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FREE GRATIS - FREI - GRATUITEMENT - VAPAA Every 2 weeks, Edition 20, 9th Apr - 22nd Apr 2010
Semana Santa
Page 2
Bus Route 01 Timetable
Page 5
Smartour Tourism of the future
Page 10
Becoming step parents How to ...
Page 12 CONTRARY TO other countries with Catholic backgrounds, in Spain Easter means two things; religious acts from morning until night and a holiday period for most. Away from the Anglo-Saxon traditions of giving Easter eggs, for most Spaniards the “Semana Santa” means just that, “Holy Week”, and religious traditions and events are the ‘order of the day’. It is a time to remember the death of Christ who gave his life in order to forgive us our sins. We are a community with strong religious beliefs; many don’t eat meat any Friday
during Lent, and most don’t eat meat on Easter Friday. Many communities, especially in the Southern regions of Spain, are famous for their parades with their numerous Saints and Virgins, as well as the figure of Christ who is of particular importance. You have probably seen them yourselves on television or in local newspapers, dressed in their cloaks and long pointed hats, resembling a little like KKK followers, although I can assure you this tradition is much more ancient than even the USA and
has defiantly nothing to do with any racist movement. In some cases the devotees go even further and punish themselves physically with whips on their bare backs, or even get crucified after dragging the large wooden cross over large distances. It is believed that the pain will redeem them for their sins. Today only a few seem to take their devotion this far, but the processions and parades still attract thousands of believers. Continues on page 4 ...
Scandi Corner The season ends
Page 25
Mark McGeehan Introduces himself
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Island Information
Las Palmas Airport: 928 579 000 Emergency Line: 112 Police, Fire Brigade Ambulance: 928 492 112 Fire Brigade Las Palmas 928 446 444 Maspalomas 928 762 671 Playa del Inglés, San Agustín, San Bartolomé de Tirajana 928 762 671 Local Police Province - 092 Las Palmas 928 304 600 Maspalomas 928 764 000 Guardia Civil Province 062 Las Palmas 928 762 898 Puerto Rico 928 736 817 S. Bartolomé 928 750 222
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National Police Las Palmas Masapalomas 928 764 000 Sea Rescue 900 202 202 & 928 467 757 Consulates: British Consulate Consul: Matthew Vickers Edificio_Cataluna,_C/Luis Morote 6, 3rd Floor, Las Palmas Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8.30am to 1.30pm Telephone 928 262 508 www.ukinspain.com Irish Consulate: 195, Leon y Castillo, Las Palmas Telephone 928 297 728 Austria - 928 782 500 Belgium - 928 461 718
Denmark - 928 264 764 Finland - 928 224 358 France - 928 292 371 Germany - 928 491 880 Italy - 928 241 911 Luxembourg - 928 243 431 Netherlands - 922 271 721 Norway - 928 495 035 Portugal - 928 233 144 Sweden - 928 260 884 Switzerland - 928 293 450 Taxis: 928 154 77 or 902 192 019 Consumer Issues: http://ec.europa.eu/ consumers/index_en.htm International Directory Enquires: 025 UK Operator: 900 990044 Lost/Stolen credit cards:
900 974445 Health Centre Appointments 012 International Pension Centre 0044 191 21 87777 www.thepensionservice. ov.uk Bereavement Benefit 00441912183847 Medical Benefits 0044 191 2181999 (www.dh.gov.uk) HMRC (Tax) Age Concern España 902 003 838 (www. acespana.org) Swimming Safety Red_flag: No swimming Yellow_flag:Swim with care Green_flag:Safe to swim
Markets in Gran Canaria Agüimes In front of the municipal swimming pool Thursdays 09:00-14:00 Arguineguín La Plaza Negra: Every Tuesday 08:00-14:00 CC Ancora Every Thursday 08.00-14.00 TARA Second Hand Market, Plaza de Pino Seco, Arguinegín Every Saturday 9.00 onwards Arucas Calle Francisco Gourier: Every Saturday 08:00-14:00 Gáldar General Market Plaza de Santiago de Apostól: Every Thursday 08:00-14:00. Gáldar Collectors’ Market Guaires, 26, Tel: 928.55.21.40 Ingenio En el Ejido: First Sunday of every month 09.00-15.00 Jinámar Ramblas de Jinámar (Telde): Sundays 9:00-15:00 Las Palmas Rastro Terrace on top of the bus station Every Sunday 8.00-14.00 Maspalomas Second Hand Market CC Faro 2, Campo Internacional, Maspalomas Saturdays and Sundays 10.00 onwards Maspalomas Artisans’ Market Next to Global Bus Station Meloneras Mercadillo en Meloneras: Every Thursday 10.00-17.00 Mendizábal Calle de Mendizábal, Vegueta, Las Palmas Third Saturday of every month Moya On top of the bus station: Every Sunday 08:00-14:00 Playa del Inglés Artesan market, at Parque Europeo, (next to the Minitren) Everyday except Sunday 19.30-23.30. Puerto de Mogán Traditional craft market Plaza del Parking, Puerto de Mogán: Every Monday 09.00-14.30 Puerto de Mogán General Market El Muelle Deportivo: Every Friday 08:00-14:00 San Fernando San Fernando Municipal Market, Maspalomas. Every Wednesday and Saturday: 08:00-14:00 San Fernando Municipal Market Skating ring in San Fernando Every second Sunday 09:00-14:00 San Mateo Every Saturday: 08:00-20:00 and Sundays 08:00-15:00. Santa Brígida Underneath the municipal park in Villa de Santa Brígida. Every Saturday 08:00-20:00 and every Sunday from 08:00-14:00 Santa Catalina Mercadillo in Las Palmas de G.C. Art Gallery of Parque de Santa Catalina Every Sunday between 08.00-14.00.
Santa Lucia Mercadillo de Santa Lucia: Every Sunday 8.00-14.00 Santa María de Guía Plaza del Casco Historico Every Tuesday and Sunday 10.00-14.00 Telde Plaza de San Gregorio, by the bus station Every Saturday 08:00-14:00 Teror Around the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pino Every Sunday 08:00-14:00 Valleseco Mercado Municipal : Every Sunday 08.00-14.00 Valsequillo Calle Isla de la Gomera : Every Sunday 08:00-14:00 Vecindario Agricultural Market Recinto Ferial Every Monday 08:00-14:00 on La Karpa, Avda. de las Tirajanas Every second Saturday 08.00-14.00 Vecindario General Market Recinto Ferial Every Wednesday 08.00-14.00 Vegueta, Cultural and Craftsmanship market Plaza del Pilar Nuevo, Las Palmas de G.C. Every Sunday of every month (except July, August and Sept.) 10.00-14.00.
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The Canary News does not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers, either in advertisements or advertorials, nor can it be held responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, or the non appearance of advertisements or advertorials. This publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors as a result of poor quality artwork or logos supplied by advertisers and no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy or nonappearance of an advertisement or advertorial. Every effort will be made to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of articles and advertisements in this publication, however the publisher does not accept responsiblity for claims or opinions in the same. Reproduction of any part of this newspaper without the consent of the publisher is prohibited E & O E. Edita: JDC Canaries SLU, Imprime: Artes Graficas del Atlantico S/A. Deposito Legal GC - 747 2009 C/Los Dragos 19, Zona Ind. Arinaga, Fase IV 35188, Aguimes, Gran Canaria
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Events
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PLAYA DEL INGLÉS Very spacious, luxurious bungalow with large livingroom, fully equiped kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and large terrace. Central location. Forms part of a small quiet private complex with pool. Close to the beach and several shopping centres. Community fee only 70,- euros/month. PRICE: 350.000 euros
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Apartment at the street down to the beach! This furnished apartment consists of: One bedroom, bathroom, livingroom, separate kitchen and balcony. Low monthly community fee. Complex with pool and parkinglots. At 2 minutes walking to the beach ! Price: 69.000 euros
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SELLING PROPERTIES FOR 24 YEARS !!! Fiestas and Upcoming Events HERE WE give you some of the most relevant dates during which something of general interest is happening on the island. Don’t be afraid to visit these events or even to actively participate in them, most are open to everyone and anyone. When wanting to visit a fiesta, always remember that most activities take part during the morning and then restart from about six pm. We are in Spain and both lunch and siestas are almost religious customs which all Canarians take extremely seriously. Also take into account that the big days will inevitably be during the weekend. Be adventurous and enjoy the Island like one of the natives!
Paws, Tracks of Evolution 1st till 30th April Elder Museum, Las Palmas.
Expo Saldo Arguineguin Opportunities Fair 16th, 17th and 18th April. Marañuelas Park, Arguineguin.
Tribute to Billy Holiday 16th April, 20.30 hrs. CICCA, Las Palmas.
Foto Exposition Valsequillo Almond Blosson Till 16th April, Monday to Friday 08.00 – 14.30 and Monday and Wednesday 17.00 – 20.00. Casa de Saturninita, Valsequillo.Winners of the last Photo Contest of Almond Blossom fiesta and Dresses used in the last Cursed Dog Fiesta. 3rd En Abril Culturas Mil. An extensive insight to Japanese Culture 1st till 30th April, consult programe. Centro Cultural de Maspalomas. For more info: 928 72 00 35 or infocultura@maspalomas.com
Piano Concert By Ivan Martin 13th April, 20.30 hours. Alfredo Kraus Auditórium, Las Palmas. Handicrafts Market 18th and 25th April, 10.00 to 14.00 hrs. Plaza del Pilar Nuevo, Las Palmas. Fiestas in Honor of Nuestra Señora Montserrat 4th April till 2nd March. Consult Programme. Barrio Costa Ayala, San Lorenzo, Las Palmas.
Concert “The Heavy” 22nd April, 20.30 hrs. Revelation Group in the UK. CICCA, Las Palmas. Fiestas in Honour of Santa Agueda 9th to 18th April. El Pajar, San Bartolome de Tirajana. Barricada in Concert 22nd April, 22.00 hrs. Plaza de la Musica, Las Palmas. Opera “Tosca” by Puchini 18th, 20th, 22nd, and 24th April. Perez Galdoz Theatre, Las Palmas.
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Local News
Semana Santa - Easter Week Continued from front page.
With the final water used for de-salting we proceed to cook the potatoes, which should be peeled and cut into chunks, do not add salt. When the potatoes are half way through their cooking add the sweet potato, do not peel but cut into 6 equal portions.
In Gran Canaria every church, chapel and Cathedral have extensive programs relating to this period, these traditions have been in place for centuries, since the very beginning of the colonization of the islands. Most consist of religious ceremonies in the churches themselves, mass if you wish to take it, and of course the processions which parade their Saints and Virgins, with the figure of Christ, whilst the followers pray and sing religious songs.
When both vegetables are cooked, add the fish, put a lid on the pot and remove from the fire. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Put the Gofio flour in a large bowl, and slowly start adding the water which was used for cooking the potatoes, Mix both ingredients together ensuring no lumps are left behind, (the idea is to get a raw pastry-like texture), and to form a long tube like shape which can then be sliced and served.
However, having said this there are certain peculiarities when it comes to some of these acts. For instance, in Aguimes they actually recreate the final hours of Jesus; a custom which also takes place in other counties of the islands. Then there are the more radical followers who deem it necessary to inflict pain on themselves with whips or even crucifixion, but thankfully they don’t seem to take it as far as some countries in South America where we can witness some real barbarian acts in the name of religion. I went to several of these parades in Las Palmas, and to be more precise, attended the ones which were held in the Cathedral of the city and wound through the old streets of Vegueta. I’m not a religious person, I have my beliefs, however I don’t feel the need to demonstrate them in any place, but I did appreciate the intensity and the devotion of the thousands of people who attended these processions. To see so many people together sharing this moment of devotion was very enriching, as I for one believe that people need something to believe in to enhance their lives. As always we also have food dishes which are closely related to this period, but today most of these are not exclusive to Easter and are consumed all year round, but for Canarians Easter Friday is not Friday if they don’t eat a Sancocho, so here’s the recipe for you to try out;
You can add a mashed banana and/or sugar if you prefer. Serve each person with a few potatoes, one piece of sweet potato a couple of portions of fish and a slice of Gofio, then generously drizzle all with Mojo and Enjoy!
either spicy or sweet. ½ Lt of extra virgin olive oil. 100 ml of Vinegar. 4 Tablespoons of Ground Cumin. 1 Hot Chili, optional. The fish must be de-salted for at least 24 hours, changing the water every 4 hours; the longer you soak it the less salty it will be. For the Mojo Sauce, Blend all the ingredients together; some people add a touch of tomato puree to achieve a softer texture or even dry herbs such as oregano to accentuate the flavour, and set aside.
For dessert we have chosen a very typical recipe, which is not only very easy to prepare but extremely representative of the Easter week in the whole of Spain; Torrijas 1 Large baguette, preferably a couple of days old. 1 Lt of milk. 1 Cinnamon stick. 1 Rind of Lemon. Caster Sugar to taste, (we used about 6 tablespoons). 2 Eggs. Olive Oil for frying. In a pan heat the milk, cinnamon stick and lemon rind together, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. After this period add the sugar and let it dissolve. Take into consideration that bread soaks up a lot of sugar. Leave the mixture to cool. When the mixture is cold, cut the bread into 3cm thick slices, long ways, and place in a deep dish, then cover with the milk and ensure they are all soaked; a dry Torrija is just not the same!
Sancocho Canario (Serves 6 people) 3 kg of Salted White Fish in portions (Canarians use Cherne or Corvina) 2 kg of Potatoes 1.5 kg White Sweet Potato 1 kg of Gofio, Toasted Maize Flour Mojo Picon, Canarian Sauce: 3 Garlic Cloves 1 Teaspoon of Rock Salt 1 Tablespoon of Paprika (Pimenton) you can use
Beat the two eggs and carefully cover each slice of soaked bread, then fry in hot oil until brown on each side. It is actually quite tricky to fry the soaked bread without breaking it, I fry two at a time and avoid overcrowding my frying pan. Place them on a large dish and the sprinkle with either icing sugar, cinnamon powder or drizzle with clear honey, which ever you prefer. By Tito Cabral
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Local News
‘Smartour’; The Future is Here and it’s Canarian!
It is not often to see a technological development which has Gran Canaria written all over; in fact it’s extremely rare, however ‘Smartour’ has arrived and guess what, it is 100% Canarian Technology.
Palmas. The idea is to further develop it so that tourist visitors in the south of the island can also benefit from this by next September.
This company has developed, together with the University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, a small portable device which acts as a virtual tourist guide by simply hanging it around your neck. ‘Smartour’ is a small, portable, robust, water resistant electronic device which interacts as a guide to the city of Las Palmas. It also incorporates a GPS function which allows the user to know exactly where he or she is at any given time. The ‘Smartour’ is extremely user friendly with a very simple touch screen which allows the user to quickly navigate through each function, and the rental cost per day is 15€ including taxes; this makes the machine even more attractive as it is an accessible price for all pockets. This revolutionary device comes in three languages; Spanish, German and English, and its’ launch is firstly targeted at cruise ship passengers who arrive in Las
The project is still at a very early stage and at the moment the ‘Smartour’ only includes 4 areas where tourist interest in the city is high. At each area there are currently 22 different points, and when you arrive you can view automatically an informative video about the site; explaining its’ history and why it’s important. However, the company are developing more sites and
areas of Las Palmas and plan to eventually include the whole island.
As an added bonus, the device will also recommended its users restaurants or even specific shopping areas as well as any given event or local fiestas which are occurring at the time. The possibilities are endless, as in the future, local businesses will be able to advertise themselves on these devices, which means, that whenever anyone carrying a ‘Smartour’ with them gets close to your business, an informative video or spot will automatically pop up on the screen and advise them of your presence. ‘Smartour’ has future development plans to not only include tourist spots on Gran Canaria but to take the facility to the other Canary Islands and eventually to mainland Spain. Today it is only a small developing project but a magnificent one too, as not only is it a unique and idea but also helps promote our island, - and we are all for that! Good Luck to them and we will keep you informed about any further developments. By Tito Cabral
XVIII Century Astrologer Charles Messier Honoured It basically consisted of a group of amateur and astrology fans who congregated with their long distance viewing equipment to try and identify the 110 different objects that the famous French astrologer catalogued during his career. The marathon started at 21.00 hours and participation in the event was open to all. The organisers even encouraged those who only had binoculars, telling them how surprised they would be by the amount of things you could see with this simple piece of equipment. Added to this the organization, AstroEduca.com, also offered accommodation and food for those who desired it. Numerous astrology fans attended all holding their many visual instruments in order to take part in this unique event. Although the organisation did warn participants that it is almost impossible to identify the 110 objects with conventional telescopes, you would need computerized ones to do so, the idea of a group trying to do so and simply promoting people to have fun was their motivation. Charles Messier dedicated his life to searching for new comets and created a catalog of the objects he discovered so he wouldn’t confuse them with ones he had already seen. This list became known as the Messier Catalogue.
LAST MONTH the 18th century Astrologer Charles Messier, was honoured in a particular marathon held in the Garañon camp, located in Tejeda.
Today astrologers from all over the northern hemisphere challenge his observatorial abilities in what is known as the Messier Marathon, attempting to locate all 110 objects in just one night. This catalog is composed of Nebulous, Star accumulations, and other Galaxies.
An interesting initiative of a world not many of us know, so we will keep our ears to the ground and inform you of future events of this sort for those who are interested in finding out more, or who are already fans and would like to participate. By Tito Cabral
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Local News
Playa de Mogan gets New Santa Lucia Clean their Padel Courts. Urban Palm Trees. With a growing trend on this relatively new sport the number of Padel courts on the island does not seem to satisfy the growing number of people of all ages who enjoy playing Padel.
A team of gardeners and agricultural workers are taking part in a project to control and treat plagues affecting the urban palm trees of this municipal, and by trying to minimize the negative impact these plagues and diseases have on the current palm tree populations.
the plagues which cause the decrease in population of our urban palm trees, ensuring the preservation of our environment and natural resources, and secondly to create jobs for unemployed gardeners and agricultural workers of the island”. She also took the chance to announce the development of further similar projects which will take place during the current year and which will employ just over 70 more people who are currently unemployed.
of under-age passengers, and as the Public Prosecutor, Bartolome Vargas puts it, “Any driver of a motor vehicle, bicycle or even public transport, holds a position of great responsibility when it come to ensuring under-age passengers are correctly and safely fastened, and therefore minimise the chances of injury in case of an accident”.
Gran Canaria Train Up Date. In response to this high demand, the Ayuntamiento of Mogan has awarded the construction company, Lumarca 2000 SL a contract which sees an investment of 130,450€. The time scale for finalizing the project is 3 months which also includes the preparation of the remaining area for the construction of a further court in the future. Mogan county at the moment has two courts in Arguineguin and two more in Taurito, facilities which have proven insufficient for the growing number of followers who enjoy play this game.
The Vice President of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Roman Rodriguez, has announced that during April they will finally publish the official document for the tender of the Train Projects of the island.
The project, which costs a total of 139,878€, has provided work for 18 previously unemployed workers. The Concejal of Employment and Equality of the Ayuntamiento of Santa Lucia, Juana Maria Alvarado, explains, “with this project we plan to achieve two things; firstly to prevent and eliminate
Today, any incident which demonstrates a lack of safety for under-age passengers will be treated as homicide cases if an accident has occurred and injury has been caused to the minor. In cases where the parents are involved and the responsibility of care is even greater, the case will also be taken to the Coordinator for the minor for further investigation and evaluation. Last year 76 children died in car accidents; 40 of these were not wearing any kind of protective measure, so with the toughening up of the law they are trying to minimize these casualties and keep them to a minimum.
The Hour of the Planet. The tender will be open to all Canarian construction companies who wish to take part, and after evaluation of responses to these tenders, the Cabildo will take the decision on who will participate in the final construction. There has been some delays due to changes in law and legislations concerning important investment projects such as this one, as the Regional Governments now must be included in the final decision. The investment plan for the construction of the train, which will take passengers from the south of the island to Las Palmas, is 15 million Euros; although it is expected that it will cost between 13.5 and 13.7 million Euros. It was also announced that investigation projects have begun for the construction of the northern train, although this project is at a very early stage at the moment.
On the 27th March “The Hour of the Planet” took place, an initiative promoted by the environmental group WWF (World Wildlife Fund) in which they asked everyone to switch off all electrical items. The hour chosen was 20.30 - 21.30, and was in protest against global warming. A spokesman commented that “It was the largest call of solidarity ever to be organized in the world, and included over 6,000 cities as well as over 1000 million people”. People have to realize that we are all part of the solution and that by acting together we will make a difference”. Our ayuntamientos all wanted to support this cause and turned off the lights of the numerous buildings and monuments which are normally lit up every night.
Public Prosecutors Will Act on Lack of Security Measures. The public prosecutors of Road Safety have announced that they will be taking legal measures against all drivers involved in serious accidents which result in serious injury or even death, especially if it is proved that they have been negligent in taking the necessary safety precautions and measures to minimize these. These new measures will extend even more when it comes to the safety
Although the target was more to create awareness rather that cause economic damage to the electrical companies, the final support on the island was not as high as expected, but this is believed to be because of the lack of information as
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
www.thecanarynews.com
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Local News
most of us didn’t know about it. So we will keep our ears opened for the future and inform you accordingly.
In the case of Infant and Primary schools they must publish their provisional lists of admittance by the 17th May, and the rest of the Educational Institutes by the 28th May.
Academic Admission Period is Now Open.
By 2nd of June all schools must publish their definitive and final lists giving the period between the 2nd and 17th June to formalize the registration of your children.
To all those parents who wish to take their children to public Spanish schools please take note that during the period between 8th and 30th of April you may pre-register your children at your desired school. These include Infant school, Primary, Secondary (ESO), Professional Qualification Programs, Formative Cycles and Bachelloriate.
Bear in mind you need to take with you the Family Book (Libro de Familia), DNI of both parents, last years’ Declaracion de la Renta, medical book with all vaccines to date, and an Empadronamiento
certificate which you can easily get from the Ayuntamiento offices.
Declaracion de La Renta! From the 5th April until 23rd June we can all start applying for our 2009’ Declaracion de la Renta’ draft, and can do so by calling the following free numbers: 901 200 345 or 901 12 12 24 or by going to any Tax Agency in person.
Caravan Lovers Demand More Camping Space IN GRAN CANARIA, as well as the other islands, there is a massive community of caravan owners and lovers of the outdoor life comparable with no other Spanish community. In relation to the total population, we have the largest number of followers for this type of holiday.
The problem occurs, when due to modifications to the current coastal laws, the sites and spaces previously available for these caravans have now been drastically reduced, which has caused an uproar of the more than 10,000 campers in Gran Canaria. The problem was accentuated even more with the arrival of the Easter break; a time which these campers like to enjoy in their vehicles with their families.
fear of the land owners, they have turned their attention to the local governments by asking and demanding other options for them to camp and enjoy the passion they share.
Usual sites which the campers used to use included Trajalillo, Triana, Carpinteras, Pasito Bea, and Llanos de Militares, all of which are privately owned and are located in the municipal of San Bartolome de Tirajana. The problems arose when there was a change to the “Plan de Ordenacion of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria” which dictates the use of these spaces so close to the coast line. With this in mind the owners decided to close their lands because of the fear of getting fined if they allowed campers to use their lands. Although campers understand the
The upset and lack of response from the Cabildo has caused them to organize a demonstration in the capital city demanding an immediate solution is. 4,000 campers congregated in Triana armed with pots and pans and whistles and marched past the Cabildo Building in Bravo Murillo to finally end in front of the President’s office in Leon y Castillo. Phrases like, “We are campers not Terrorists” and “Camper: the Government does not like you” could not only be read but also heard from the mouths of the thousands who decided to join the cause. In San Bartolome de Tirajana the camp sites have remained closed and thousands of campers have had to return home or look for other less legal options for the Easter break. The
Ayuntamiento did open a piece of land which does not seem to be included in the new government plan, but only 300 campers benefitted from this temporary solution. Meanwhile the fight continues, and with the arrival of summer no doubt it will intensify once again, so I am sure we will be hearing more about this in the future. By Tito Cabral
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Letters to the Editor
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Letter of the week To The Canary News I read in your last edition the advice given by your “The Canarian Lawyer” about what they suggest the British Couple in the mostly German complex should do to get their owners info in English! Hmmm! Whilst the advice is possible sound from a purely legal point of view it is very flawed from the practical side! And what is suggested will take much time and normally cause some friction and ill feeling AND money! If this couple really want to live an enjoyable and relaxed life in a mainly German owner complex the advice should not be confrontation or possibly bloody mindedness but trying to make and form amicable relationships with their neighbours, Spanish, German or whatever! I would therefore certainly strongly recommend them making friendly contact with their neighbours and learning Spanish or even some German! Is this so difficult? Strange but if they want to really live and enjoy the great advantages of life here in the sun it is more or less a must! They certainly must change their attitude towards others in the complex and try and learn to fit in to the society there and generally. A German managed complex is normally usually well run and more orderly than others on offer here on the island in the south. This is especially so on the financial management side where in Spanish run complexes it is not unusual for there to be central water and electric meters only for maybe 120 or 150 houses! This leads to high electricity and water consumption because costs are not specified per house! This is not quite legal but the complexes have no money to carry out the extensive work required to fit each house or apartment out with water and electric meters! This becomes very much more critical than in most complexes because a high proportion of the owners do not pay their Comididad monthly and often have not payed for months if not years! This means those complexes have high debts they will never reduce and are constantly trying to get money from the owners that have money to pay the bills for the water and electricity consumed! Apart from this these same people also have had for some time - not just now - very serious problems servicing their bank mortgages. The only positive thing here is that the Spanish banks tend to remain relaxed and not push too much on these much overdue payments like say Banks in the UK! As they say in German - Life is not a Pony Riding School! Very best regards from Sonnenland Stuart Stuart, thanks for your comments and sound advice. Ed Many thanks for the opportunity to offer our opinions on the Canary Islands. To give you some background, we come from Canada, a group of 12 friends and family and stayed here for a month of sun and sea. Unfortunately, I have a disability walking and was looking forward to hiring
a car, but parking is a problem so settled on the buses and taxis to get around. The bus service was wonderful, if you knew which one to take, but getting back to our hotel was impossible by bus. Drivers couldn’t understand where we were staying so we returned via taxi. Food proved to be a problem, 6 of our group experienced stomach problems, so a little advice, if you find a restaurant where you get good value and food, stay with it. It took our group weeks to find good restaurants with competitive prices. Most restaurants were very clean, and all had good service, and a free drink at the end of the meal. I was impressed with the stores which sold us our liquor, a nice touch was we could taste the product beforehand, which is rare in Canada and your prices are half of ours. In the hotel where we stayed for 3 weeks, the phones wouldn’t work and it was very hard to obtain ice. Access to ‘wc’s’ was a problem when bar hopping along the beach, and most were closed due to repairs. Your shopping center in Atlantico, is clean, bright, roomy and very competitive with lots of selection. But we didn’t have very good experiences when we actually bought things. For example, my sister in law bought a wallet for 75€, then found they were selling the same one next door for 25€. She tried to get her money back but the shopkeeper wouldn’t give it back. I found a nice leather jacket priced at 600€ but it was too expensive, the shopkeeper immediately dropped the price to 300€!! Still too much for me, and as we left the shopkeeper shouted insults at us. And so it goes on ... We had a great adventure but I am sorry we will not be coming back. Yours truly, Ann & Edwin Gaupholm Sorry we couldn’t publish all your letter, but thank you for taking the time and trouble to write to us. It is useful and enlightening if visitors to our island let us know about their experiences – both good and bad. Perhaps the local tourist boards will sit up and take notice of what you are saying and will try and improve matters. Ed To The Canary News - Unelco Saga Just to keep you up to date with the Unelco saga. Today I visited them again but this time I took with me a friend who is Spanish and has a job of considerable standing. He argued for about 45 minutes before the supervisor had to be called to investigate the problem. The error originated from when the account was first set up, 4 years ago, when Unelco entered one set of figures into their computer for the starting point (meter reading) and another set was printed on the Invoices. This situation continued until I asked for a revision because the meter and the Invoices did not coincide. Then they realised their error but instead of telling me about it they just altered future Invoices to amend their error. Until today I had just received the equivalent of Spanish Mushroom treatment. It’s the same as the English version but much more difficult to understand. Thanks for your help Ian Holland Thanks for the update Ian. Ed
To the Editor of The Canary News, Well Meant Comments We are from Belgium, and spending now for the 7th year in a row our “wintertime” in Gran Canaria. As we read your editions with great interest, especially the “Letters to the Editor” we liked to drop in some comments. Let us say that over the years Playa del Inglès has become disappointing ! In the before “Netto shops” now called “Hyper Dino shops”one will find “rotten” vegetables and fruits in the racks. In the “better” Spanish supermercados like ‘Mercadona” San Fernando one will find no “fresh vegetables nor fresh meat” anymore, but prices went up! If one buys a bread of 600gr one pays 2.60€, this is simply theft. We, in Belgium, pay normally 1.80/1.90 € for a bread of 800gr, still eatable 3 days later! The prices of food and drinks (which might be cheap to Scandinavian people) are going up every year, which cannot be said for the quality. For tapa’s at “Taberna La Cana”, Pl.Ingles e.g. a small portion of cheese, a small portion of serano ham(a lot of fat included) a 1/2 lit of Sangre de Toro+ 1 slice of toasted bread we paid 26.15€. Although the quality was OK and the prices were properly indicated, this was just enough to fill 1/2 stomach of 1 person ! Is this Gran Canarian hospitality and courtesy ?? What do you think tourists will do, when the temperatures of the nice winter weather will become less and less year after year ! Not to speak about the water problem in respect to the preparation of drinks: when fruit (lemon, oranges, etc.) is added to a drink it has mostly be cleaned with tap water. Result : the tourist gets stomach problems/”touristas” and can become seriously ill for several days. That is an unexpected high additional price to pay to the holiday budget. These are very strong items for the Canarian Government to handle quite soon. One, if not to say the only remaining asset to attract tourists is the weather. The rest of the other appealing items have gone particularly for the West Europeans! Maybe the “New Tourists” of the East European Countries are very welcome. Let’s hope so for the Gran Canarian economy and the employment of its people. If the present practice of “milk the cow” is not going to be stopped we do not see much future for the Island and probably for the rest of the Canarian Islands. We keep on saying “no tourists, no jobs, no income”. It will be very sad to see this happening for this Island we like so much and we do like returning to. Kind Regards, Stan & Hilde De Luycker-Van Goethem Thank you very much for taking the time to write to us with your experiences. I have purposely left the letter exactly as you have written it in the hope that businesses and the government here will sit up and take notice of what you are saying. It’s not only the British – who are sometimes given the tag as ‘moaners’ as now we are receiving more and more emails and letters from people of different nationalities all saying the same thing about Gran Canaria. (see previous letter from Canada).
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Feature
The Greek Experience ... deserve the loyalty and friendliness your staff generate.
Mikhail and Patrick are part of the team who work at The Greek Taverna, San Agustin and have this to say about themselves: Mikhail met the owner, Mihail, of The Greek Taverna in 1997 and was persuaded to come and work for him. So in 1998, Mikhail joined the staff and has been there ever since. A happy, friendly chap, Mikhail was born on mainland Greece, lived and worked in Rhodes for 12 years, did many seasons in Holland, Denmark and Germany before finally deciding to settle here in Gran Canaria. He tells me that he spent the first 2 years working at The Greek Village, another restaurant owned by Mihail, but prefers The Greek Taverna as he feels more ‘at home’ here. After so much ‘doom and gloom’ over the last year or so; especially within the restaurant/bar sector, we have decided to feature Mikhail and Patrick as our ‘Canarian Characters’. Two of the happiest and most contented people I have met in a long time, they were a pleasure to interview. Owner, Mihail, I take ‘my hat off to you’, you must be doing something special to
Unattached, and passionate about his nephews and parents back home in Greece, Mikhail loves to explore the island in his spare time, either on foot or by cycling. He is quick to point out that he really doesn’t like to get about by car because of the ‘mad drivers’ over here! A multi lingual, gentle mannered person, Mikhail is fluent in Greek, English, Spanish and German.
Patrick is originally from Belgium and has been on the island a total of nine years, spending the first 7 years working in Gran Chaparral, 1 year in Meloneras and finally this last year at The Greek Taverna.
I think it says a lot about the owner, Mihail, that he has such a happy and loyal pair of waiters as part of his team. It wouldn’t hurt for other restauranteurs to take a leaf out of his book! By Debbie Wenn
He too, like Mikhail prefers to work here, as he says it is busier and more cosmopolitan than The Greek Village, with a good variety of customers from all walks of life. He loves the easy ‘banter’ and rapport he has with the regulars and enjoys trying to communicate with them in their own language; despite the fact that he already speaks Flemish, Spanish, English, German, Dutch, French and a little Scandinavian. He has also learnt a few words in Lithuanian from one of his nearby neighbours who owns a bar. Patrick has an English girlfriend, no children but two mixed breed dogs, and is a fanatical fan of Liverpool FC, whom he supports faithfully. Indeed his first holiday for five years will be in June, and part of the trip to the UK will be to visit his beloved teams’ football ground. Patrick seems to have organised his trip around ‘paying homage’ to various teams, (I only hope his girlfriend is a football fan!) and is really looking forward to seeing as much as he can.
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Family Life
Becoming a Step Parent quality time with a birth parent they don’t see as often as they’d like — can be a difficult way to make friends with your new stepchildren. Remember to put their needs first: If kids want time with their birth parent, they should get it. So sometimes making yourself scarce can help smooth the path to a better relationship in the long run.
Becoming a parent by blending families or marrying someone with children can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. If you’ve never had children, you’ll get the opportunity to share your life with a younger person and help to shape his or her character. If you have children, you’ll offer them more opportunities to build relationships and establish a special bond that only siblings can have. Start Slow The initial role of a step parent is that of another caring adult in a child’s life, similar to a loving family member or mentor. You may desire a closer bond right away, and might wonder what you’re doing wrong if your new stepchild doesn’t warm up to you or your children as quickly as you’d like - but relationships need time to grow. Factors That Affect Your Relationship Children who are mourning the loss of a deceased parent or the separation or divorce of their birth parents may need time to heal before they can fully accept you as a new parent. For those whose birth parents are still alive, remarriage may mean the end of hope that their parents will reunite. Even if it has been several years since the separation, kids (even grown ones!) often hang onto that hope for a long time. From a child’s perspective, this reality can make them feel angry, hurt, and confused. Other factors that may affect the transition into stepparenting: How old the kids are. When it comes to adjusting and forming new relationships, younger kids generally have an easier time than older kids. How long you’ve known them. Usually, the longer you know the kids, the better the relationship. There are exceptions (for example, if you were friends with the parents before they separated and are blamed for the break-up), but in most cases having a history together makes the transition a little smoother. How long you dated the parent before marriage. Again, there are exceptions but typically if you don’t rush into the relationship with the adult, kids have a good sense that you are in this for the long haul. How well the parent you marry gets along with the exspouse. This is a critical factor. Minimal conflict and open communication between ex-partners can make a big difference on how easily kids accept you as their stepparent. It’s much easier for kids to transition to new living arrangements when adults keep negative comments out of earshot. How much time the kids spend with you. Trying to bond with kids every other weekend — when they want
Knowing ahead of time what situations may become problematic as you bring new family members together can help you prepare so that, if complications arise, you can handle them with an extra dose of patience and grace. Steps to Great Step parenting All parents face difficulties now and then. But when you’re a step parent, those obstacles are compounded by the fact that you are not the birth parent — this can open up power struggles within the family, whether it’s from the children, your partner’s ex-spouse, or even your partner. When times get tough, however, putting children’ needs first can help you make good decisions. Here’s how: Put needs, not wants, first. Children need love, affection and consistent rules above all else. Giving them toys or treats, especially if they’re not earned with good grades or behaviour, can lead to a situation where you feel like you’re trading gifts for love. Similarly, if you feel guilty for treating your biological children differently from your stepchildren, don’t buy gifts to make up for it. Do you best to figure out how to treat them more equally. House rules matter. Keep your house rules as consistent as possible for all children, whether they’re your children from a previous relationship, your partner’s children from a previous relationship, or new children you have had together. Create new family traditions. Find special activities to do with your stepchildren, but be sure to get their feedback. Some new family traditions could include board game nights, bike riding together, cooking, doing
crafts, or even playing quick word games in the car. The key is to have fun together, not to try to win their love — children are smart and will quickly figure out if you’re trying to force a relationship. Respect all parents. When a partner’s ex is deceased, it’s important to be sensitive to and honour that person. If you and your partner share custody with the birth parent, try to be courteous and compassionate in your interactions with each other (no matter how hard that can be!). Never say negative things about the birth parent in front of the children. Don’t use children as messengers or go-betweens. Try not to question children about what’s happening in the other household - they’ll resent it when they feel that they’re being asked to “spy” on another parent. Wherever possible, communicate directly with the other parent about relevant matters, such as scheduling, visitation, health issues, or school problems. Talk to your partner or spouse. Communication between you and your partner is important so that you can make parenting decisions together. This is especially crucial if you each have different notions on parenting and discipline. If you’re new to parenting as a step parent, ask your partner what would be the best way to get to know the children. No matter what the circumstances of your new family, chances are there’ll be some bumps along the way. But don’t give up trying to make things work — even if things started off a little rocky, they still can (and probably will) improve as you and your new family members get to know each other better.
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Local News
Open MTB Gran Canaria 2010 In its 6th edition this mountain bike event has already managed to draw some of the top sportsmen and women in Europe, with cycle racing increasing year after year and the event is a must for hundreds of professional and amateur cyclists. In this year’s event a total of 370 have got together to participate in the three main categories but the event does not only offer spectators and participants the races but much more.
Gran Canaria has always attracted cyclist from all over Europe, as it makes an ideal location for training not only because of its privileged weather which is almost guaranteed all year round, but because of its mountainous roads which are perfect for extreme training before the cycling competitions’ seasons start. Following this trend, and the increase in mountain bike aficionados, the organisation headed by Petra Wonisch, an extraordinary women, decided to organize this race six years ago.
Champions and elite riders from all over Europe soon noticed the importance and beauty of this marathon and made it a ‘must’ in their yearly calendars. At 9.00 am in Parque Sur, located in Maspalomas, the riders set off, and from here they would be directed towards the Aqualand park at the foot of the Ayaguaures valley and from there the race would begin. Three categories were included in this year’s event, which included the short race of 35 km, the classic or medium race 65 km and the extreme with a total distance of 90 km.
In addition to the cycling races Petra has also found time to organize the III MTB Race for the Women, a shorter race open to all women who wish to take part and a fund racing initiative for the Canarian Breast Cancer Association. The idea behind this is to encourage women from all around the island and from further away to share a different day together, doing sports and all for a good cause. Added to this was the first Bike and Nature Photography contest which allows all those cycling lovers to show their pictures and share them with others. Lastly a Gastronomy competition was also incorporated into this years’ event giving both professionals and foodies an opportunity to show off their culinary skills. The idea is for contestants to create two dishes each, although these have to be of high nutritional level for sportsmen and women. A fun packed day that I believe all enjoyed as there was a bit of everything for everyone, and we have to highlight the incredible job Petra is doing, and I will be talking more about her in future editions. Let’s hope she can inspire more people to start creating initiatives like this one, that not only promotes a healthier life style but also encourage tourism at the same time. By Tito Cabral
San Bartolome and Mogan Lead the Way ONCE MORE Gran Canaria has lead the tourist occupation rates for apartment reservations for the whole of Spain, with well over 1.1 million bed occupancy during the Easter period which meant an 84.2 % of the total occupation was filled.
The beaches south of Gran Canaria have also acted as a magnet for all those Canarians who this year opted to enjoy the Easter break on the island, and up to 70,000 cars were calculated to have driven from the northern counties to the south.
This was announced by the Patronato of Tourism Office and its’ President, Roberto Moreno, who again confirms that Gran Canaria leads both the island and national rankings in hotel and apartment occupation. “These figures only confirm that the island has consolidated as a strong and solid tourist destination, which still attracts visitors by the thousands”.
Most of these opted to stay in apartments and the ‘all the inclusive’ complexes, monopolizing parking spaces, especially those closer to our beaches. We found the same scenario on the beaches where at around 13.00 hours it would be quite an impossible mission to find a free spot for our towels!
As a group, the Canary Islands have attracted 2.6 million visitors which is 3.6% less than last year, and as far as municipals are concerned, San Bartolome de Tirajana and Mogan in Gran Canaria and Arona in Tenerife lead the top spots chosen by tourist. There has also been an increase in local tourism numbers, although of a different type. More and more Canarians have opted this year to stay on the island, visiting the numerous beaches and mountains. Up to 4,000 campers registered this year on the two camp sites left in La Cumbre. Having said this we do hear comments from the local businesses saying that they are arriving with little or no money.
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For those who only came down for the day the return journey was a little longer than usual as they all seemed to wait until the last minute to return home. This caused tailbacks of up to 2 hours with cars at a standstill on the GC-1 motorway. So despite the huge number of visitors to the south, unfortunately no-one came to spend money in our bars and restaurants. By Tito Cabral
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
Scandinavian Scene with Nina Blaafjell Local Norwegian girl takes part in the The International Chemistry Olympiad Maartje Romijn attends the Norwegian School here in Gran Canaria and is in her last year. She has been selected to represent Norway in the International Chemistry Olympiad. This is a compettion held every year for students in Maartje’s age group and is hosted by a different country every year. The first competion was held in 1968 making this years event the 42nd. Norway has participated since 1982 and there are now a total of 60 countries taking part. To select the 4 people representing Norway and annual selection is held in three stages. Around 600 took part in the first round of which 150 went on to the next round. At that stage the group was reduced to the final 16 who had a week of intense studies in Oslo in the middle of March. The level required is higher than that of the national curriculum for this age group. At the end of the week the final was held with tests based on what they had learned during the week. This part of the competition was based at the University of Oslo and the students were also treated to a tour of the facilities and a ”special effects” lecture held by the
staff to show off some of the more visually spectacular things you can do with chemistry. Once the scores had been added up from the final Maartje came in fifth place. As there are only four representatives this initally meant she would not be able to take part. However, the boy who got fourth place also qualified for the Physics Olympiad and choose to take part there instead as students can only take part in one international final. As a result Maartje took his place and became part of the final four. This year the international final takes place in Tokyo in July. However, before this the team will be meeting again in Oslo at the end of June to recieve further tutoring. The level for the International competetion is high and goes far over and above what the students are learning in school. The Canary News wishes Maartje and her team mates the best of luck !
The Season Comes to an End And so as we come into the month of April, it’s time for our Scandinavian friends to take leave of us once again, and with them goes the ‘golden goose’ which helps many of our businesses through the ‘winter,’ or high season here on Gran Canaria.
During the last few weeks The Canary News has been out and about asking this Nordic population if they have seen any changes this year on Gran Canaria, and one surprising fact emerged; whereas previously they were quite happy to rent self catering apartments, many have decided to return next season and stay in the ‘all inclusive’ hotels and complexes. Why? The reason is quite simple, companies back home are now offering really good deals for the ever popular ‘all inclusive’. This is a real change for the Scandinavians, who until now, enjoyed the freedom of the self catering apartments, but who like the rest of us, are feeling the effect of world recession. Yes, they will still be back, but with less money in their pockets. General comments are that although GC is still cheaper than their homeland, prices have steadily increased and they feel that ‘value for money’ is fast becoming obsolete here on our island! A shift in target markets? You decide.
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Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Horoscopes
ARIES Mar 21 - April 20 In Japan, they say, ‘While we think about where to start, it gets too late to finish.’ In English, we say, ‘He (or she) who hesitates is lost.’
CANCER June 22 - July 23 You may or may not be an artist but you’re certainly adept in one particular ‘art’. You can spend a long time this week, dwelling on nuance and subtlety. It is debatable, though, whether you will create anything more satisfactory.
LIBRA Sept 24 - Oct 23 A break from craziness and pressure would be much appreciated. When, though, will you ever get a particular person to talk sense.
TAURUS April 23 - May 21 You can’t set anyone else’s boundaries for them, you can, though, set your own. You can decide what you do or don’t find acceptable and refuse to cross that line.
LEO July 24 - Aug 23 There may not be much you can do to speed up a process this week but you can at least make yourself more.
Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22 Even if a score can be settled this week, you’ll benefit far more from acting with compassion than with passion! You haven’t got a ‘problem’.
GEMINI May 22 - June 21 Enough decisions have been made. Enough debates have been held. For now, at least, further discussion is unnecessary and irrelevant.
VIRGO Aug 24 - Sept 23 There is an upside to every downside, a silver lining to every cloud. Once we really understand this we actually become enthusiastic about drawbacks.
SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 22 You can come further in or you can go further out. You can grow more detached or you can get more involved. You can walk away gracefully or you can stride in purposefully.
CAPRICORN Dec 23 - Jan 20 Our problems are not always our enemies. Sometimes, they do us favours. They lead us down important roads that we might not otherwise travel down.
AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 We can’t take anything for granted including the rules that seem to state that there’s a limit to what we can accomplish.
PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 Say what needs to be said. Don’t say what doesn’t need to be said! So far, so good. Sound advice that you don’t particularly need to receive because it’s obvious.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “ Champions know that their success is inevitable and that the best way to forecast the future is not to follow the benchmark but to create it.”
And the prize for the lowest IQ goes to ... THE WEAKEST LINK (BBC2)
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BEACON RADIO ( WOLVERHAMPTON ) DJ Mark: For 10, what is the nationality of the Pope?
Ruth from Rowley Regis: I think I know that one. Is it Jewish?
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Spanish Lessons with Theresa Coe ¿Qué tal? is especially handy as you can tack things on the end to ask after someone´s work, family or health, etc: ¿Qué tal… el trabajo/la familia/tu salud?
Lesson 15 Stuck for what to say when you pass the neighbours or are introduced to someone? Try out these simple phrases: MEET AND GREET Buenos días, ¿Cómo estás? Good day (also good morning), how are you? Buenas tardes, ¿Qué tal? [BWEH-nass TAR-des, keh tal] Good afternoon – what´s up/how are things? Buenas noches, ¿Adónde vas? [a-DON-deh bass] Good evening, where are you going? (literally: to where you go?) In reply you might hear: voy a las tiendas (I´m going to the shops).or vamos al supermercado (we´re going to the supermarket). In the second example, ‘al’ represents a shortened version of a el (to the), to avoid the awkward sound this would otherwise make. ¡Adiós/hasta luego! [ASS-tah loo-AY- goh] Goodbye, see you later (lit: until later)
In reply to ¿Cómo estás? Or ¿Qué tal? you can say (muy) bien, [bee-ENN] regular, [reg-oo-LAR] or estoy mal/no estoy bien – I´m unwell. Note that as you pass an acquaintance, it´s as common to call out ¡Adios! as the more obvious ¡Hola! INTRODUCING PEOPLE Este es…. mi marido Peter/mi novio John/mi hijo Greg This is my husband Peter/my boyfriend John/my son Greg. Or esta es….mi mujer [mee moo-HAIR], mi novia [NOH-bee-ah], mi hija [EE-hah] This is my wife (woman), my girlfriend, or my daughter. Did you spot that we say ‘este es’ to introduce males and ‘esta es’ to introduce females? In response you might hear ¡Mucho gusto! (pleased to meet you – lit. ‘much pleasure’). To vary your response, you could reply encantado (if you´re a man) or encantada (if you´re a woman). This means ‘delighted’ (to meet you). Not everyone you meet is Canarian. To find out if they´re from the islands, you could ask ¿Eres de Las Canarias? The mainland is known as la península – another example of Spanish being like ‘high’ English. If you’re then asked ¿De dónde eres? [Deh DON-deh EH-ress] or the more formal ¿De dónde es usted?
[oo-STED], you could answer Soy (I am) or somos (we are) de Inglaterra/Irlanda/Escocia etc (note that Northern Ireland is Irlanda del Norte) YOU: ¿Tú or usted? Like the French, Spanish people have both a formal and informal way of addressing people. In this column I usually opt for the more familiar ‘tú’ form (where the corresponding verbs all end in ‘s’), as the islands are quite relaxed and friendly. For regular verbs, all you have to do is drop this ‘s’ if you want to call someone ‘usted’ to be more polite: ¿Puede(s) ayudarme? Can you help me? ¿Cómo está (usted)? instead of ¿Cómo estás (tú)? You don´t HAVE to put the ‘usted’ in, though it´s often included as a mark of respect or to avoid confusion, as it uses the same verb ending as for ‘he/ she/it’. E.g: Y tú madre - ¿Cómo está? (and your mother – how is SHE?) There´s also a plural form of ‘you’ for both tú and usted, with different verb endings. To keep things simple, you can stick with ustedes when addressing more than one person – all you have to do is add an ‘n’ instead of an ‘s’ to the end of the ‘usted’ form of the verb: ¿Cómo están (ustedes)? How are you both/all? This ‘n’ at the end is also used for verbs referring to ‘they’ (ellos), so while ¿Dónde viven (ustedes)? means ‘where do you both/all live?’, y tus amigos ¿Dónde viven? translates as ‘and your friends - where do they live?’.
If you have any questions or comments relating to this column or the Spanish language in general: Please email theresacoe@gmail.com
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Your Questions Answered
‘The Canarian Lawyer’ Rights concerning dry cleaners I took my suit to a dry cleaners and they damaged the suit. I was told that the suit was already damaged when I took it to be cleaned. Can I claim something? You have the right to claim for the appropriate compensation. If the suit was damaged when you gave it to them, as they say, they should have recorded the state of the garment in the receipt of deposit. Both the drycleaners and the owner should document their objections, together with an estimated value of the damage at the time of collection should further action be needed.
Claim sheets What should I do if a shop won’t give me or do not have customer complaint sheets? Establishments are required by law to provide complaint sheets, but in the event that they do not have these to hand, you must fill out a blank sheet registering your complaint, in duplicate, so that the authorities can assign a file number to their copy. This is to enable the authorities to decide whether there has been an infringement of customer rights. Should the establishment still refuse to give you a blank sheet of paper to record your dissatisfaction then you are within your rights to go to the local
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or national police to record your complaint. All companies should have this or are in breach of the consumer law. Menu of the Day in the restaurants bars Do restaurants-bars have an obligation to offer a menu of the day? No the restaurants-bars and restaurants are not obliged to provide a menu of the day. But if they do they must include in the overall price, bread, a drink and desserts. If the consumer decides not to take everything in the menu, it cannot be discounted from the price, and must be paid in full except if the establishment decides otherwise.
Charge on the credit card I have a charge in my credit card without having bought or ordered anything. What should I do? Send a letter, email or burofax to whom made this charge on your credit card and go to the Bank to apply for annulment of this charge.
Web and Computer problems? info@thecanarynews.com Deleted Items folder be too full or more likely contain a corrupt file, it may not allow any more files to be added. When the Shift key is held in conjunction with a delete, the email file is actually deleted and not sent to the Deleted Items folder. It is not that uncommon for one of the email folders to get hung up on a corrupt file. Previously, I answered a question about an email hung in the Outbox folder in Vista’s Windows Mail program.
Q. I tried to delete everything in my sent files folder and Outlook Express locked up and now I cannot delete any emails from any folder. How can I fix this? A. I suspect that when you tried you just pressed the Delete key or clicked on Delete. The first thing I would suggest is that you select one or two emails in the Sent Files folder and then hold down the Shift key while clicking on Delete. This will probably delete the selected files. When emails are deleted in Outlook Express or most other email programs, they are not actually deleted but moved to the Deleted Items folder. Should the
To fix the Deleted Items folder, we will just delete it taking all the problems with it. Then, when Outlook Express is started, it will create a new, empty Deleted Items folder and all should be well. The Email folders are pretty well hidden so it may take a little to find them and delete the offending folder. First, since the location of these folders can vary between computers, we will have to determine where Outlook Express is keeping these folders on your computer. Here’s how. Open Outlook Express Click on Tools Click on Options Click the Maintenance Tab Click the Store Folders button
When it opens you will see the path to the folder where all the Outlook Express folders are kept. You will have to click on it and then scroll back and forth to see all of it which will look like this: “C:\Documents and Settings\yourusername\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{32D3E6C107DB-42B6-B88B-16A6AE3A5A9B}\Microsoft\ Outlook Express”. Like I said, this folder is hidden pretty well but this is the folder you have to open. Now, be sure to close Outlook Express. To find this folder and display its contents, you must have your computer set to display hidden files and folders. By default, hidden files and folders are set to NOT display and most users never change this setting. Therefore the easiest way to get to this folder is by clicking Start, Run and entering this string exactly as shown: “%userprofile%\Local Identities”
Settings\Application
Data\
Click OK and a folder will open up displaying a folder whose name starts with a { followed by hex characters in 8-4-4-4-12 groups, followed by a }. Click on this folder to open it, then click on Microsoft to open it and finally click on Outlook Express. All the Outlook Express email storage folders will now be displayed. Locate the one called Deleted Items, highlight it, and then press the Delete key to delete it. Close all the open folders and when you are back to the desktop, restart Outlook Express. As soon as you try to delete an email or open the Deleted Items folder, a new Deleted Items folder will be automatically created. You should once again be able to perform any function that requires deleting an email.
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Local News
Playa del Inglés
tattoo parlours and shops selling all kinds of stuff. Hotels close to the Playa del Inglés include the vibrant Hotel Neptuno, ideally positioned to take advantage of the beach and famous night-life and is a popular choice for local art exhibitions.
BORDERED BY the beaches of San Agustín in the east and Maspalomas in the west, the 2.7km-long Playa del Inglés lays claim to being probably the most famous beach in Europe and also one of the most popular throughout the year. Located in the largest tourist area of the island – together with Maspalomas and San Agustín it’s also regarded as the busiest tourist destination in the whole of Spain, so perhaps this is why a number of our clients choose Playa del Ingles to site their businesses.
The fun-and-sun beaches offer all sorts of leisure and sports activities such as jet-ski, sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing and many, many more. Basically, whatever you feel like doing... you’ll find it here! but be aware that some areas of this beach are popular with nudists and gays. There is also the Paseo Marítimo, which – covered with awnings to protect you from the heat of the sun – is a 2-km (1.25mile) stretch plastered with all kinds of restaurants, snack bars, fast food outlets, amusement arcades, Irish pubs and German beer houses, Internet cafés,
Playa del Inglés (the English beach) offers sand by day and pubs and clubs galore by night. One of the biggest holiday complexes in all of Spain, together with Maspalomas and San Agustín, Playa del Inglés is a fun-andsun resort of high-rise hotels, shopping malls and fast-food restaurants. Created in the 1960s on, what was up to that point, barren land - it is now a tourist hyper-centre and famous throughout Europe. In between Indian bazaars, with all sorts of goods from rags to radios, innumerable restaurants compete for your attention with international dishes, traditional breakfasts from half a dozen countries and anything else they can think of. Playa del Inglés is also the place where you will find several huge commercial centres, the biggest of which are the Yumbo Centrum (in Avenida de España – next to the Tourism Office) and Kasbah (in Plaza del Teide) with all kinds of boutiques and shops. The Yumbo Centrum is, of course, famous for being the ‘gay’ center of Gran Canaria and as night falls it really starts to come alive. Each year, around carnival time (March), a stage is built and you can join in the fun and laughter for nearly two weeks, including the crowning of the Drag Queen, Carnival Queen and much much more. And then of course there is Gay Pride which starts the first week in May and is again centered around the Yumbo center and its many bars, restaurants and clubs.
If you are looking for monuments or other cultural sights, this is not the place to be. Daylight hours can be spent on the beach or shopping but come nightfall the scenery changes completely when the bubbling family atmosphere disappears as discos and nightclubs swing into action until dawn. There is a wide choice of venues, including plenty of English, German, Dutch and Scandinavian restaurants and bars. Yet, for more spiritual needs, there is the Tempio Ecumenico, near the Kasbah Shopping Center. And should you get tired of the beach, there is an attractive pedestrian promenade, the Paseo Costa Canaria, lined with lush tropical flora and luxurious villas. It runs all along the beach linking the Playa de las Burras in the east to where the Maspalomas dunes begin. “Young Fun” holidays are very popular during the period of July and August making Playa Del Ingles very much the ideal place for “18-30” style holidays. During the rest of the year the resort proves very popular with all age groups and is home to a mix of British, Irish, German, Scandinavian, Dutch and other European tourists. There are no mountains to conquer in Playa del Ingles making all parts of the resort easily accessible by foot. There is also an excellent network of buses running around the resort and to neighbouring areas. The buses are very clean, regular (although not always to the timetable!) and cheap. Taxis within the resort are inexpensive too - you can more or less travel by taxi between any two points within Playa del Ingles for between 2 and 3 euros.
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Feature
Gran Canaria - K42 More Than Just a Race The K42 is more than just a race, it’s an experience where both participants and their families and friends understand and appreciate the values behind the experience, the environment and the importance of its conservation, and the courage needed as a key value for any K42 racer, perseverance and the will to reach the finish line.
I’VE REPORTED on several different endurance races which take place on the island and when I heard about the K42 for the first time I felt that it would be more of the same. However as I always do, I read and researched about this race and felt that not only was it a massive challenge for the many followers of this sporting event but also represented much more than another mountain race. The K42 was first organised in the Argentinean Patagonia, Villa de Angostura, back in 2003, when it first had 345 runners, but last year well over 900 participated and 450 were placed on a waiting list This year it is expected to accommodate more than 1,600 runners, making this mountain race one of the most important in the world.
With this development other countries wanted to share the K42 spirit and have their own races which would be forerunners to the main race in November held in Argentina. The European K42 is celebrated in Gran Canaria for the second year running by Pablo Cardona and his sporting events company ‘Top Time Canarias’. The two winners for the male/ female categories will then travel to Villa Angostura in November and take part in the original Salomon K42 race. Other races are held in the Sahara, the African K42, which takes the runners through the sand dunes of the dessert and one in Brazil which represents the American race. The lucky winners this year are Francisco Jose Rodriguez and Diana de la Rosa, and we wish them all the best in November race.
this popular sport. Trekkers also get a chance to participate as the organisation includes a parallel trek which allows mountain lovers to also enjoy the K42 experience.
Added to this, a KIDS42 is also organised for the younger ones; a mini version which attracts children of all ages and allows them to start enjoying
The event culminates with a massive celebration in the Parque Sur in Maspalomas, where the trophies are presented to the winners of many categories, whilst the runners up who are still suffering from muscular pains are already thinking about preparing for next years’ event. By Tito Cabral
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Twitters from the Atlantic with Barrie Mahoney
Barrie Mahoney was a teacher, head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the Canary Islands as a newspaper editor. He is still enjoying life in the sun as a writer and author.
Scotch and Estrogen, Sir? A few days ago I made a return visit to Firgas, a delightful small town to the north of the island, and a municipality in its own right. This is the home of Firgas bottled water - sparkling mineral water, which originates from a plentiful spring some three miles from the town. It is said that the bottling plant produces around 200,000 bottles a day - no wonder it is popular thoughout the islands. Before moving to Spain, I was totally opposed to the idea of drinking bottled water. I felt strongly that the making and discarding of plastic bottles was not environmentally friendly and, in any case, I had read somewhere that the plastics that the bottles were made from contained many harmful substances that polluted the liquids they contained. Apparently, the environmentalists told us, we are unwittingly absorbing cancer causing chemicals from the plastic into our bodies. No doubt the same can be said for many food and drink products and not just water in plastic bottles. Anyway, I reasoned, I certainly wouldn’t be paying for bottled water. After all, I had been drinking the stuff right out of the tap for all my life and it hadn’t done me any harm, or had it? One of the first things that we were told when we arrived in the Costa Blanca was “not to drink the tap water”. I knew this, of course, from the many holidays that we had already spent in the country, and it was reassuring to be told by an experienced ‘expat’ that “tap water is quite safe to drink, but you might get a stomach upset from the minerals if you do ... Drink bottled water instead”. With this advice from one who knew, I cast my inhibitions aside and decided to drink bottled water instead. After all, when one moves to another country it is important to show some flexibility...! We also invested in a rather clever water filtration and chiller
system. These units are supposed to purify and remove any harmful substances that may have found their way into tap water, as well as removing most of those nasty tasting chemical additives and it would mean no more plastic bottles. Bar room gossip and chat can be a wonderful source of, mostly inaccurate, information for the newly arrived ‘expat’! The influence of cheap booze and the fact that
few expats take the trouble to learn Spanish before they arrive in the country can result in outrageous claims and notoriously unreliable information freely given to anyone who will listen. However, on one occasion, I had the good fortunate to meet with a, still sober, engineer who worked for one of the water companies in the UK. He confirmed that most substances in ordinary tap water can be rendered harmless by filtration, adding chemicals and the rest, with the exception of estrogen. I pricked up my ears upon hearing this piece of information and quickly learned that too much estrogen is certainly not too good for you. Indeed, in men, too much of the stuff can lead to the development of breasts. Now, gentlemen, unless you really crave for a nice pair of breasts, or are seriously considering a career change to become a drag queen possibly, it is best to avoid too much of the stuff. Sadly, my engineer friend gave me little more information than I have repeated here. He had already downed more than his fair share of lager before announcing that this was why he always stuck to drinking lager and rarely touched a glass of water. “But surely...?” I began, and then thought better than to discuss the subject with him any further. If you ‘Google’ estrogen (or oestrogen) you will quickly discover the definition that “Estrogen is the main sex hormone in women and is essential to the menstrual cycle.” This is lovely for the ladies, I am sure, but I am not sure that we should be drinking the stuff in our ‘Café con Leché’. Indeed, can you imagine placing an order at the bar for a “Double Scotch and Estrogen”? Ah, you already have. Returning to Firgas bottled sparkling water. It is a lovely refreshing drink and I am reassured that it is sold in glass bottles. Cheers!
If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest novel, ‘Journeys and Jigsaws’ (ISBN: 9781843865384). © Barrie Mahoney
Spanish classification of wines
o Qualified Denomination of Origin Wines -QDO(Vinos de Denominación de Origen Calificada DOCa) The top level of quality and monitoring of wine production. The basic requirements: ♣ High levels of quality over a long period of time. The first designated wine to enter was Rioja, 1991.
1.-Regulations governing wine The Spanish wines have been adapted to European standards, and they have been classified into two groups: Table Wine (Vinos de mesa) and Quality Wines Produced in Specified Regions (Vinos de
Calidad Producidos en Regiones Determinadas). • Quality Wines Produced in Specified Regions -QWPSR(Vinos de Calidad Producidos en Regiones Determinadas -VCPRD-):
♣ The production area is required to have been recognized over at least the previous 10 years as status “Denomination of Origin (DO)”. ♣ All products must come to market bottled in wineries located in the region where they are produced. o Denomination of Origin Wines -DO(Vinos de Denominación de Origen - DO) The basic requirements: ♣ Each DO must be regulated by a Governing Body (Consejo Regulador) Continues on next page ...
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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♣ Spanish wines produced in a demarcated production area using grapes grown in that same region. ♣ The reputation or characteristics are due to the geographic environment, the human factor or both, as regards the production of the fruit and the making or ageing of the wine. ♣ The production area is required to have been recognized over at least the previous five years as a region producing “Quality Wines with a Geographical Indication”. o Quality Wines with a Geographical Indication (Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica) The wines made in a certain spanish region using grapes grown in that same region whose reputation or quality are due to the geographic environment. o Wines estate. This wines of recognized prestige made from grapes grown under climatic and soil conditions distinctive to a certain rural place. • Table Wine (Vinos de mesa) o Country Wines - CW (Vinos de la Tierra - VT) o Table Wines 2. Ageing characteristics classification: • Gran reserva o Red wines aged for a minimum of 60 months, include at least 18 months in oak.
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Cookery
o Rosé and white wines aged for 48 months, include at least 6 months in wood. • Reserva o Red wines aged for a minimum of 36 months, include at least 12 months in oak. o Rosé and white wines aged for 18 months, include at least 6 months in wood. • Crianza wine o Red wines aged for a minimum of 24 months, include at least 6 months in oak with a capacity of 330 litres maximum. o Rosé and white wines aged for 18 months. • Old wine Old wines aged for a minimum of 36 months. • Aged wine (Añejo) Old wines aged for a minimum of 24 months. • Quality wine (Noble) Old wines aged for a minimum of 12 months.
Solomillo con setas - Fillet Steak with Mushrooms
Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 x 150g fillets of beef 50g serrano ham, diced 4 slices of thinly sliced white bread 1 chicken liver, cut into small pieces 1 truffle, sliced or cut into small pieces 1 small glass of dry sherry 1 tbsp tomato purée 1/4kg mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced olive oil butter salt and black pepper
Method: In a frying pan, sauté the sliced mushrooms in some oil and butter, adding a pinch of salt and some black pepper. Put aside. In the same pan, fry the bread on both sides, until golden, place onto serving dishes and keep hot. In the same pan, fry the fillets of beef, seasoning if desired, and place on top of the slices of bread. In the oil that is left over, toss the pieces of ham, truffle and liver. Stir well and add the tomato purée and sherry, leaving to heat through for one minute. To serve, pour the sauce over the fillets and place the mushrooms on the side. Serve very hot.
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Fashion
Easy-2-Wear Spring Fashions - 2010 No need to go with wild ripped-up leggings or eyepopping prints to get a fresh take on leggings for spring. Contemporary manufacturers in particular have you covered: new acid-wash/tie-dye looks, khaki neutrals, cute zip-ankle details and especially denim leggings (jeggings) will add to your legging wardrobe Designers mixed and matched plaids, oversized it into large prints and put it into new pieces (like a matching shorts suit.)
made to show off great shoes (cropped slim pants are a favourite way to show off amazing shoes.) Cage shoes are an update on the gladiator: they feature a cagelike effect made with straps and can either be casual or dress, high-heel or flat. Wedges - a warm-weather favourite - are updated with wooden heels and every fabric and detail available. Booties and ankle boots are still a very strong look and work well with leggings and shorter skirts.
Designers rework denim into rompers, dresses and shoes for spring. The edgiest looks feature head-totoe denim: previously a fashion don’t. Head-to-toe denim may work on trendy fashionistas as a fad, but in reality the denim-everything trend is one we all love. From denim tunics worn with leggings to great denim shoes, touches of denim worn in new ways - as jackets, dresses, rompers and shirts - instead of just jeans, looks fresh for spring. Mix denim with white, brights and neutrals. Denim is a natural for big bold pieces of nature-inspired jewellery like wood or turquoise Here’s a trend that works for so many women, and it’s as easy to buy into as adding a pair of soft utility pants or khaki camp shirt into your wardrobe. The key to keeping military looks feminine is to choose fitted shirts and jackets: it gives it more of a boy-meets-girl look than a sloppy army surplus look. Although camo is around, it’s really the khakis and olives that look freshest. Olive is a great colour on tanned skins, but if it’s not a colour you can wear keep it on the bottom or just go with khaki. To shake up the basic black leggings that everyone has co-opted as a no-brainer look, designers took to crazy prints and fresh fabrics.
Plaid can either be sporty or formal, depending on the print, scale and fabric. It’s best in less formal pieces: cute camp shirts, fun totes, etc. because it has the breezy look of summer. Unless you are feeling adventurous, leave the mixing and matching prints to the experts (and most of the time it looks ridiculous even when they do it.) Instead, wear your plaids with neutrals or use a bright to accentuate the colour story of your plaid
Eye-popping heights and elaborate details made their way down the runway on the feet of models around the world. The most dramatic styles were cage shoes, wedges and ankle boots.
./7 /0%.
Statement shoes have been one of the most significant trends going for seasons. Even pant lengths are being
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Mesa y López , 32
Triana, 61
C.C Las Arenas
Vecindario ( opposite to Víctor Jara theatre )
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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Health and Beauty
Six Steps To Perfect Eyebrows hair mid-shaft,” says Engle. Follow your natural brow shape, not the trends. “It’s very difficult to let your brows grow back into their natural shape after you’ve plucked them to death trying to achieve a particular look,” she says. 6. Fill in sparse areas with a freshly sharpened brow pencil - use light, quick strokes to draw in hair. Brow powder will give thin brows overall definition, and is great for a more natural look. Using the brow brush, sweep powder up and outward over brows. If you’re a brow novice, a tinted brow gel is a foolproof way to keep brows in place. Lightly coat brows using upward and outward strokes. Wipe off any excess and allow it to set. Keep them in place... If you are having trouble taming your brows, here is a little trick: 1. Brush brows upward. Carefully trim any excess hair above the top of your natural arch. Be careful not to take off too much at the ends or you’ll have brow “bald” spots.
Take a toothbrush and spray with a little hair spray and then brush on brows. The stickiness of the hair spray will help keep them in place
2. Look closely at the shape. Your brow should begin at your tear duct, peak at the outer edge of your iris and end at the outer corner of your eye. “Many women make the mistake of taking off too much at the outer corners,” says Weston. “This slants the brows upward and makes the person look perpetually angry.” 3. Prep your skin: Soak a cotton ball in astringent and wipe the brow area. 4. Hold a pencil in line with the outer side of your iris and note where the peak of your arch naturally occurs. From the arch to the outer corner of the eye, your brow should fall in a straight or slightly curved line, depending on the look you’re trying to achieve. 5. Hold the tweezers at a 45 degree angle and pluck the stray hairs below the brow line. “Pull in the direction of the hair growth, or you may end up breaking the
Which Tweezer? Thin Tip: Good for grasping small, fine hairs, and plucking ingrown hair. Slanted Tip: Gives maximum control. Square Tip: Best used for removing coarse hairs or several hairs at a time. Tweeze immediately after showering or apply a hot washcloth to loosen hair follicles. Filling In Your Eyebrows
The trick to full brows is to come clean, then fill in the blanks. Waxing director Eliza Petrescu of Avon Salon & Spa explains it for us: Choose a pencil and powder in the correct shade. Women with fair complexions should use a blonde shade, those with olive tones should go tawny or brown, and those with with African-American skin should use gray. Brush brows downward with a dry, mascara-like wand. To define the arch, use the pencil to draw a line along the upper edge of the brow. Comb the brows upward and outward. For added fullness, dust eye shadow into the hairs of the brow with a stiff, slanted brush. Dip the brush into a tiny amount of powder and use short, gentle strokes while applying. If brows have been severely over tweezed, brush the hairs in the direction of the growth, and fill in any visible patches with powder. Avoid adding to the top or bottom of the brows. Comb a clear brow gel up through the brows to set hairs in place. Brow Colour Did you know that brows should be a little lighter than your hair colour? Yes, it’s true...about two shades. However, if you are blond or gray, the opposite is true.
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Health
12 Good Reasons to Eat More Slowly Ann Mather, Celebrity Nutrition Advisor, FamouslyFit. com
to relax. Eating is a habit (or necessity) that actually puts the body under enormous stress – especially when we rush it. If we can start to put eating in the same place as relaxing, it helps to reduce stress. Again, there is so much research to confirm that if you distract the mind from eating (watching TV, sitting at the computer, etc, etc) we interfere with the normal signals and this increases stress. If you plan to eat, do nothing but eat!
One of the problems in our daily lives is that many of us rush through the day, with no time for anything … and when we have time to get a bite to eat, we gobble it down. This leads to stressful, unhealthy living. Taking just a few more minutes at each meal can have a profound effect on your health and wellbeing. It Is So Easy - We Just Don’t Think About It! It really is so easy! After each mouthful, put your knife and fork down until you have chewed your food at least 10 times and swallowed it. IS THIS ENOUGH REASON FOR YOU TO EAT SLOWLY? Lose weight: There is increasing evidence from studied that if you eat slowly you will consume fewer calories and reduce the risk of overeating. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register we are full. If you eat quickly, you will have “guzzed” your way through an enormous amount before that signal gets heard! In France, they eat really slowly – amazingly more calories and more fat than in the USA – but there is a much lower rate of heart disease and obesity! Studies indicate that up to 10 kg can be lost in a year by simply eating more slowly! Appetite Reduction: This is kind of like the first point. Your brain takes 20 minutes to register that you are
getting full – and our bodies are designed to send the signal to GRADUALLY diminish the appetite as we eat. The slower we eat, the more that signal can take effect. Portion Control: Eating quickly simply allows you to eat a huge amount before you realise what you have done and before you get the signal that you are full. You are more likely to go back for seconds! If you eat slowly, what first appeared to be a small portion will actually leave you feeling quite satisfied. We need far less at each meal than we think we do. We need to eat “little and often”.
Reduced Risk of Obesity: research shows that there is a direct correlation between rate of eating and obesity – for all of the reasons included in this article!
Enjoy your food: If you shovel your food in, your taste buds don’t have the time to register what you are actually eating. So if you are eating sinful foods, you end up eating much more to get the “feel good” effect. Slow it down and you are able to savour all of the wonderful variety in texture, taste and smell. Amazingly, the more you allow yourself to enjoy your food, the less you will eat! Research has proven that people who actually eat “fast food” slowly do not like the taste – but if they keep eating quickly, they eat at least twice as much of the junk food. Hardly a surprise really! Improved digestion: digestion starts in the mouth – the more you do there, the less you need to do elsewhere. In the mouth, saliva starts to break food down into smaller chemical constituents. By the time it reaches the gut, the food is partially processed. So, your body can then start to absorb the nutrients that it needs much quicker – in turn it feels satisfied much more quickly. If you eat too quickly, everything hits your gut like a brick! This is the cause of many digestive problems and it also slows down your metabolism. Increased Absorption: I have already mentioned it before. The more your food is broken down by the time it reaches your intestines, the easier it is for your body to extract and absorb the essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Heartburn & Acid reflux: eating too quickly can cause heart burn and acid reflux Reduced stress: When we go and sit in a sauna or a Jacuzzi, we intend
Reduced risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes – research shows that eating quickly is directly associated with insulin resistance. If you are eating lots of carbs (and especially the wrong type) and eat them really quickly, your blood sugar will “sky rocket”. There is also an association between quick eating and heart disease and diabetes. Lower Blood Pressure and Lower Cholesterol – once again, research shows that there is a link between fast eating and conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol The Fast Food Syndrome – experiments show that when people eat fast food slowly, they actually don’t like it and start to choose things that are better quality.
20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd2010 April 2010 - The Canary News Issue 20 - FridayIssue 9th April - Thursday 22nd April
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Get Fit, Lean and Toned - with Lee Latchford Evans Ex Steps Star turned Personal Trainer Lee’s Cardio Crazies
ARE YOUR NAILS SPEAKING TO YOU?
This is the first in my new series - working to improve you cardiovascular fitness. Some of the exercises will be more challenging than others - start slowly and build up.
Ann Mather, Celebrity Nutritionist
Squat Kicks This is a great workout for the legs and bum and you will activate your core by focusing on good body posture while performing the exercise.
Start Position
Stand - feet wider than hips, toes pointing forwards. ‘Neutral spine’ - activate the core, shoulders back, head up and proud Hands raised in a boxers guard position with two fists
Main Exercise Bend the knee to squat - maximum 90º Knees in line with toes Back straight, head forward Power up with legs Kick one leg out in front of you at the same time Punch arm (same side as leg) out in front at the same time Return to start position
Progression Push yourself harder for longer! Challenge me - I can perfom 56 in 1min!
Top Tips
Our nails are a great reflection of the overall health of our body - start to listen to them! If they are easily damaged, weak or covered in white marks or ridges, you will be deficient in one or other essential nutrient! Not wanting to scare you, there could also be something more sinister going on inside Common Deficiencies: • Protein • Calcium • Vitamin B • Vitamin C • Iron or Zinc Discoloration, nail shape and texture all tell a story. If you want to learn more, go to our website -
www.famouslyfit.com
• Maintain good posture • Keep back upright • Breath out on the kick
Have fun and remember start slowly and take time to progress.
L��
The best way to ensure the health of your body and your nails is to eat sufficient lean protein during the day, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds and dietary fat. And don’t forget our best friend - water. Our nails also need moisture ...
OK! MAGAZINE FULL OF
Repeat as many times as you can in 30 seconds.
FAMOUSLY FIT PEOPLE!
Summer Sun Workout Get Toned and Ready for Summer with the Female Face of Famously Fit
Amy Guy (aka Gladiator Siren) With the run to the
Virgin London Marathon 2010
only weeks away,
Celebrity Fitness Experts Jenny Pacey & Wayne Gordon
share their best training tips to make the big race seem like a jog in the park ... AND OUR OWN
LEE LATCHFORD EVANS ...
... is in for the kill as he supports The Outward Bound Trust (www.theoutwardboundtrust.org.uk). Lee is going to be back in Gran Canaria in June, but in the mean time if you want to sponsor him go to http:/uk.virginmoneygiving. com/LeeLatchfordEvans Just 50 cents per person would go a long way to help! Famouslyfit.com web site provides lots of hints and tips about preparing for the Virgin London Marathon 2010 – come and join us!
This is the last in my five part series to target those bits usually on show during the Summer - legs and arms. For this one, you do need two small weights - a couple of water bottles will do!
Repetitions I recommend 3 sets of 10 repetitions - every single day!
Bentover Flies - Shoulders and Upper Back Step One
Step Three • Lower your arms toward the floor with palms facing • Maintain a slight bend in the elbow
• Stand with one leg in front of the other • Hold a weight in each hand
Step Two • Lean forward from the waist • Tuck the abdominals in • Maintain a straight back, with a line through the hip and down the back leg
• Raise your arms to the side until the weights are level with the shoulder • Your shoulder blades should slide toward each other • Lower and repeat
I hope you have enjoyed following my five part programme. More great exercises to come from other members of the FamouslyFit team!
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Community
ORT C COMF
R
ORNE
Accentuate the Positive
‘ACCENTUATE the POSITIVE.......eliminate the NEGATIVE, latch on to the AFFIRMATIVE ...’ so went the catchy old war-time song.
Several years later, one of the boys was killed in Afghanistan and the teacher attended his funeral. The church was packed. One by one those who loved him filed past the coffin, including his old teacher.
In my school I always felt very different to the rest. I yearned to belong and to be accepted as we all do – whether or not we admit it or show that we care. Mitigating against the reality of my becoming one of the ‘in -crowd ’were quite a few factors which caused my face....and probably the rest of my anatomy to simply ‘not fit’. First there was my surname... a ten-letter four -syllable unpronounceable moniker, which gave rise to much hilarity throughout my young life--never more so than when I reached Grammar school . Tacked on to the ‘make me feel different ‘list, was a glaringly noticeable ugly scar on my right knee which turned a violent purple in cold weather, (and yes, it did show below the hem of my gymslip) prompting many a stifled “yuck” from ‘over -the -wall -peepers’ at the boys’ school next door!) Now mix in a fair measure of alcoholic father who turned up at posh ‘do’s’ ...such as our Speech-Day, well-oiled and seeking his eldest daughter, who for her part was desperately seeking anonymity among the remaining 399 ‘normal’ girls . Next add on my left-handedness with its backwardsloping writing, which gave rise to my Geography teacher remarking that my sinister scribing showed signs of a false character. I spent my entire school life endeavouring to make my letters slope forward. School ink (of the wet variety) added a new blotchiness as all became less and less legible! (I guess the psychologists among our readers are having a field day with this one!) Please do not worry, I am out of recovery!
As she stood there, one of the pall-bearing soldiers came up to her. ‘Weren’t you Mark’s teacher?’ he asked. She fought back tears and nodded. ‘He talked about you a lot’ he said, as he joined Mark’s former classmates. After the service Mark’s parents were waiting for the teacher.
My low self esteem may have been ‘cured’ though, had I had a teacher like the one in the following story, (and who knows, I may even have passed ‘O’ level Geography!) A teacher who found a way of helping her students accentuate positives, eliminate negatives, and affirm each other, in one easy lesson. How? She simply asked her students to list the names of all the other pupils in the class on a sheet of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the lesson to finish their assignment .She collected their papers. The teacher wrote down all the names on a separate sheet, and listed what everyone else had said about each individual.
‘We want to show you something,’ his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket ‘They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.’ Opening the wallet, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark’s school friends had said about him. ‘Thank you so much for doing that,’ his mother said. ‘As you can see, Mark treasured it.’ All of Mark’s former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled sheepishly and said, ‘I still have my list. It lives in the top drawer of my desk.’ John’s wife said, ‘My husband has his in our wedding album.’ I still have mine too,’ Marilyn said. ‘I keep it in my diary’ Then Vicki reached into her purse and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. ‘I carry this with me all the time and everywhere. Looks like we all saved our lists...not just Mark’ ... said Vicki . ‘It just shows how very much they mean to us’ That was the moment when when grief and gladness collided and the teacher finally sat down and cried.
Next day she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. ‘Really?’ she heard, ‘I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!’ and, ‘I didn’t know others liked me so much,’ and again, ‘I hadn’t realised others even noticed me’. No one mentioned those papers again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were content with themselves and happy with one another.
Kay Owen. April 2010.
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Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
www.thecanarynews.com
25
Golf
Introducing Mark McGeehan – PGA Golf Professional The Canary News is proud to welcome Mark McGeechan onto our regular team of reporters and feature writers. Mark is the new PGA AA Qualified Professional at the Lopesan Meloneras resort and brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise. Having been successful in establishing himself in the UK, Mark has made the move just two months ago to Gran Canaria, to move forward what is already a fabulous Academy into the next phase of development, and to coach golfers of all levels to obtain their personal goals. Having built up three Academies in the UK, the Lopesan Group are delighted that Mark has joined the team and will ensure that the LGA remains at the forefront of teaching and providing the highest level of coaching available. Mark has been a professional golfer for 14 years and has worked with many elite players; travelling all over the world to compete on the professional circuits, whilst learning his trade.
He has coached at three Open Championships and has expert knowledge in Child Development and is very excited at the prospect of seeing new young talent come through the Academy at the LGA. In fact the last Junior Golf days held at Lopesan were extremely successful, where Mark taught a group of ‘budding young golf stars,’ who were aged 4 to 12, and a 50/50 mix of British and Spanish. Mark explained to me that teaching children of different age groups requires a certain skill and patience, but the rewards are tremendous. His youngest ‘golfer’ is just three years old, and his aim here was to ensure the child enjoyed what he was doing, rather than teach technicalities, whereas his ‘oldest player’ of 15 has a handicap of 3.
for those new to golf, but that it would never take the place of golf as we know it. Mark will be writing regular golf features for The Canary News, which will also include reporting back on special golfing events and tournaments both here and abroad, so welcome Mark to Gran Canaria; we know you will enjoy your time here, as I am sure we will enjoy you being here.
He believes in teaching life skills and is a qualified sports psychologist, but firmly believes that experience is what counts (although he has the PGA| qualification, which is equivalent to a degree). I asked Mark what he thought about the new ‘PowerPlay’ golf, and he told me that it is a clever concept, especially
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26
The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
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Sport
Red Bull overcame their reliability issues as Sebastian Vettel headed a one-two in the Malaysian Grand Prix. Vettel, whose car cost him potential wins in Bahrain and Australia, overtook team-mate and pole-setter Mark Webber at the start and held on to triumph.
batsmen in international Twenty20 cricket.” Warner will open the batting with former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist during the competition. On his debut for Australia’s Twenty20 side against South Africa last year, he hit 89 runs off just 64 balls. He has since gone on to represent his home country in thirteen Twenty20 internationals and has over 450 runs to his name Andy Roddick ended a four-year wait for his fifth Masters 1000 title with victory over Czech Tomas Berdych in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open.
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg took third while the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button were sixth and eighth.
That means the weights will remain unaltered, with the nine-year-old poised to lump 11st 10lbs around the gruelling four-and-a-half mile course. Madison du Berlais was pulled out of Thursday’s Totesport Bowl, which has Gold Cup star Imperial Commander. At Monday’s five-day declaration stage, 10 horses were withdrawn, leaving 65 in the race, although only 40 can run. Trainer Paul Murphy has revealed he may withdraw Mr Pointment to give his second horse, Cerium, who was fifth in last year’s race, a run. Mr Pointment (10st 7lb) is 36th at present on the list of 65 entries while Cerium (10st 5lb) is 42nd, with a maximum of 40 allowed to run.
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa leads the championship after finishing seventh as team-mate Fernando Alonso retired.
Any of four reserves will only be utilised if there are any non-runners between the final declarations on Thursday morning and Friday at 0930 BST.
Massa is now two points ahead of Alonso, who is level on points with Vettel but heads him in the standings because of a stronger results countback.
Yorkshire-based Murphy said: “At the moment, if one horse comes out then Silver Birch, who is 41st on the list, gets a place and Cerium would be next.
Rosberg and Button are both two points back on 35, four ahead of Hamilton and five in front of Renault’s Robert Kubica, who again impressed to finish fourth after coming second in Australia. Despite losing his position at the head of the grid, Webber drove an excellent race - he produced the fastest lap (one minute 37.054 seconds) - to move up to eighth in the championship. “The first part of the race is critical and the first sector I had a little wheel spin on the way to Turn One and gave Seb a big tow,” said the Australian
The American, seeded sixth, won 7-5 6-4 to claim his 29th career title and his first at the elite Masters level since Cincinnati in 2006. Roddick, who made the final in Indian Wells last month, has more match wins than any other player in 2010 with 26. And the 2004 champion becomes only the fifth man to win the Miami title twice. Roddick joins Andre Agassi (6), Pete Sampras (3), Roger Federer (2) and Ivan Lendl (2) as multiple winners in Florida. “Obviously it’s a big title for me,” he said. “I felt a little bit of pressure to win this one, because I had a pretty good opportunity in Indian Wells and didn’t come through there. I think just the last month has been real good for me.” Berdych, 24, had enjoyed a superb run to the final that included victories against Federer, Fernando Verdasco and Robin Soderling.
Australian batsman David Warner has agreed to join Middlesex Panthers for this season’s Twenty20 campaign. The 23-year-old said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to play at Lord’s. Hopefully, I can help Middlesex win.” Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington added: “David is one of the most explosive and exciting
It was a return to the kind of form that had once seen him tipped for great things, and took him to his biggest title to date at the 2005 Paris Masters. But former world number one Roddick had given an attacking masterclass in his semi-final win over Rafael Nadal and both men began the final looking sharp Top-weight Madison du Berlais is a confirmed runner in Saturday’s Grand National at Aintree.
Paralympians Jonathan Fox and James Crisp both starred with new world 100m backstroke records at the British Championships in Sheffield on Friday. Fox, from Newquay, set a new best in the S7 category while Sheffield’s Crisp did the same in the S9 category. It follows the world records for Liz Johnson and Sascha Kindred earlier in the week. Johnson improved her own S6 100m backstroke mark with Kindred setting a new best in the S6 100m butterfly. Fox, the European champion, clocked one minute 11.99 seconds to beat American Lantz Lamback’s mark of 1:12.09 and take gold in the event. Crisp, who missed the Beijing Paralympics with a shoulder injury, knocked 0.02 seconds off Matt Cowdrey’s mark of 1:03.34 for silver with bronze going to Gallica’s Thomas Young. This week’s event is part of the Paralympic team’s preparations for their World Championship trials at the same venue in two weeks’
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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27
Sport
Beach Cleaning Arguineguin 2010!! THIS YEARS’ annual Surfrider Foundations’ Beach Clean Initiative came right to our doorstep here in Arguineguin! And it was the children of Surf Canaries Surf Club and other local young people who came along and really made this event a success. A total of 22 people came along to help support the cause and worked throughout the morning to make Callao beach, Arguineguin a cleaner and more pleasant place to be; for man and beast! The initiative had several incentives, not the least of which was to achieve a beach which is clear of plastic, but also to highlight to people that if they leave plastic on the beach, they should change their ways. As organisers of the Arguineguin beach clean, we were overwhelmed by the childrens’ drive and commitment. Nobody left until the entire beach (from outside Fusion right over to the cement factory!) had been cleared. Everyone
was united in the task and although the sun was strong, no-one complained and just got right on with it. Just as the work was getting really hard and we had found far more rubbish than we ever imagined, we started to wonder how would we carry all of these bags back to base?! Help came a long in the form of a giant digger and some very helpful and friendly staff from the cement factory who offered to dispose of the rubbish that we had collected. A very big thank you to those guys. And there was another surprise; the children were joined by local surf legend celebrity Isidoro, an extremely well respected surfer from the area. Isi worked with us throughout the morning and kept spirits high in the camp. So finally, here are the statistics: 3 Hours 22 Volunteers 7 different nations
70 massive bin liners of rubbish 630 KG (approx.) Part of a washing machine, traffic cone, shopping trolley, an outboard engine cover thousands of shoes (none from the same pair!) and a message in a bottle!
And then the fun bit when all was done, Casa Cleaning (http://casa-cleaning. com), Surf Canaries and Super Chano (the supermarket next to Fusion) provided a feast for all the workers in the form of a BBQ on the beach. It really rounded off nicely a day of hard work, good fun and camaraderie. The beach clean-ups are spearheaded by the Surfrider Foundation (an organisation to protect the oceans, reefs, beaches, rivers and lakes). The beach cleanups are held once a year throughout the world on the first weekend in spring. During the winter, litter and waste accumulates on our beaches so right now is an ideal time for a clear up. This year, the Surfrider Foundation has proudly announced that during the 4 days of the international clean-ups (18th -21st March) more than 800 sites (beaches, lakes and rivers) in France, Europe and the rest of the world were
cleaned by approximately 40,000 men, women, and children of all ages. Beach clean-ups are just the more visible aspect of the work of the Surfrider
Foundation. Behind the beach cleanups and awareness education, they are working tirelessly on plastic marine litter. The volunteer efforts around the world will have a direct impact on studies (quantity and quality of marine litter) and on the lobbying outcomes of the Surfrider Foundation. So back to Arguineguin and to finish up, these young surfers have proved, with no shadow of a doubt, that they love their surf beach and will go to all lengths to look after it and continue looking after it. Congratulations to all involved! Until next year.
The Canary News - Friday 12th - Thursday 25th February 2010 - Issue 16
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
To place a classified advert, simply fill in the coupon on page 31 and drop off at Property Abroad, Aladdins Cave, Fuze Bar or Cafe Florin. See ads for locations. Email: sales@thecanarynews.com or Tel: 928 774 818 PROPERTIES FOR SALE Private
Property of the Month Costa Blanca
Apartment near
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588.000, Euros Europa Real Estate 928 765 813 info@europa-immobilien.com PLAYA DEL INGLÉS: Spacious, very bright and quiet one-bedroom apartment in top- condition situated in a well maintained complex with parkinglots, swimmingpools and teniscourt and all amenities close. Price: 110.000,- euro PLAYA DEL INGLÉS, TOPFLOOR APARTMENT WITH UNIQUE VIEWS. Breathtaking seaview to the dunes and lighthouse of Maspalomas. Bedroom and livingroom have access to the exeptional large dobble terrace with whole-day-sun. The beachpromenade is at one-minut-walking distance and several shopping centres are nearby. Sufficient parkingfacilities available. PRICE: 126.000 Euros PLAYA DEL INGLÉS, BUNGALOW WITH GARAGE Excellent and quiet located bungalow on a closed plot that offers perfect privacy. It exists of: 2 bedrooms, livingroom, full fitted kitchen, bathroom, 2 large terraces and private garage. This respected bungalow complex is very quiet and centrical situated and has a large pool and tenniscourt. Low monthly community costs. PRICE: 276.000. Euros SAN AGUSTÍN, GROUND FLOOR BUNGALOW WITH LARGE TERRACE AND SEAVIEW. This bungalow forms part of a small private complex with pool. The beach of San Agustín is only 3 minutes walk away and also the shopping center is nearby. The bungalow consists of: 1 bedroom, livingroom/ kitchen, bathroom and a terrace of 24 m2 with sea view to the beach of Playa del Inglés. The monthly comunity costs are only 40 Euros. PRICE: 138.000 Euros EXCELLENT LARGE APARTMENT IN SAN FERNANDO This bright and spacious apartment of 82 m2, is completely and tastfully furnished and contains a livingdiningroom, 3 large bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, full-fitted-kitchen with separate laundry room and small patio. The monthly community fee is only 17.- € Price: 175.000.- Euros
VECINDARIO – CITYCENTER GREAT OPPORTUNITY Recently new built 2 bedroom apartments with garage to move into. Living-dining room and one bathroom. The independent kitchen is full-fitted and completely equipped. Construction with excellent materials. Precious building with elevator and only 6 units. Financiation Possible! Price only: 90.000,-- Euro PUERTO RICO Bungalow with panoramic seaview over the beach and harbor of Puerto Rico. 100 m² Living-area, 3 bedrooms and 2 large sunny terraces. Parking-lot and Pool. Price: 330.000 Euros PLAYA DEL CURA, EXCLUSIVE APARTMENT WITH PANORAMIC SEAVIEW This apartment has 72 m² livingarea and a large very private terrace of 36 m² with whole-day-sun. Bedroom and bath are ensuite. Situation and the use of only the most luxurious materials make this real estate to an unique exquisity. Price: 290.000 Euros SAN FERNANDO, CORNER DUPLEX FAMILY HOUSE This very bright semi-detached house consists of: large livingroom, full-fitted kitchen with dining corner, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, several terraces with beautiful seaviews and a spacious independent (guest) studio. PRICE: 295.000,-- € SAN AGUSTÍN, DREAM BUNGALOW with beautiful view over the ocean. 64 m² Living-area, 2 bedrooms, full-fitted kitchen, bathroom and 32 m²-large sunny terrace. Parking-lot and Pool. Monthly communityfee only: 78,- Euro. PRICE: 290.000,-- € Europa Real Estate: 928 765 813 info@europa-immobilien.com ------------------------------------Puerto Rico Cosy apartment in a quiet complex with a very nice atmosphere. Parking outside the door and outstanding sea views. Pool, children’s pool, poolbar and sun terrace. The apartment is sold fully furnished and ready to move in! Ground floor and large garden area directly in front of the patio so great for sunbathing or for children! Great bargain! Ref. PR584. Price: €69,500. Tel. 928141202.
DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com Puerto Rico Beautiful apartment for sale in Puerto Rico. The two bedroom apartment was recently refurbished and has a private terrace (20m2) with seaviews. Brand new kitchen and seperate dining area. Sold completely furnished and ready to move in to! Complex with communal swimming pool. Bargain! Ref:PR650.Price:€98,000. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com Maspalomas Nice cosy duplex with garden area to the front. Completely refurbished throughout and fully furnished and ready to move into. Property of 60m2 and has one bathroom upstairs and another downstairs. Quiet complex in a quiet residential area. Ref. MP635. Price: €132,000. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com San Agustín Fantastic bungalow for sale in San Agustín. The bungalow is totally refurbished and has air-conditioning, fully equipped kitchen even with dishwasher. Bungalow in very popular complex with heated pool, childrens area, pool bar, supermarket and tennis court. Viewing strongly recommended. Ref. SA654. Price: €137,000. Tel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com San Fernando Fantastic house with 4 bedrooms for sale in San Fernando. Very centrally located. Supermarkets and shops for the daily needs are within walking distance. The house is sold unfurnished. Great opportunity to buy at this price! Ref.SF614. Price: €216,000. Tel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com --------------------------------------SAN AGUSTÍN A dream front line to the Atlantic: top-quality apartment (52 m2) with bright rooms tastefully designed, fully equipped, lot of storage space, complex with heated pool and direct access to the promenade, low maintenance costs. 178.000 Euro (Ref. 1.507D) INMOBILIARIA KSR, info@ ksrgrancanaria.com SONNENLAND
Corner Duplex-Bungalow with terrace, 1 bedroom, standard equipment, monthly costs only 80 Euro, private electricity and water include. 83.900 Euro (Ref. 1.508C). INMOBILIARIA KSR, 928 766 684 SAN AGUSTIN Exeptional apartment (nice architecture) fontline to the ocean, sound of breaking waves include, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, fully equipped, cosy balcony to enjoy a romantique evening, high standard complex with heated pool, SAT dish etc., security service. 170.000 Euro (Ref. 2.500D). INMOBILIARIA KSR, www.ksrgrancanaria.com PLAYA DEL INGLÉS Cosy Maisonette-Bungalow, 95 m2 living space, 3 bed rooms, 2 bath, spacious terrace partly covered, roof terrace, large storage room, fully equipped, off-road parking. 275.000 Euro (Ref. 4.008O). INMOBILIARIA KSR, 928 766 684
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SAN AGUSTÍN Sophisticated bungalow with guest apartment, 155 m2 living space and 60 m2 terrace with breathtaking panoramic view, top quality, very tastefully decorated and equipped with lots of extras, residential complex, carport, pool, tennis. 495.000 Euro (Ref. 5.505J). INMOBILIARIA KSR, info@ ksrgrancanaria.com PLAYA DEL INGLÉS Avda. de Gran Canaria, very quiet residential complex; stunning, detached chalet, professionally renovated 2003 by using highest standard materials, 143 m2 large scaled floor plan, modern design, fantastic view to the dunes
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Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
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and Atlantic, private wellness area with in-door pool (current system), sauna, fitness etc., 598.000 Euro (4.021F). INMOBILIARIA KSR, 928 766 684 MONTAÑA DE LA DATA Luxury Villa on aprox. 1.300 m2 priv. ground with large garden, private pool, BBQ, 500 m2 constuct. with terraces, two separate 2 bedroom apartments on ground floor, impressive panoramic view to the Atlantik. 1.300.000 Euro (Ref. 6.300D). INMOBILIARIA KSR, www. ksrgrancanaria.com SAN AGUSTÍN If you appreciate a quiet place with wonderful sea view, this “Monte Rojo” bungalow with approx. 55 m2 living space and 22 m2 terrace will be your new home. Fully equipped and in perfect conditions, 152.000 Euro (Ref. 3.812 T2). INMOBILIARIA KSR, 928 766 684 SONNENLAND Charming Duplex-bungalow in private complex with beautiful pool area in tropical gardens, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, separate WC, front and rear terrace, small fenced garden, the property comes fully equipped (washing machine etc.). 129.500 Euro (Ref. 3.810B). INMOBILIARIA KSR, www.ksrgrancanaria.com --------------------------------------ROCA REAL ESTATE 928 561667 www.inmobiliaria-roca.com STUDIOS OPPOSITE PUERTO RICO BEACH Very central location, all facilities nearby, fantastic views. Residential complex with pool. Ref: 10051 Sale price: 60.000.-€. PUERTO RICO 1 BEDROOM APARTMENTS, CENTRAL LOCATION, large pool, solarium, parking, reception, lifts, sea views. Ref: 10042. Sale price from: 62.000.-€ 1 BEDROOM APARTMENTS IN PUERTO, residential complex with fantastic sea views. Large swimming pool, solarium, & parking Ref: 10080. Sale price: 63.000.-€ 1 BEDROOM APARTMENT OPPOSITE PUERTO RICO BEACH. Spacious apartment, excellent location, in a quiet & very popular complex. Ref:10118 Sale price 100.000.-€ GREAT VALUE!! 2 BEDROOM DUPLEX, PUERTO RICO, VERY CENTRAL COMPLEX. Private or with rental contract. Ref: 10043. Sale price: 126.000.-€ BARRANCO DEL CURA, 2 bedroom country house, only 5 minutes from Playa del Cura, with garage, BBQ area, terraces & gardens. Plus a separate 1 bed apartment. Ref: 10125. Sale price: 490.000.-€ ROCA REAL ESTATE 928 561667 www.inmobiliaria-roca.com
PROPERTIES FOR RENT Agent Puerto Rico Studio for rent in Puerto Rico. Nice view over the harbour and the sea. Close to all ammenities. The Studio also has a terrace and the complex offers a communal pool and parking area. All costs are included in the rental price. Ref:PR653.Price:€500/month. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com Playa del Inglés Refurbished apartment in Paraiso Maspalomas. Very well run complex with various swimming pools, hairdressers, supermarket, restaurant and pool bar. Satellite TV incluiding Spanish, English and German channels. All bills are included in rental price. Ref:PI547.Price:€600/month. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com Puerto Rico Spacious two bedroom flat with a balcony overlooking Puerto Rico and the water park and a rear terrace. Complex is only 4 years old and has a jacuzzi with spa jets, minigolf, swimming pool and baby pool as well as a “petanca” (Spanish bowls) pitch. There is an undergorund car park and a car parking space. Fully furnished throughout and very light and airy corner property. Ref. PR460a. Price: €700/month Tel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com Sonnenland Large family home for longterm rental on secure residential complex. Off road parking available for residents and the complex has a very nice pool area and childrens pool. There are five double bedrooms, each of which has its own balcony or terrace. The kitchen is fully equipped with an oven, 4-ring ceramic hob, fridge/freezer and a dishwasher. There is also a ultilty room with washing machine. Pets are allowed. Ref. : SN639. Price: €1.200/ month Tel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com Tauro Newly built, modern villa near Tauro. Private garden and pool. Four spacious double bedrooms and two living areas. Marble floors and fully furnished throughout to a high Standard. Air-conditioning. Rental price includes gardener and pool maintenance. Ref. TR543a. Price: €1.700/ monthTel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www. dreamhomesgrancanaria.com --------------------------------------ROCA REAL ESTATE 928 561667 www.inmobiliaria-roca.com STUDIO APARTMENTS,
close to Puerto Rico beach. Ref: 15051. Rent: 450.-€/month ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS, close to Europa Centre, Puerto Rico. Ref: 15203. Rent: 440.-€ / month TWO BEDROOM DUPLEX, MOTORGRANDE, Puerto Rico. Rent: 550.-€/month TAURO SHOPPING CENTRE. 12 UNITS FOR RENT. 6 on top floor with own terrace. Six ground, floor no terrace. Private parking. Ideal for gym, spa, etc. Rent: 6.000.-€/month for all. ROCA REAL ESTATE 928 561667 www.inmobiliaria-roca.com
FLATS TO
RENT
1, 2 and 3 Bedroom flats to rent in Arguineguin and Puerto Rico from 600 Euros all inclusive Call 618 647 027
Record, South Coast of Gran Canaria, No Debt, Just Profits Exceptional Opportunity for Only 160.000€. Call 607 671 617 Liberty Insurance! Complete Coverage Canary Islands and Around the World Inexpensive, Quality Coverage By A World Class Broker That Pays! Call 607 671 617 for Cars, Boats, Businesses, Homes, Health Boat and Yacht Sales/ Service - Marine Surveys International Marketplace. All Logistics Included. We Find Your Dream Boat & Bring It To Where You Want It! Get Twice The Boat For Half The Price Call 607 671 617
Going out
618 018 474 - 928 00 10 35 laspalmas@asisthogar.com
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICEs
MUSICAL DIRECTOR REQUIRED. We are a newly formed Chorus in Gran Canaria and are in need of the services of a Part-time Musical Director to help us with rehearsals and performance planning. You should be dynamic, enthusiastic and experienced and have a love of Choral and modern music. We are looking forward to performing a varied selection of modern, choral and Showtune music during Carnaval, Gay Pride and World Aids Day and are hoping to be ready to perform on World Aids Day (1st December 2010). As this will be a paid role, all terms and conditions will be discussed at interview. If you are interested in joining us in this new and exciting venture or for more info please email grancanaria.gmc@ gmail.com or visit our Website www.gcgmc.org
Personal
Chris - British male escort/ companion for discerning middle aged ladies 671 243 997
Cafe Florin Calle Alfreces Prov. 29 (opposite Hard Rock cafe)
Charities
Ground floor Yumbo Centre Playa del Inglés FOR SALE Complete restaurant items for sale as new condition including sunloungers, tables, sofas, chairs, sold as a lot. Contact Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Mobile 699 062 789 SPORTFISHING BUSINESS Gran Canaria. Includes Everything But The Fish Established, Successful, Great Berth Location. A Very Special Offer For Only - 99.000€ Call 607 671 617 OCEAN EXCURSION BUSINESS Gran Canaria Everything Included, Boat, Client Contracts, etc. 10 years of Proven Success, Fully Documented, Put 2-3000€ In Your Pocket Every Month A Lifetime Opportunity 220.000€ Call 607 671 617 Sportfishing Business Top Boat/Top Equipment In-place Contracts/Website/ Publicity - A Proven Track
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MECHANICS
BRITISH MECHANICS Free Collection and Delivery Service Service and Repair all Makes and Models Pre ITV inspection
CALL ANDY ON 620 343 228 OR CALL TERRY ON 693 451 067 We buy and sell Cars
Dana Ptacinsky Asrilant
LEGAL TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER C/Luis Doreste Silva 56, 6º-2, 35004, Las Palmas de G.C. Tel: 686 412 345 dptacinsky79@hotmail.com
Need help in the home? Experienced, reliable cleaners and housekeepers plus professional care for children and seniors. Contact AsistHogar:
Free tandem bike rides for blind people or people with any other physical disability who are unable to ride a bike by themselves. Also free excursions into the mountains in my car for people in wheelchairs together with a companion. Minibus trips can also be arranged at an agreed reasonable cost. For more information call Franz at 699 124 985. WANTED. Second hand books, in good condition, to be sold in support of Registered Childrens’ Charities 1) RUBBISH DUMP CHILDREN in Cambodia 2) ORPHANS/ SCHOOL projects in China. Please drop books off at Bar Wine and Marmalade, Arguineguin. donations gratefully received. Contact kay.r.owen@gmail. com Together we can make a difference Drinking Problem? International, English speaking AA meetings every Friday at the church in the Kasbah (door on the left hand side) Playa del Inglés, 8.30pm. Monday 12pm in San Fernando, behind Market Maspalomas and Tuesday 7pm
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
at the Catholic Church (enter by the stairway on the right hind side), Behind the taxi rank next to the police station. Do you believe that you have a problem with alcohol? Perhaps you are looking or some help? Alcohol Anonymous meet in Telde on Mondays and Thursdays from 20.00 until 21.30. Call 928 202 638
TARA Animal Charity Shops. Big & Beautiful - In Arquinequin 63 & 67 c/Tanausu near Pino Seco family park Monday thru Saturday 10am till at least 4pm. All Kinds of Donated Items ON OFFER! 607 671 617 or www.Taraanimales.org TARA Animal Car Boot Sale. Every Saturday 8am 2pm. Across from TARA Animal Charity Shops. Pino Seco Park,
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Arguineguin - Great Buys & Ambience Call - 607 671 617 for More Information TARA Charity Dog Pension. HOME AWAY FROM HOME. Beautiful Location, Low Prices, Your Pets Cared for By Dog Lovers 607 671 617 or www.Taraanimales.org TARA Animal Welfare Charity. Needs Donated Goods To Save Animals
Pick-up Service Available For Big Loads. Volunteers & Foster Homes Also Needed. Dog/Pups, Cats/Kittens Need Homes Now Call 607 617 671 or www.Taraanimales.org Tara Animal Respect Association NIF G35917004 - Register G1/S1/13980-06/GC. TARA Telephone: +34 607 671 167 WEBSITE: www.TaraAnimales.org
FACEBOOK: Tara Animal Respect TARA BLOG: http://Taraanimales.blogspot.com/ Arguineguin Cultural Society meets every Thursday at Tío Pepe bar from 20.00 at the C.C. Ancora in Arguineguín. As mentioned previously in TCN, the group were looking for a place to build up our string puppet stage and to train people in the making and operating of string puppets. The group has now found a suitable place in Arguineguín and if anyone is interested in joining them please call Peter on 639 229 414 and go to the meetings on Thursdays. Grupo Montañero de Mogan. Every Sunday all through the year this group arranges guided walks in the magnificent mountains and beautiful valleys of Gran Canaria. The walks are guided, and the members come from all over Europe, and also many Canarian members. Meeting place: Commercial Centre Ancora, Arguineguin. Time 08.00. Departure 08.15. Leaving from San Fernando (Viuda de Franco) 08.00 or 08.30. For more information call before 12.00 on Fridays 689 919 580 Can you spare a few hours each week to help feed stray and abandoned cats in San Agustin? There are special feeding places, all the cats are sterilised, have names and are very healthy. Of course,
we will buy the cat food. We only want help to give the food to the cats.Please call Christina on 928770 019 for more information. Join the library in Maspalomas with your NIE number and passport and picture or residencia. No charge. English books and other European languages too. Also free internet access.!! The library hours are 8.00 am till 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm to 10 pm Monday to Friday. Biblioteca Municipal Maspalomas, Casa del Cultura Maspalomas, Avda De Tejeda 72 Phone 928 720 035
Amigos contra el Sida is a charity that provides support for people with HIV and Aids and has information about sexually transmitted diseases Amigos contra el Sida - Friends against Aids Av. Alejandro del Castillo, Mercado Municipal, 2º floor San Fernando Maspalomas Contact:
Issue 20 - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - The Canary News
www.thecanarynews.com
695578004. Timetable: Tuesday and Thursday - 9:00 to 15:00 hour. Amigos contra el Sida Calle El Escorial nº 7, Vecindario Teléfono: 928 149 570 Timetable: Monday to Friday - 9:00 to 14:00 hour. Website:
FARO 2 MARKET 28th March, 1st Sunday in every month there after BOOKS sold in support of Registered Children’s Charities (Home and Abroad) Over 500 books from 1 Euro. Also book donations wanted can collect - Contact kay.r.owen@gmail.com or drop books off at Wine and Marmalade Bar in Arguineguín
31
BUY, DONATE, SWAP BOOK LIBRARY All proceeds go to The Red Cross. Cristina´s Money Exchange, Local 261, Phase 1, CC Puerto Rico MON TO FRI 10am to 8pm SAT 10am to 1.30pm For appointments please tel 928 561 771
MOTHER AND TODDLER GROUP EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 4PM ONWARDS Different activities every week in the local Puerto Rico area Meet othermums with children of all ages. Call Jo Pike on 639 153 547 You can even leave a message on their
‘face book’ wall!
www.amigoscontraelsida.org Support Maria Templeman’s Dog Rescue. You can find Maria’s stall in Arguineguin market on Tuesdays and Mogan market on Fridays. You can also find Maria in Maspalomas market next to the big, main flood light on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Money raised from Maria’s stall goes to funding dog rescue in Gran Canaria, including vet and kennel fees and re-homing dogs
SHOPPING
ADDICTIONS ALCOHOL & DRUGS Let us help you overcome your problem in a painless way. Contact us for a confidential consultation It can make a real difference On your road to recovery Tel: 928 934 097 Mobile: 619 391 040 Email: addictedgc@gmail.com THE CANARIAN PRO BREASTFEEDING runs a Support Group every Wednesday from 6pm until 8pm at the C.C. Botanico, Local 135, San Fernando. Anyone needing help and support concerning breastfeeding can also call 637 564 296 (leave a message if there is no answer with name and telephone number)
WANTED
Portable clothes racks and/or folding tables for the Faros Car Boot Market stall. Needed to support Kay 'Comfort Corner' Owens' favourite children’s charity. Can collect, please contact Kay on 928132045 kay.r.owen@gmail.com
Classifieds Special Offer
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Hand into any of our drop off points Property Abroad Puerto Rico Aladdin´s Cave Arguineguin Fuze Bar C.C. Yumbo Café Florin Opp. Hard Rock Cafe Paradise Jewellers Mogan The Print Shop San Fernando (See adverts for locations)
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To place a classified advert, simply fill in the coupon below and drop off at Property Abroad, Aladdins Cave, Fuze Bar, Paraiso Jewellers, The Print Shop or Cafe Florin. See ads for locations. Email: sales@thecanarynews.com or Tel: 928 774 818
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Private classified adverts must be pre-paid cash DEADLINE 12 NOON FRIDAY. Simply fill in the coupon above, drop off and pay at Property Abroad, Aladdins Cave, Fuze Bar, Paraiso Jewellers, The Print Shop or Cafe Florin. See ads for locations.
Property - Agents Health Miscellaneous
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The Canary News - Friday 9th - Thursday 22nd April 2010 - Issue 20
Telephone: 928 141 202
www.thecanarynews.com
Mobile: 676 406 679
Dream Homes , C.C. Yumbo Local 411/10 , 35100 Playa del Inglés , G.C. info@dreamhomesgrancanaria.com www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.com
For Sale
Maspalomas
El Hornillo
Sonnenland
Price: 82,000€ Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Lovely one bedroom duplex in Campo Internacional in Maspalomas with private garden. Close to shopping centres and all sports facilities. Located in a popular complex with communal swimming pool. Sold fully furnished and ready to move in!
Price: 284,175€ Bedrooms: 0 Bathrooms: 0 Plot for sale in El Hornillo. Right next to Meloneras and the Meloneras Golf Course. Only a few minutes from the beach.The Plots size is 300m2 and there is a permission to built one individual chalet on it.
Price: 157,500€ Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Fabulous one bedroom duplex in quiet residencial area in Sonnenland. Recently refurbished with brand new kitchen. Airconditioning in the bedroom. Communal swimming pool and private garden. Parking space included in the price. Must be seen!
For Rent Pasito Blanco
Playa del Inglés
Sonnenland
Price: 1200€/month Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2
Price: 500€/month Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1
Price: 2500€/month Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3
Fabulous three bedroom property for rent in the exclusive area of Pasito Blanco, next to the Meloneras golf course. 24 hour gated security with private beach area and marina. Kitchen is fully equipped with washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, oven and microwave. Big terrace (45m2)
Very centrally located one bedroom apartment for rent in Playa del Inglés. Only a few minutes from the shopping centres. The complex has a communal swimming pool which is climatized during the winter months and a childrens pool surrounded by nice gardens and a terrace.
Beautiful home with 4 bedrooms. It is very spacious and is very nicely decorated. There is also parking for up to 3 cars. Private swimming pool. Very secure complex in the residential area of Sonnenland. Only 5 mins from the beach and 5 mins into Playa del Ingles. Excellent long-term rental property.