EXPLORING ESTEPONA

HOW MANY OF US HAVE PASSED THROUGH ESTEPONA, MAYBE GONE DOWN TO THE SUNDAY MARKET IN THE PORT OR STOPPED OFF AT ONE OF THE MANY CHIRINGUITOS DOTTED ALONG THE BEACH, BUT HAVE NEVER REALLY EXPLORED THE TOWN?

Estepona is one of the largest coastal towns on Spain's Costa del Sol, with a varied history that takes it back to the Phoenicians, then the Romans and on to the Moors. There is a small archaeological museum in Plaza Blas Infante situated in the old Town Hall (the building is a restored 18th century house) that is worth a visit but be aware that the descriptions are all in Spanish. If you want to find out more about the history, take a trip to the Museum of Ethnography where you can see more than 2000 objects that will tell you more about the life, customs and economy of the inhabitants of the Estepona region in recent centuries. Children will enjoy a tour around the Paleontological Museum which features displays of dinosaurs, marine-life fossils and flora. Both these museums can be found at the Plaza de Toros which also houses the “Antonio Ordóñez” Bullfighting Museum.

Drive through the town or stroll around the narrow labyrinth of streets festooned with thousands of different coloured flower pots and you will understand why Estepona is known as the Garden City of the Costa del Sol. Flowers and colourful shrubs abound everywhere, in fact over 250,000 are planted in the autumn and winter seasons. The plants come from the municipal nursery and are part of the beautification and rejuvenation of the town that started over a decade ago. If you want yet more stunning displays of flowers, the Orchidarium, otherwise known as the Orchid House, is a one of a kind in Spain, with over 5000 plants. The spectacular state of the art building with its three glass domes has more than 1300 different species of Orchids from Asia and South America, with an average of 125 species in bloom at any time. Follow a winding path past beautiful displays of orchids, wander behind the 30 metre high artificial waterfall (kids will love this) and then continue to a small bridge set over pools of water. Truly a must-see sight. Over the years, Estepona has established itself as a place for food lovers with a profusion of tapas bars, bistros and eateries, including some of the finest seafood restaurants in Andalusia. The old town’s main square is the iconic Plaza de las Flores, and a recently opened new addition to the historic centre is the imposing El Pilar Andalucía Hotel Boutique, managed by the Silken chain who invested 10 million euros in the renovation of the original building. For a bird’s eye view of the Plaza, head up to the roof terrace (open for food and drink after 5 pm) and sit and relax with a cocktail in the evening sun, or go back down to the bodega to sample some regional wines. The old covered food market situated in Calle Villa next to the San Luis Castle, closed down and re-opened in 2018 as a Gourmet Food Market, the ‘Mercado de San Luis’. From 6 pm until after midnight you can enjoy the alluring ambiance and a range of high quality international food from one of the many different stalls or partake of a drink from a choice of bars. The bustling streets are full of independent boutiques, which makes a change from the large retail stores, where you can buy clothes, shoes, accessories and jewellery items that are just that little bit different. Something that Estepona has become famous for are the magnificent giant murals painted by artists from all over Spain on the side of some of the high-rise apartment blocks. They are scattered throughout the town and at the last count there were over sixty of them. The best thing to do is to get a Murals Route map from the Tourist Office (in the Plaza de las Flores) that will tell you where the murals are located, some of which are totally spectacular and one of which, ‘Fishing Day’ by Jose Fernandez, covers five apartment blocks. Another by Fernandez, ‘Watering the Garden’ covers a wall measuring 240m and depicts a child watering a tree, but look closely because it is an optical illusion and if looks as though she is watering the real tree that has been planted in the street. Also look out for the sculptures of human figures and animals, 47 of them, situated on street corners dotted throughout the town, as well as the 17 poems that grace the walls of various buildings by well-known Spanish poets together with other bards such as Victor Hugo and Shakespeare. Estepona Port is just five minutes from the centre of the town where you will find the Sunday market, popular with tourists, that runs from 10.00am and continues until around 2.30, with stalls selling a wide range of goods including handbags, belts, shoes, clothes, and many other items. For a more local experience, try the bustling big open-air Wednesday morning market in the area by the Parque de Los Niños (children’s park), which also sells fresh fruit and vegetables.

The remodelling and beautification of Estepona and its transformation into a cultural and artistic hub has ensured that it is a truly special destination full of various attractions and it deserves a visit, even if only for a day.

Animal assisted therapy is an alternative or complementary type of therapy that includes the use of animals in a treatment. It falls under the realm of Animal Assisted Intervention, which encompasses any intervention that includes an animal in a therapeutic context such as emotional support animals, service animals trained to assist with daily activities, and animal assisted activity.

Being around animals can help lower our blood pressure and heart rate and reduce our anxiety and tensions. Of course, animals make people feel less isolated and alone. More generally, even patting a dog can lower your risk of heart attack, seizure and stroke.

Animal-assisted therapy can be classified by the type of animal, the targeted population, and how the animal is incorporated into the therapeutic plan. The most commonly used types of animal-assisted therapy are canine-assisted therapy and equine-assisted therapy. The goal of animal-assisted therapy is to improve a patient's social, emotional, or cognitive functioning and literature reviews state that animals can be useful for educational and motivational effectiveness for participants. Studies have documented the positive effects of the therapy as reported on subjective self-rating scales and on objective physiological measures such as blood pressure and hormone levels. Pets in Hospital is a scheme funded and coordinated by University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) Charity whereby volunteers bring their dogs in to visit patients and staff around our hospitals. The scheme has been running since July 2018 and has been incredibly successful. UHB Charity started Pets in Hospital, as research has shown that animals can help reduce anxiety, stress and perceived pain levels through distraction therapy, and overall can have a positive impact on improving patient wellbeing. They can also help enhance patient interaction and communication and create a friendly and positive working environment for the staff on the wards. Overall, pets can be a comfort to patients, families and staff and we have definitely seen this through our scheme. Pets in Hospital currently have 12 dogs which, prior to Covid-19, visited patients around the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham on a regular basis. Monty, Isla, Coco, Ozzy, Basil, Bailey, Stella, Bella, Bonnie, Tommy, Bella and Tilly are all our dogs are who well groomed, wear official Pets in Hospital uniform and are badged. They have all been specially assessed by are up to date with vaccinations and are microchipped. They carried out regular visits to patients on wards such as Radiotherapy and the Cancer Centre, Young Persons Cancer unit, Critical Care and the older person’s wards. Senior Fundraising and Communications Officer and Pets in Hospital Coordinator, Ellie Pocock said: ‘Coordinating this scheme has been a pleasure. Not only has the feedback from staff, patients and families been remarkable, but I have been able to see the benefits of these visits first hand. I have seen the extremely positive effects the dogs have on patients, putting a big smile on their face, improving their communication and interaction, which in turn improves their hospital experience.’ For those of us who love dogs, we know that being around a calm and loving animal can help to lift spirits and reduce anxiety. For many people, the companionship of a four-legged friend has been source of comfort throughout their life, and research has proven that patients can benefit from interacting with a dog whilst in hospital. Not only can the presence of a friendly and calm dog bring joy to a patient, it can aid interaction with staff and family members, and improve their wellbeing. Manuela Castello is a volunteer. Here are her thoughts on what volunteering means to her

‘Stella started as Pets as Therapy dog and when I heard there was the possibility of volunteering at the QE, I jumped at this chance as I was a patient myself at QE and I wanted to give something back. Stella is a Maremma Sheepdog, an ancient Italian breed of dog, traditionally used to protect the sheep while they are up in the mountains in Italy. Stella is a special dog. She is so sweet and happy, and even if she is a big dog, somehow she is very gentle and you would not realize that she is actually there! I used to visit Critical care and the Cancer Centre (a department very dear to me), and my role was just to introduce Stella to anyone who was looking to cuddle a big soft bear. Being able to see the change of expression in patients is priceless; the ability to give a few minutes of comfort, happiness and put a smile on someone, even if in very difficult moments, makes you realize how fragile and unpredictable life is, and how much we should cherish every moment. I remember once we were up in a ward on the seventh floor, this patient had not talked for some time, but when she saw Stella, she spoke! It was a very humbling moment for everyone present. You would need many pages to explain the benefits of a dog in hospital, putting a smile on someone's face, give hope even for a brief moment, and hoping that if one day you are in the same situation, a big dog would come to see you and will bright up your day.’ Animal therapy builds on a concept called the human-animal bond which describes people’s desire to interact with and relate to animals. For many people, by interacting with a friendly animal, they can form a bond with them. This bond can produce a calming state in the person. This bond itself may help the person in several ways: • reducing boredom • increasing movement and activity through walks and play • providing companionship and decreasing loneliness • increasing social interactions • improving mood and general well-being The positive interactions with an animal may lead to benefits in the mind and body, such as reduced stress and an overall more balanced mental and emotional state.

ASSITED THERAPY ANIMA L

If you would like to find out more about Pets in Hospital and University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, please visit www.hospitalcharity.org petsinhospital. The scheme is currently on pause due to Covid-19 restrictions, but UHB Charity is hoping to re-start the scheme as soon as possible.