the weak signal an antenna had to be precisely made to work only at the frequency of Jupiter's storms, that's about 20mhz. There are several ways to do this, but it boils down to very expensive, or home made but huge. I'm a Yorkshire man so obviously the expensive option is out and I haven't been able to make the huge one yet. The only option was to cheat so after copious reading I carefully modified an old tv aerial following advice from someone who's already done this. By this time it was March and Jupiter was almost on the horizon at night and almost impossible to get a signal from. I'll have to wait until October for Jupiter to rise again in the night sky, or invest in a good tracking mount so it can be found in the daytime.

What's next? There's a very prominent thing in radio astronomy called the Hydrogen line, sounds boring doesn't it? If I can get a signal from that I can have a go at mapping part of the Milky Way, our galaxy and I'll really enjoy doing it.

This whole project is going to be a long term thing, and like most pastimes is only for the fun of doing it but I'm learning so much in the process and I'm getting an even greater sense of wonder at our universe. I'll return to radio astronomy later in the year and no doubt with another list of mistakes and bloopers.

Lastly, I've often been asked to recommend a book about starting observing with a telescope so here is my choice. 'Turn left at Orion', published by Cambridge university press. It's a good easy to follow guide.

Next month I'll be giving an update on what's happening in space exploration, there's a lot happening at the moment.

● To find out more about observing and astronomy why not join our group, email us at vegabaja.astronomygroup@gmail.com to find out more.

Charles Oates, Vega Baja Astronomy Group.

Terracotta Warriors in Alicante attract thousands of visitors

Article by Sarah Farrell - www.sarahswritestuff.com

An exhibition starring China’s impressive Terracotta Warriors is attracting thousands of visitors to Alicante. The legacy of the Qin and Han dynasties, ‘China. The Warriors of Xi'an’ exhibition at the city’s MARQ museum drew in more than 10,600 visitors from across the world in its opening 15 days.

The exhibition in Alicante includes more than 100 original pieces, many of them being exhibited for the first time outside of China, as well as nine statues and a horse. They can be seen at the archaeological museum until January 2024.

It is widely considered that the scale and importance of the Han Dynasty is comparable to that of the Roman Empire. As well as the dramatic exhibits, graphic designs and videos invite the visitor to reflect on both empires in an increasingly globalised world

To meet demand, MARQ has set up a programme of guided tours in Spanish, Valencian, English and French as well as dramatised shows. Tickets can be booked through the website https://marqalicante.com.

On the MARQ website, Marcos Martinón-Torres, Professor Cambridge University Professor and Exhibition Commissioner, wrote: "Xi'an's Terracotta Army is one of the most stunning archaeological discoveries of all time. Created more than 2,000 years ago by order of China's first emperor, Xi'an's warriors are recognised as the eighth Wonder of the World.”

Emma’s 100k Charity Cycle for Alzheimer Scotland

My name is Emma Rose, I have worked for Big FM based in Quesada for the past 7 years and now I am the weekday breakfast presenter on BR2 Pure Gold Radio.

With the help of my friends, I am going to cycle 100k on the 7th May to raise money for Alzheimer Scotland, taking place here on the sunny Costa Blanca. The finish line will be at Jukebox Bar & Restaurant, Urbanisation El Eden, Guardamar where a fundraiser party will be taking place, headlined by Rain O’Connor. The reason I am doing this is because my Aunty Betty passed away from Frontotemporal Dementia at just 69 years old. Frontotemporal Dementia is a rare form of dementia which affects younger people between the ages of 45 and 65 years old. In fact, Bruce Willis has recently been diagnosed with it. It can affect a person’s behaviour, personality and language. It is such a heartbreaking illness and I would love to be able to raise vital funds to enable Alzheimer Scotland to provide care to those suffering and support to those affected by it.

If you can donate, I would be so grateful, no matter how big or small, it will make a huge difference. You can donate by going to www.justgiving.com and search for ‘Emma’s 100k Cycle in Spain’.

Record-breaking month for Alicante airport

Alicante-Elche airport continues to break records with more than one million passengers in March, according to the latest statistics. The figures are nearly five per cent higher than those registered in the same period before the pandemic and place the airport as the seventh busiest in Spain.

In March, 1,045,004 passengers flew in or out of the AlicanteElche Miguel Hernández Airport, an increase of 4.9% compared to travellers for the same period in 2019, before Covid, and 25.8% up on the same month last year. Of the total passengers in March, 1,043,730 were commercial passengers, of which 889,105 travelled on international flights, a growth of 3.9% compared to March 2019 and 26.2% more than in 2022. Domestic flights were also up with 154,625 passengers, 10.6% more than before the pandemic and 23.4% more than last year.

Of the international travellers in March, the United Kingdom is top of the league with 375,537 passengers; followed by the Netherlands with 86,044; Belgium with 67,067; Norway with 50,447; Germany with 44,983, and Sweden with 39,900 passenger numbers.

Figures for the five days over Easter weekend show a total of 1,534 flights with 276,000 passengers.

Furthermore, a train connection with the Alicante-Elche airport is considered a ‘priority’ by the European Parliament and could access European funding. The Transport Commission has agreed to include the commuter line between Alicante and San Isidro, with the connection to the airport, within the Trans-European Transport Network of the Mediterranean Corridor. At present, the closest train station to the airport is at Torrellano, around three kilometres from the terminal.

www.sarahswritestuff.com

THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA

This association, formed in 1988, exists to foster comradeship amongst those who, having been awarded an official flying badge, have qualified to operate military aircraft and are serving or have served, as military aircrew in the armed forces of the United Kingdom or those nations which are allies of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth.

If you are interested in joining this popular association or would like to know more, please call the Secretary on 96 649 5228.

Article by Sarah Farrell -

Campoverde Church in the Community Supports Local Food Bank

Among the congregation of ‘Campoverde Church in the Community’ is a family who run the local ‘Orihuela Costa Community Food Bank’ and, on Easter morning, the food bank put out an emergency appeal for non-perishable food, Easter chocolate, and raffle prizes for their up-coming Charity Fair.

That afternoon, Assistant Lay Reader at Campoverde Church, Pip Shail, happened to be attending a meal with a social group at Y.O.L.O.’s Bar, Cabo Roig. The tables there were decorated with cute, knitted chicks containing Cadbury’s cream eggs and, knowing the food bank’s appeal for ‘Easter chocolate’, Pip asked her friends at the meal if they would kindly donate their chocolate eggs.

A total of 31 cream eggs were collected and presented to the food bank at the Campoverde Church Easter service later that day, together with a large amount of food donated by other members of the congregation.

Anyone wishing to find out more about ‘Orihuela Costa Community Food Bank’ can visit them on ‘Facebook’.

Campoverde Church in the Community has placed a permanent donations box in ‘Celcius Hair and Beauty’ in Campoverde for people to donate non-perishable food on an on-going basis. Donations can also be dropped off at Campoverde Church on Sundays between 5.15pm and 7pm.

Alicante film festival

celebrates its 20th anniversary

Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro Amenábar will receive the prestigious Lucentum Award, which honours the career of Spanish directors, at this year’s Alicante International Film Festival.

The Spanish-Chilean director has won nine Goyas including the best director award for his film The Others starring Nicole Kidman and Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for The Sea Inside starring Javier Bardem.

Alejandro Amenábar told the media it was wonderful to receive this tribute from the Alicante Film Festival, especially for his mother who lives in the Alicante area.

The director will pick up the award on Saturday June 3 at the festival’s inaugural gala at the Teatro Principal in Alicante. As part of its tribute to the award-winner, the festival will screen his films including Open Your Eyes, The Others and The Sea Inside.

Alicante Film Festival, from June 3 to June 10, showcases dozens of short films and feature films from around the world. This year, there is a new section, Fashion Cinema, paying tribute to the costume designers. Wardrobe director Sonia Grande - who has worked with top film directors such as Alejandro Amenábar, Pedro Almodóvar and Woody Allen - will receive an award.

Article by Sarah Farrell - www.sarahswritestuff.com

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES

SUDOKU

Here are two Sudoku puzzles of different skill levels for you to try. It is not a math game at all - it is a pure logic game. Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 grid contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repeats, which means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

CROSSWORD

Across

1 Vertical (7)

5 Stigma (5)

8 Stage play (5)

9 Apprehensive (7)

10 Rowdy (5)

11 Never-ending (7)

12 Pet Holstein dances about on the switchboard (11)

17 Volatile petroleum distillate (7)

19 Bishop or knight (5)

20 Esteem (7)

21 Lord ---, Prime Minister

1770-82 (5)

22 Squander (5)

23 Settled (7)

Down

1 Sunk (6)

2 Make concrete (7)

3 Unearned gain (5)

4 Sympathetic (6-7)

5 Nurse! Go out for a doctor! (7)

6 Oak-to-be (5)

F.A.B. (Friends after Bereavement)

We are a relaxed and friendly mixed group who meet once a week at the Laguna Hotel in Quesada at 3pm for a chat and coffee. The aim of the group is to support those who have lost someone close and help make new friends. We also enjoy meals / lunches out and day trips etc. For more information call Joan on 634 336 103 or Steve on 623 220 052 or just come along for a chat one Saturday.

7 Snuggle (6)

13 Radical (7)

14 Scoffed (7)

15 Wander round an apostle (6)

16 Approach (6)

18 Mexican moolah (5)

19 Kind of room (5)

See back pages for answers

CORONATION CELEBRATIONS IN TORREVIEJA

Ss Peter and Paul, Torrevieja, La Siesta Church Calle Granados, Urb La Siesta, Torrevieja

The Chaplaincy of Ss Peter and Paul, Torrevieja is preparing with great excitement for the Coronation on May 6th. The Coronation of King Charles III is a time of great rejoicing and celebration said Father Richard A. Seabrook and our church will be commemorating this historical and spiritual event on three days over the Coronation weekend.

On Friday 5th May there will be a special Mass in English at 11.30am to pray for His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort as they prepare to go to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation. Whilst all the pageantry and ceremonial are spectacular with great processions of coaches, at the heart of the Coronation is a great act of worship, a celebration of the Eucharist, the crowning and the most sacred act – that of the anointing, said Father Seabrook. This is why we come together before the Coronation to pray for the King and Queen and also that we may be prepared spiritually for the day of the Coronation.

On Sunday 7th May the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at La Siesta at 11.30am will give thanks for the Coronation and special prayers will be offered with hymns of praise to God. All are invited to both services on May 5th and May 7th.

Then on the Monday 8th May we will have a great Coronation Celebration added Father Seabrook with a big bring and share

Afternoon Tea, Best Crown competition, a Victoria Sandwich competition for the men and a Coronation Quiz complete with a cava toast to Their Majesties. All are invited to this but please contact Sue Brassington (councillorlosbalcones@gmail.com) if you would like to come and join in the fun. All are welcome. The Coronation Celebration begins at 4pm and will take place outside La Siesta Church on Calle Granados, Torrevieja.

Father Seabrook commented The death of her late Majesty the Queen last September showed how important the Monarch is for

us and now we anticipate with joy the Coronation and the sense of coming together in celebration this brings. I do hope those who would like to celebrate the Coronation will join us. Everyone is welcome. God save The King!

Further information can be found on the Church's Facebook page @anglicantorrevieja.

Freemasons from Dama de Elche Lodge Presented with Certificate of Appreciation

The members of Dama de Elche Lodge No 163 were delighted to receive a Certificate of Appreciation from the staff of the Elche Children’s Home.

Lodge members Brothers Mike Wyatt and John Lonsdale were recently presented with a framed certificate of appreciation by Michelle and Jennifer from ASSOC. ELCHE CHILDREN'S CARE HOME in recognition of the Lodge’s generous donation of 1000 litres of oil for the home’s winter fuel supply. This donation to the home was very well received and much appreciated and supports the initiative of caring for the needy in our communities.

Founded by Benny Davis in 2007

Andante International Choir is the only choir in the Costa Blanca community devoted to sacred choral works and classical pieces. They meet in Los Montesinos at Calle San Antonio, 4 on Thursday nights from 7.15pm until 9pm. All are welcome to join them. They especially need tenors and basses. For more information contact Andante International Choir member Sue Lewey at suelewey@gmail.com. Also see the Facebook page, Andante International Choir (Spain).

The Costa Blanca Singers invite you along for another opportunity to join them in an open rehearsal during this month. They are currently practicing their new set of 16 songs to be added to their growing repertoire. This is an excellent time to join them. Invitations continue to mount for The Costa Blanca Singers to perform at local charitable events and their calendar for 2023 is filling up. Watch out for future dates and rehearsal details on www.costablancasingers.com, Facebook or call 624 144 703. Also, they continue to rehearse throughout the summer months. Don't be shy. Go along and meet this fabulous, fun-loving group of singers. You will be made very welcome.

Rojales Pantomime Group donate 1500€. Rojales Cáritas were delighted to be presented with this donation by John Fagg, President of the Group from the total of 5000€ raised thanks to all who attended and bought tickets allowing the Group to make these very worthy charitable donations. The Group’s next merry

pre Christmas pantomime, Snow White & The 7 Christmas Elves, is going to be a cracker. Auditions have been held, parts have been allocated and the cast are ready to start rehearsing but they are still missing a Stage Manager and backstage crew to join this fun loving Group. They would love to hear from you if you think you could fit the bill so email rojalespanto@yahoo.com and they will gladly contact you……you’ll be glad you did.

Studio32 invite you to come along for a night of pure entertainment when they perform the award winning musical, 'Hello Dolly' Coming to you at the Cardenal Belluga Theatre, San Fulgencio from Wednesday 31 May to Saturday 3 June. Doors open at 7pm, curtain up at 7:30pm. To book tickets online for the show please visit their website www.studiothirtytwo.org, email tickets@studiothirtytwo.org or call Linda on 679 062 272. For those of you unsure of how to use the system you can call into The Post Box in Doña Pepa, or Quesada Tech where someone will be on hand to assist you with booking tickets. You could also go along to one of their rehearsals at Casa Contenta, Rojales, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7:30pm and 9:30pm where someone will be available to assist you.

If you would like to be part of this band of charitable entertainers, please email editor@femalefocusonline.com. Deadline for copy is the 15th of the month prior to publication. Full details of all Stage Diary entertainment groups are available online at www.femalefocusonline.com

Spot the 13 differences (answers in the classified pages)

Arts and Crafts Fair with a lot of swing in Ciudad Quesada

Because of last year's success, the Rojales City Council once again celebrates Europe Day in the Ciudad Quesada urbanisation, with an Arts and Crafts fair organised by artisans association Amata. On Saturday and Sunday the swing group will return and teach everyone who wants to join in the fun to dance. On Friday and Sunday there will be a puppet theatre, and for Saturday afternoon/ evening, the City Council has organised a drum parade (Butakada), performances by the Municipal School of Dance, a Giant Pizza and the fair ends that day with a nostalgic concert of The Liverpool Band with a tribute to The Beatles.

And, of course, there will be the usual high quality stalls chosen by Amata, this time with a large participation of painters: no less than 4 artists will offer a diverse range of styles and techniques. At this fair there will be nothing that is imported or made in a factory, just more than twenty stalls with ceramics and pottery, soaps, wooden toys and stuffed animals, turned and carved wood, and leather belts and bags, all hand made by the participants.

You can watch various artisans and artists at work, or try to make a vase or bowl on the potter's wheel. And if you can't find what you're looking for, the artisans can make it to order.

The fair will be set up around the Plaza Blanca in Ciudad Quesada and the opening hours will be: Friday 12 May, from 6pm until 9pm; Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May from 11am until 9pm (or later), without closing at midday.

This is the third time that Amata has organised a fair in Ciudad Quesada. Photos of last year's fair and the complete programme can be found at https://www.puebloartesano.es/rojales.

And if you cannot visit this fair, you can find many members of Amata in their virtual craft village https://www.puebloartesano.es.

WORD SEARCH

Find all the Spanish words from the word list in the puzzle grid. Words may be found going forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. Answers can be found in the back of the magazine. Good Luck.

EMOTIONS

ASUSTADO - SCARED

ATERRORIZADO - TERRIFIED

CELOSO - JEALOUS

CODICIA - GREED

CURIOSO - CURIOUS

DECEPCIÓNDISAPPOINTMENT

DESEO - DESIRE

DISGUSTADO - DISGUSTED

DIVERTIDO - AMUSED

ELACIÓN - ELATION

ENFADADO - ANGRY

ESPERANZADO - HOPEFUL

EXTÁTICO - ECSTATIC

FELIZ - HAPPY

INDIFERENCIA - INDIFFERENCE

PÁNICO - PANIC

RABIA - RAGE

REPULSIÓN - REPULSION

SATISFECHO - PLEASED

SIMPÁTICO - SYMPATHETIC

TRISTE - SAD

VERGÜENZA - EMBARRASSMENT

See back pages for answers

Kenny Corris brings you

OUR OROSCOPE

Aries: A strong focus on domestic issues this month as Venus double dates Mars in your fourth house on the 8th of the month. This is the green light for home based projects, creating harmony and finally, it brings you that sanctuary you desire.

Taurus: Jupiter, Planet of Fortune and Expansion transits to the first house of Taurus and will reside for a year. This is time to establish new connections that take your creativity to a new level; and focus on better control of your finances too.

Gemini: This month ends with the Sun exalted in your sign. Mercury, your ruler, moves Direct from the recent Retrograde. This is a time for a fresh start and the Sun shines on your many talents. It is only you who is holding things up. Just go for it!

Cancer: Ask yourself what you need, and connect with the child within you. The Lunar Eclipse in your fifth house is both strong and activating. Rise above any negative issues that bring you down and you will take a good look within and actually like what you see!

Leo: Romance and love are in the air this month as Venus joins with Mars in your twelfth house. This will bring you the peace that you seek and the grounding that you need right now. Whatever you do, don’t let it rain on your parade this time around.

Virgo: A change of scenery is needed so take a well deserved break. Jupiter is in your ninth house and your truly adventurous spirit needs to reach out to people who accept you for who you are, right now; and not as they feel you should be. An exciting time.

Libra: Your ruler, Venus trysts with Mars in the auspices of the tenth house. With Mercury retrograde until the fifteen of the month don’t start anything that you cannot finish. You are on a mission and about to find out some home truths that will help you.

Scorpio: With the New Moon in your opposing sign of Taurus and Jupiter in your seventh house everything focuses on a partnership issue that needs to be thrashed out, if that’s what it takes. You are nobody’s fool and things are veering out of control.

Sagittarius: The sixth house focuses on health and wellbeing and this month your trusty ruler, Jupiter, together with an ebullient New Moon, home in on your fitness, your diet and your levels of balance through exercise and dietary changes.

Capricorn: Your leadership skills are legendary. The New Moon in your fifth house on the 19th shines a light on your significant entrepreneurial skills too. This would be the perfect time to discover new ways of working; as you dig deeply within yourself.

Aquarius: Venus and Mars bring love to your door via the sixth house this month. As they represent Masculine and Feminine they are strong for each other. What you now do is paving the way ahead, but someone is aiming to be the spanner in the works!

Pisces: Your strong spiritual side is often blessed by an abundance in many ways. It’s out there this month that Jupiter enters your third house of mindfulnesses, whilst Mars checks out issues in the sixth house on your behalf. The pathway ahead beckons you on!

As an Astrologer, Kenny has worked tirelessly for over forty years to produce quality Horoscopes Worldwide. He has received a major Award for his contribution to the Astrological Arts by being voted into the Top Twenty World’s Best Astrologers by the American Federation of Certified Psychics. He is awarded five stars as a Lightworker, and Psychic Medium. For personal readings/castings please call Kenny on: 686 361 594. kennycorris@hotmail.com www.kennycorris.com. Confidential and Personal Reply Guaranteed! Online

Readings: by Zoom, Skype,WhatsApp, Viber, FaceTime.

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PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS

Across: 1 Upright, 5 Stain, 8 Drama, 9 Nervous, 10 Noisy, 11 Eternal, 12 Telephonist, 17 Naphtha, 19 Piece, 20 Respect, 21 North, 22 Waste, 23 Decided.

Down: 1 Undone, 2 Realise, 3 Gravy, 4 Tender-hearted, 5 Surgeon, 6 Acorn, 7 Nestle, 13 Extreme, 14 Sneered, 15 Andrew, 16 Method, 18 Pesos, 19 Panic.