RTN North Edition 851 by Round Town News

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#RTNNorthEdition851 (EL CAMPELLO - VALENCIA) Friday, January 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

EU POLL IN JUNE

Ambassador Simon Manley

BRITISH EXPATS were this week urged to register to vote in the EU Referendum with Prime Minister David Cameron hinting the crucial Read the full story on page 7 poll could be held on 23rd June.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

From the Editor’s desk...

Hola!

EVERYONE SEEMS to be taking pot shots at David Cameron returning from meetings with European leaders carrying promises of reform in the EU as the debate about membership goes into overdrive with June tipped to be the date for the historic poll. Sadly, this referendum could go all partisan red, white and blue – just remember the Scottish independence debate - with euro sceptics wanting to pull up the drawbridge and turn the clock back. Europe is not just about rules over bendy bananas; it gave us such things as the right to live and work here in Spain and is a mammoth market for trade with some 500 million consumers. Sensible debate over the pros and cons of membership is crucial and it is hoped voters can make an informed choice over a complicated subject. But over simplifying the argument creates a false impression; it is not Britannia versus Europe in some television challenge. The ﬁnal decision will be made at the ballot box and there is much at stake. Expats should register to vote. However, it is unfortunate that the British government could not see its way to bring about a change in the law in time to give all 2 million expats in Europe the right to have a say. And fortune has not been kind in the timing of the referendum. All Europe is facing a migrant crisis as huge populations are on the move. This crisis needs a clear headed solution in itself and should not be allowed to cloud the water in the run up to voting day.

Enjoy the read! JT GOT A STORY?

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Villajoyosa hospital chaos

by CAROLINE TYSZKA PATIENTS AT THE Marina Baixa hospital in Villajoyosa faced delays of up to five hours earlier in the week, as equipment failed, and ambulances stacked up. A problem with the ambulance service to the Villajoyosa hospital on Monday morning meant that patients who had been discharged and were due to be collected by the ambulances were forced to wait in the emergency area, creating an overcrowding problem for the staff and patients. In addition to these difficulties, a problem with the computer system that operates the

X-ray equipment took one and half hours to fix, having suffered a failure. Normally, a problem with equipment would have caused minor delays for patients. However, the hospital experienced a massive influx of patients at the same time. At one point during the difficulties, the hospital recorded a peak of 80 patients waiting either for an ambulance or X-ray. A spokesperson for the hospital told local media that “the massive influx of patients was unusual, and we had to open up another zone to help alleviate the problems. The equipment was repaired and staff cleared the backlog.”

#NEWS BITES

GARDNER ELECTROCUTED

A CALPE man died after cutting into an electric cable while pruning a tree at his home in Costeres. The 60-year-old was electrocuted as he trimmed the tree back.

Spring clean

TEULADA MORAIRA is preparing to greet the annual inﬂux of visitors with a municipalitywide spring clean.

The ‘cleaning brigade’ has been mobilized to clean gardens, parks and public squares, while benches have been painted in the communities of Teulada and Moraira.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Europe’s migration U-turn

Asylum seekers in Sweden

by CAROLINE TYSZKA SWEDEN HAS announced that is will expel up to 80,000 migrants, in specially chartered aeroplanes. The Interior Minister of Sweden has stated that tens of thousands of migrants in the country will be removed in a process that could take several years. Anders Ygeman, the Interior Minister, spoke with the Swedish media and said that “thousands of asylum applications have been rejected, definitely 60,000, but the figures could be nearer 80,000.” The announcement follows the death of a female employee at one of the youth refugee centres near Gothenburg last week, where a teenage asylum seeker was arrested for the murder. Finland is planning to expel around 20,000 of the 32,000 asylum-seekers they received last year, a spokesperson from the Finish Ministry confirmed, with even Germany rethinking their strategy. Germany is one of several nations, including France and the UK, where support for anti-immigration parties has grown, amidst fears over migration. Last month, in the eastern German city of Leipzig, crowds of protesters chanted “deport them!” and held up signs that read, “Islamists not welcome.” Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, announced last week the “Asylum Package II” which will tighten Germany’s rules for people seeking asylum. Three nations -- Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria -- will be deemed “safe,” according to Merkel, meaning migrants from there will be immune to the changes. Those coming from other countries will face new policies such as a two-year ban on those granted limited refugee protection from bringing their families to Germany.

#NEWSBITES

APPLE ISSUES RECALL

TECHNOLOGY GIANT Apple has issued a voluntary recall of millions of its two-pronged AC wall plugs, following customers receiving electric shocks.

The company said that it had been made aware of 12 incidents where customers had purchased Macs and other iOS devices, sold in Continental Europe and ﬁve other countries around the world between 2003 and 2015, and the plugs were included in the Apple World Travel Adapter kit. A spokesperson from Apple said that customer safety was its “top priority” and, whilst it does not aﬀect plugs in the UK, which are three pin,

it aﬀects products sold in continental Europe. The company has said that customers can either exchange their plug at their local Apple store or, alternatively, request a replacement via the Apple website.

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Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Rescued hunting dogs

Galgo terror begins THOUSANDS TOOK to the streets at the weekend to protest about the cruelty against Galgo dogs in Spain. World Galgo Day, which was Monday 1st February, was established to raise awareness of the brutal treatment that faces hunting dogs in Spain, as the month signiﬁes the dumping and massing killing of the animals by their owners. On Sunday over 200 Galgos walked through Cologne in Germany with their owners, to highlight the 50,000 hunting dogs that are brutally slaughtered each year in Spain, with similar scenes in other European cities. Animal shelters have geared up to do everything possible to save the animals, despite being full to the brim. Spain is the only country in the EU where hunting with hounds is not yet prohibited. For this type of hunting without a gun, dogs are the only instrument as, at the end of the season, thousands are tortured and burned alive, or hung from trees, as they no longer serve a purpose. One organisation “The Million Paw March for Justice” is part of a growing number of protection groups calling upon the President of the European Parliament to ban the use of greyhounds and podencos for hunting, and to pass a law prohibiting it, as well as asking the European Parliament to encourage Spain to adopt legislation on animal protection. One rescue centre, Scooby, saved 50 greyhounds from Castilla La Mancha on Monday alone, saying that they expected to take hundreds more in the coming weeks,, as they seek out the hunters, and take the dogs before they are tortured. Further details on the petition that has been set up for sending to the European President can be found on the Facebook group The Million Paw March for Justice.

New website for most wanted A NETWORK of police oﬃcers from around the European Union has gathered together to create a new website which will feature Europe’s most wanted fugitives. The N332 Facebook group announced the new facility that sees law enforcement authorities from the twenty eight European Member States joining forces to trace criminals and terrorists, no matter where they are. The European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST1) has police of-

ficers from each nation working together to share information, and is supported by Europol. The website will share information on high-profile internationally-wanted criminals, convicted of, or suspected of having committed, serious crimes, or terrorist acts in Europe. This is the first initiative of its kind where citizens can also provide useful information via the site, which is available in 17 languages. The new site is www.eumostwanted.eu.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Rock wins a little TLC by JACK TROUGHTON THE ICONIC Peñon de Ifach – the huge limestone rock rising from the sea at Calpe – will receive a little tender loving care ahead of the new holiday season. The natural park is the most visited place on the Costa Blanca and one of the 10 most visited places in the whole of Spain. However, the footpath to the peak was closed last year for safety reasons and nothing has been done since to upgrade the tourist attraction. Calpe Town Hall oﬃcially complained to the Valencia government last week – its

environment department is responsible for the Penon – the fourth time the issue has been raised. And a day later, Valencia promised action and a 40,000€ budget – pledging to improve the visitors’ oﬃce, improve the footpaths and tackle the problem of “the plague” of breeding gulls – as well as building an oﬃcial ‘mirador’ viewing point. The town hall and Valencia reached a joint management agreement last July and nothing has moved forward in forming a governing board to look after “this national treasure”. Councillor Carole Saunders said the

Generalitat had responded immediately to promise action in improving the rock. “The Peñon is in a terrible state and has been closed since last summer for safety reasons. It was closed because the footpath to the peak was unsafe and the government said it would investigate improvements but nothing was done,” she said. “The very next day the government announced they would spend money making everything better. They responded straight away saying they would spend some money.”

Looking down from the peak

#NEWS BITES

HELP FOR PARENTS

ALTEA HAVE announced that parents of children aged 3-5 can now apply for help with school materials. The Department of Education for the town has opened applications from parents of young primary school children for the academic year 2015-16. Councillor for Education in Altea, Vicenta Pérez, said “we have arranged for a grant aimed at helping subsidise parents and their families who are registered in Altea, speciﬁcally to help with the cost of school supplies.” Applications were opened on Monday 1st February and will close on 22nd February. Further information about the grants can be found at either the Department of Education oﬃce in the town hall or via the website www.altea.es.

Providing information for the UK and Spain since 1998

www.UKandSpain.com

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

EU poll in June

BRITISH EXPATS were this week urged to register to vote in the EU Referendum with Prime Minister David Cameron hinting the crucial poll could be held on 23rd June. As the Premier returned to the UK with a ‘draft’ reform package, British Ambassador Simon Manley and colleagues from the Alicante Consulate were out on the Costa Blanca as part of a global campaign to increase numbers registered to have a voice in the ‘Brexit’ ballot. The ‘leave’ or ‘remain’ referendum over EU membership must be held by the end of 2017 and the government is supporting the Electoral Commission in its bid to get more expats registered to vote – but if the June prediction is correct, the campaign is even more urgent. Currently, people who left the UK less than 15 years ago can vote in the constituency where they were last on the electoral register. Unfortunately, and despite an ongoing campaign, it appears increasingly unlikely the promised ‘Votes for Life’ legislation will be enacted in time to give everyone a say in the referendum. Expats were assured, however, that they were not forgotten – but the government’s priority was ﬁrst winning the campaign to stay in Europe; in a battle where migration to the UK is likely to be central. RIGHT Mr Manley held a press conference in Javea and said the campaign was to increase awareness of the right to vote and involved British charities, schools, businesses, churches, volunteers groups, friends and families “spreading the message”; as well as using social media to get people to register. The ambassador agreed that abolishing the 15-year rule was a manifesto pledge and the government had every intention of honouring its commitment. “But to be honest, I think it is unlikely to happen before the referendum itself. We are probably stuck with the franchise we have now.” However, Mr Manley wanted to assure people that London did care and was interested in the opinion of expats in Spain and their concerns over the future membership of Europe. “We are certainly aware this is quite a hot topic in Spain. Nobody has the same view and obviously there is understand-

Ambassador Simon Manley and Consul Sarah-Jane Morris meet Javea Mayor Jose Chulvi (centre)

able concern about what a ‘no’ vote would mean for people living here,” he said. “And what it means, we don’t know.” Mr Manley said the Prime minister’s “ﬁrst priority” was winning a deal with partners to reform the EU. “If there is a deal the Prime Minister wants to take it to the British people and argue the case to stay within Europe. “All our energy is getting things ready to ﬁght and win the referendum for us to stay a member of the European Union. Of course, we might lose it but we are not sitting around preparing for defeat but securing the right terms and seeking a fresh mandate from the British people to stay in Europe.” NEGOTIATE Victory for the ‘no’ – or more correctly the ‘leave’ - campaign and there would need to be new and possibly drawn out negotiations over things like trade, defence, and the rights of British expats. “If there is a vote to leave, you are in uncharted waters because no one has ever done it.” Asked why there was to be a referendum, the ambassador replied: “The Prime Minister thought democratic consent for our membership had withered away...we are looking for a fresh mandate – and, on the other hand, clearly, it is better than stumbling towards the exit door.” Back in the UK, Mr Manley said migration had become the most important issue on doorsteps as people asked what politicians would do about the numbers of people entering the country. “It is hard to make a case when you are faced with the scale of migration crisis we are now dealing with, and also with such large movements of people within the EU

– that’s why the Prime Minister is trying to get agreement on how to manage it better. “You have to address these concerns. You also have to examine the contribution migrants have made – London is probably the most cosmopolitan capital on earth.” To claim a vote visit www.gov.uk/registerto-vote. From the oﬃcial 283,000 British citizens living in Spain – and there are thought to be many more - just 11,000 registered to have a voice in last year’s General Election. People must act now to have a voice in the referendum, the process takes minutes.

#NEWSBITES

FEBRUARY GRIDLOCK ON CARTAGENA’S CAMPUS EXAM TIME at the polytechnic is causing traﬃc chaos in the area around the old sea walls, a problem the city has yet to solve.

The campus, part of inner city Cartagena, has, for years, needed a large, open air parking area, for students, teachers and university staﬀ. However, during the oﬃcial exam periods, such as this February, the invasion of cars is such that the situation worsens, and the resulting chaos, often causing gridlock, damages the tourist image of the old town. Despite complaints from members of the university community, and repeated requests to the City of Cartagena, the town hall has done nothing to alleviate the situation.

Stricken cargo ship saved THE OPERATION to tow a listing cargo ship away from the French coast has succeeded. French maritime experts had been frantically trying to stop a large cargo ship from running aground on the south west coast near Bordeaux and Biarritz. The cargo ship “Modern Express” ran into diﬃculties last week as it suddenly began listing out in the Atlantic Ocean near France. All 22 crew members were airlifted to safety following a distress call made to the French coast guard, but the ship, which was carrying around 300 tonnes of fuel and tilting at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees, was heading for the French coastline. Rescuers worked tirelessly on Sunday to secure the vessel, but were

unable to tow the stricken ship, following bad weather and breaking the tow lines. Emmanuel De Oliveira, of the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture, said it was now “totally impossible to put the cargo ship upright.” Eﬀorts continued into Monday, as the ship, which was only 27 miles oﬀ the coast, would have run aground later that day if tugboats had again failed to secure lines. The “Modern Express” has a cargo of 3,600 tonnes of timber and digging equipment, which will be recovered at a later date. Four maritime experts went on board to attach the tow line and, then, a Spanish tugboat managed to pivot the vessel and point it towards the open sea and begin towing it.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

David Guetta coming to Benidorm by CAROLINE TYSZKA

NEWS THAT DAVID GUETTA is performing Spain this year with the venue being Benidorm saw the first batch of tickets sell out in just three minutes. The performance on August 6th 2016 will be held at the stadium Guillermo Amor as tickets went on sale yesterday, Thursday at midday and fans desperately tried to purchase them online. Many complained on social media that they were unable to get tickets due to the website having difficulties with the demand. The first thousand tickets were priced at 29 euros with the next allocation of 1500 tickets going on sale on Sunday 7th February at 6 pm priced at 39 euros. Further tickets will be released in instalments from between 50

and 55 euros. Tony Perez, mayor for the town said, “this is great news for all the fans of the artist here in Benidorm.” Guetta has over 55 million followers on Facebook and other social networks. It has taken four months to finalise the details and confirm that Guetta will perform in the resort along with three other DJ’s. The concert will start at 8 pm and continue through the night until 3.30 am. Benidorm will have just finished hosting the Low Festival a week before so it looks like a summer of music for the town’s residents and tourists. Tickets can be purchased online at www.benidormsound.com.

Stepping forward for charity

#NEWS BITES

HI FIDELITY

FIVE COSTA Blanca line dancing clubs stepped up to the mark to help raise 1,679€ to help youngsters cared for in EMAUS homes across the region.

The Annual Sponsored Line Dance at the Gran Sol Hotel in Calpe on Saturday was organised by Barbara and Ernie Ives of the town’s Rodeo Stompers Line Dancers. The Calpe club was joined by dancers from Denia, Oliva, Moraira and Benidorm to help EMAUS children. And the money raised was given to Tony Grande of charity Make A Smile. He said the donation would be used to buy food and other essential – as well as continue to develop the Relleu Self Suﬃciency Farm Project.

BIG-HEARTED radio station Total FM and financial consultants DeVere Spain raised 500€ running a joint raffle in aid of EMAUS children. Together they bought a hi-fi system and sold tickets – raising cash for Friends of the Children of EMAUS that will help buy school materials and fund end of term excursions. Pictured are (from left) Wendy Williams of Javea-based Total FM, charity President Carole Saunders, and Steve Iball of deVere.

xxxxx

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Harsh lesson of pet tragedy ANIMAL LOVERS Maureen and Robin Jackson warn people to carefully read insurance small print after losing pet Riley following surgery – leaving them with an unexpected bill.

The dog – a rescue from LAPS in Pego – was diagnosed with bone cancer and the couple took the very diﬃcult decision for him to have a leg amputated. The prognosis was good but Riley developed post-operative complications and died at the Jacksons’ Orba home 20 hours after surgery. And because of the time lapse following the operation, insurers Protectapet refused to pay out the full 1,062€ cost, saying the maximum it would refund was 400€; in line with its terms and conditions. However, both the Jacksons and the insurance company do agree that while such terms and conditions appear cold-hearted, people must be aware of them. Maureen and Robin enjoyed Riley’s company for two years. Aged six or seven, he was ﬁrst diagnosed with arthritis before an x-ray revealed a tumour in his shoulder and he went under the knife on 18th November last year. “We could not put him to sleep; he was a healthy dog, albeit lame.” They told RTN that beforehand they kept Protectapet fully informed and were told the misdiagnosis and the

operation and further treatment were fully covered. “I kept them informed at every stage of his illness and was verbally assured on every occasion that he was covered and my claim would be met in full, no problem,” said Maureen. “Once my claim was submitted, they have done nothing but refer me to the terms and conditions, which are completely ambiguous. They are now choosing to completely ignore the assurances I was given over the telephone.” SURVIVE And she said it was a “horrible and upsetting time” made worse by the company’s stance. “If he had survived the operation by more than 24 hours he would have been fully covered.” Maureen warned: “There are people who perhaps would have relied on taking out insurance because to pay out over 1,000€ would be money they could ill aﬀord...especially after being told they were covered.” Until the claim was made, she said Protectapet was “compassionate” and “helpful and supportive” but she found the decision “callous” and the small print “a loophole” that was never mentioned earlier. A spokeswoman for Protectapet said sadly, after such a serious and long operation any post-operative complication within 24 hours activated the clause of the terms and conditions.

“We would not have considered anything in a longer time frame to still be a post-operative condition.” The company agreed it was reasonable for Riley to have surgery. “She did keep us fully informed. I don’t feel we or Mrs Jackson did anything wrong but we were all a bit caught out. It all went horribly wrong. “In this case, even if she had read the terms and conditions, we could not have foreseen what happened.” And the spokeswoman said they had given the best advice possible but it was a rare occasion when the clause had come into eﬀect and the company tried to soften the “heartbreaking” blow by waiving other charges. “It has been unsettling for us as well. I agree with the Jacksons, please make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions.”

Riley

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Zika virus sexually transmitted by CAROLINE TYSZKA DOCTORS IN Dallas have conﬁrmed that a patient has contracted the Zika virus through sexual contact. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) stated that the Texas patient had not travelled to any infected areas, but that their partner had recently returned from Venezuela, indicating that the virus had been sexually transmitted. Zika is carried by mosquitoes and has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains. The virus is spreading through the Americas, with

the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the disease linked to the virus a global public health emergency. In America, the Red Cross has urged blood donors returning from Zika aﬀected countries to wait at least 28 days before donating their blood. Two further cases of the Zika virus have been conﬁrmed in Australia, as well as two cases in the Republic of Ireland. Authorities in Brazil, the country worst hit by the outbreak, have revealed they are investigating 3,670 suspected cases of microcephaly in babies linked to the Zika virus.

Zika is carried by mosquitoes

Lost tales of Beatrix Potter OVER 100 years since it was written, Peter Rabbit will make another appearance, following the discovery of lost manuscripts written by Beatrix Potter.

Potter, who created Peter Rabbit and dozens of other beloved characters in her 23 children’s books, sent “The Tale of Kittyin-Boots” to her publisher in 1914, saying it was the story of “a well-behaved black kitty cat, who leads a double life.” The First World War, combined with health issues, meant that she never completed the book but had drawn a sketch

of Kitty-in-Boots. Jo Hanks, a publisher, discovered the notes and sketches and, now, Quentin Blake is set to complete the unﬁnished work, which will be published later this year. This will be the seventh Potter book to feature Peter Rabbit, as Kitty meets the mischievous character, although he had grown older, fatter and a bit slower. Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit series has sold more than 151 million copies in 35 languages since 1902 when it was ﬁrst published.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Prostitutes targeted BENIDORM HAS appointed a team of police oﬃcers to target the prostitutes robbing tourists in the resort.

Following the high amount of publicity locally, nationally and internationally, regarding robberies in Benidorm, the town hall, it seems, has responded by appointing a special unit of local police officers, tasked with clearing the streets of such illegal activity. The six officers will predominantly work in what is called the English area of the town, and will focus on those who they suspect are part of a mafia organisation, where prostitutes are organised as a group, targeting foreign tourists. A police source told local media that the women, mostly of Nigerian, Bulgarian or Romanian nationality, seem organised, “a clear indication that there is an organised mafia behind them.” Benidorm town hall is working with the police in order to wipe out the robberies, as Lorenzo Martínez, Councillor for Citizen Security, said “this is an important part of our town and, through police pressure, we hope to eradicate the problem.” Whilst most have welcomed the additional enforcement, it has been

Robber caught red handed in Pozo Estrecho LAST SUNDAY, Cartagena’s Policía Local thwarted a robbery at a Chinese shop in Pozo Estrecho, a small town to the north of Cartagena. Agents caught ‘in the act’ an individual, who was arrested after a chase through the town’s streets in the middle of the night. At about 3am last Sunday morning, a neighbour heard noises coming from the shop, and thought he could see someone inside. He promptly called the police, who immediately rushed to the scene and surprised the detainee still on the premises, whereupon he took ﬂight through the local streets. The oﬃcers managed to catch him quickly, retrieving, from a hedge, shears and gloves he had thrown away while trying to make his escape. Then, after a thorough inspection of the premises, signs of forced entry were discovered, so the agents proceeded to arrest the individual.

Zika is carried by mosquitoes

reported that other police sources feel that these measures are only to appease the growing number of complainants, saying that the measures are more “aesthetic than eﬀective.” Karen Maling Cowes, organizer of the peaceful protest against crime in Benidorm at the town hall in November 2015, said “I am really pleased that

there has been a public acceptance of the problems in our beloved Benidorm, and that action is being taken.” Karen will be meeting with the British Consulate at the end of the month to discuss the ongoing problems within the resort. RTN will report back to readers with the results of the meeting.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Department of Tourism wants visitors all year round by IAN ASKEW THE DEPARTMENT is going to organize concerts, tapas trails, sporting events, markets and events for Christmas, in response to complaints from La Manga businesses about the lack of visitors this winter. The Department of Tourism has published a catalogue of measures it intends to take in order to promote year round tourism in the area. Their ﬁrst step is to create a calendar of events to be held from January to December, including sports championships, concerts, tapas trails and activities for children at Christmas. The next step will be to locate a suitable site to host all those events. According to municipal sources, it could be in the vicinity of

Las Dunas, in the area of the current Cabo de Palos Sunday market. Another measure rumoured to be under consideration is the possibility of tax concessions for tourism oriented establishments that remain open throughout the year, something that businessmen and traders in La Manga have been seeking for years. This year, as is customary, thousands of retirees from around the country will travel to the coast, on holidays organized by pensioners’ associations, and social services. La Manga has lagged behind other resorts in previous years, with regard to this potential income, and this, in turn, has led to the closure of some hotels. Of the eight open in La Manga, only two have stayed open this winter.

Closed shops in Plaza Bohemia, La Manga

#NEWSBITES

CARNIVAL TRAM SERVICE

THE TRAM service for Alicante has announced that there will be additional services for this Saturday’s Carnival. The special service announced by the Alicante Tram service (FGV) means that, for most areas, a service will operate until 3am, enabling the anticipated large crowds to use the public service, rather than congest the city with vehicles. The announcement is part of new initiatives aimed at improving the

service provided, particularly for late evening events, and it is hoped that a night tram service could be oﬀered on a more regular basis. In total, 41 trams, which connect the centre of the capital with the normal destinations, will have additional timings. Line 2 (Luceros-San Vicent del Raspeig), Line 3 (Luceros-El Campello) and Line 4 (Luceros-Plaza La Coruña) all have timetable changes. For further information, customers can see postings at the stations and stops, call 900 72 04 72, or consult the website www.fgvalicante.es.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Top Gear Line-up confirmed

FOLLOWING MONTHS of speculation the BBC Top Gear programme makers have confirmed that Matt LeBlanc will co-present the motoring show with Chris Evans. The BBC have announced that the first non-British presenter of the show in its 39-year history when it returns on BBC2 in May, will be Friends star Mat LeBlanc. Matt, who has appeared on the show as a guest and broke the Top Gear Record in 2012 for the fastest lap around the track in a reasonably priced car, will join Evans with further team members due to be announced shortly. Chris said: “Matt’s a lifelong fellow petrol head and I’m thrilled he’s joining Top Gear. Acting out our craziest car notions on screen is a dream job and I know we’ll both be debating some epic road trip ideas. We can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to on screen later this year.” A spokesperson for the BBC said: “This will take Top Gear in a new direct, and with LeBlancs status it will be a tremendous boost for selling the show internationally, especially in the US where the show will play on BBC America.” LeBlanc said: “As a car nut and a massive fan of Top Gear, I’m honoured and excited to be a part of this iconic show’s new chapter. What a thrill.” It is rumoured that the other presenters will be German racing driver Sabine Schmitz and motoring journalist Chris Harris, although the BBC are yet to confirm this. BBC Worldwide, the commercial part of the corporation, is just about to unveil a new look for the show which it will pitch to more than 700 international TV buyers. The franchise of Top Gear is worth £50m annually to the BBC.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

How to negotiate roundabouts If you are unsure about the correct way to negotiate roundabouts, here are some simple rules to help you enter and exit roundabouts safely and in the right lane. APPROACHING ROUNDABOUTS It’s important to remember to give way to traffic already on the roundabout. If the roundabout is outside urban areas of towns or cities, keep right. If the roundabout is in a built-up area inside a town or city and the lanes are clearly marked, you should use the lane that best corresponds to the exit you need to take. LEAVING ROUNDABOUTS This causes the most confusion amongst drivers. Which lane to choose? Why do I get beeped at if I’m in the right lane? Drivers must exit roundabouts from the right hand lane, because the only way to leave the roundabout is by turning right. This doesn’t mean we always have to enter the roundabout from the right hand lane. It depends on the exit

we need to take. However this simple rule, in practice, can be more complex. Let us see some examples. 1st EXIT RIGHT Enter roundabout keeping to right hand side lane. Stay in lane until exit is reached. Indicate and exit roundabout.

Call now on: 902 123 148

CONTINUING STRAIGHT ON (e.g. 2nd EXIT STRAIGHT AHEAD) Enter roundabout keeping to right hand side lane. Stay in lane until exit is reached. Indicate prior to exit and leave roundabout.

TURNING LEFT OR CHANGING DIRECTION (e.g. 3rd OR FINAL EXIT) Enter roundabout keeping to left hand side lane. Stay in lane until you have passed the exit before your turn off, then change lane by indicating right and giving other road users sufficient time to anticipate your manoeuvre. Don’t forget that drivers circulating in the outside lanes have priority, so use your mirrors to ensure you are not blocking them as you change lanes. We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Línea Directa please call 902 123 148 More information on Línea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

NEWS BITES

EL CAMPELLO RECYCLING SCHEME A NEW campaign has been launched in El Campello, “if it works, it is not rubbish”, to encourage residents to recycle items.

The brand name Consortium MARE is being promoted in the town to make residents aware that they have alternatives to simply putting everything into the rubbish bins. Currently, the ratio of waste generation in the area amounts to 1.49 kg per capita per day, and the consortium wants to streamline how this waste is dealt with. The main objective is to involve the residents and encourage them to think before they dispose of many items. José Vicente Ferríz, vice president of the consortium, explained that “to make this work, the consortium, along with its municipalities, should promote separate collections from the streets, and the use of municipal parks and recycling centres. The campaign aims to involve citizens in the selective collection from homes.”

Good neighbours by JACK TROUGHTON

BENISSA AND Teulada Moraira have joined forces to apply for a European Union grant to fund “sustainable development” of the two communities. Four companies have tendered with projects intended to “care for and stimulate” the local economies and the two municipalities will share the 22,000€ the “ﬁnancial burden” involved with preparing the chosen scheme. Both town halls agreed they shared common ground in making the application for funding and should unite in eﬀorts to secure grants. Pictured are Teulada Moraira Mayor Carlos Linares (centre left) with Benissa Mayor Juan Bautista (centre right) and project colleagues.

Altea beach makeover

THE MODERNISATION of facilities for Cap Blanc and La Roda beaches in Altea were promoted by the town hall this week. Councillor for Infrastructure and Playas, Roque Ferrer, was delighted to show the local media the new water installations, two in Cap Blanc and ten in La Roda.

With an investment of 15,913.87€, the works included changing the way that the water taps drain, to avoid water collecting on the sand, particularly as standing water, ie stagnant water, could cause health problems. A new pipe system collects seawater and treats it before use, and will be used on the new beach promenade when completed.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

It’s time for Benidorm Carnival 2016 by CAROLINE TYSZKA

NEWS BITES

HOTEL BACKS FOOD BANK

A CALPE hotel has committed a year’s support to the town’s food bank, helping struggling families make ends meet.

ADULTS AND children will parade through the streets of Benidorm in fancy dress this weekend as the town celebrates “Carnival 2016.” Benidorm Carnival will be held this Saturday, 6th February, with the children having their parade in the morning and the adults waiting until the evening. The kids’ carnival will start at 11am at the Calle Escuelas, and pass through Calles Ruzafa and Herrerías, before ﬁnishing at the Plaza de SSMM Reyes de España (Town Hall) where they will receive juice and pastries. Many of the local schools work on a theme for each class to dress up as, although lots of younger children wear their own costumes in bright colours as they march through the streets to lively music. Prizes are awarded for each category (individual and group) with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd all receiving vouchers to use at local shops. Once the parents have had a chance to relax, it is their turn, along with many others, to have the evening carnival parade, starting at 9.30pm. The adults will start at Calle Venus,

The SH Ifach Hotel – part of a group of six hotels in Valencia and Alicante – will donate non-perishable food to the bank to be distributed to families relying on such aid. At a presentation at the hotel, Calpe Mayor Cesar Sanchez thanked the general director of SH Hotels, Javier Valles and his colleagues for their generosity. He said: “This is a sign of corporate solidarity. We can all find ourselves in a situation of social exclusion; it can happen to anyone of us and those who offer out hands to help deserve all the credit in the world.” The hotel hosted a reception for representatives of the town hall, together with businesses and associations which support the food bank initiative. SH Hotels supports food banks and soup kitchens in localities where it has a base and in Calpe will donate such staple foodstuffs as pasta, rice, flour, and dried milk.

parading through Calles Ruzafa and Herrerías, before they also finish at the Town Hall with a snack and a drink. Prizes will be cash with the individuals sharing 600€ and the groups sharing 3,300€. The Carnival officially finishes on Tuesday 9th February with the traditional “Burial of the Sardine” ceremony. Starting at 9.30pm at Tomás Ortuño,

the parade will make its way to Elche Park where the sardine is burnt, and then a ﬁrework display takes place. Many other local towns are holding their own carnival, including Alfaz del Pi, where the children’s parade starts at 10am and the adult parade at 11pm. Please consult your local town’s website for full details of each event.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Record figures for tourism by CAROLINE TYSZKA

FIGURES HAVE been released this week for 2015, showing that Benidorm tourism recorded its highest figures since 2002. As the sun set on 2015, statisticians began working on the year’s tourism figures and announced that hotel occupancy exceeded 11 million overnight stays last year in Benidorm, placing the town fourth nationally, with only Barcelona, Madrid and San Bartolomé in Gran Canaria beating the resort. Hosbec (Business Association Catering of Benidorm, Costa Blanca and Valencia) announced the figures, stating that 11,064,330 overnight stays had been recorded. This was not far behind San Bartolomé who recorded 11.5 million overnight stays. Despite the Spanish Imserso scheme (government funded holidays for pensioners) being delayed this year for Benidorm, it seems that many overseas visitors may have felt safer on the Costa Blanca than holidaying in Turkey and other higher risk areas. The Costa Blanca accounts for 61 percent of all hotel activities within the Valencian commuidad, but Benidorm in particular held 42 percent of the market share. Hosbec also detailed that visitors stayed for an average of 5.8 days, which they said was above the national average, and, similarly, the income per room rate was averaged to 51.30€ for Benidorm, higher than the communidad average of 40.41€.

NEWS BITES

Benidorm sunset

STAR OF THE EAST ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS from Taiwan have visited the Auditori in Teulada Moraira during a trip to Spain to admire its location and use of light.

A group of 18 students and their professors were on a study trip and have visited buildings in Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante and Valencia, as well as the Marina Alta auditorium. The designer of the building Francisco Mangado is well known to the students – and one of the group was actually visiting for the second time; she ﬁrst saw it under construction and loves the indirect light in the exhibition hall, its pristine lines and the view of the Mediterranean.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Friday, February 05 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Acting is their 40 THEATRE GROUP Javea Players launched its 2016 season with a celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of performing amateur dramatics on the Costa Blanca.

The first ever production – a double bill of ‘Murder by Request’ and ‘Meet the Family’ – was staged in the Marina Alta town in May 1976. And members and guests at the party at the Javea Players Studio Theatre to mark the ruby event heard how the group had gone from “strength to strength”. Mike Harvey, current Chairman, reminded everyone the celebration was the first event of the 40th anniversary year “a really, really momentous milestone!” He said Javea Players had witnessed many successful years in which the group “has gone from strength to strength and grown in terms of membership, the facilities we have and the technical know-how we enjoy; a tremendous period of time for our organisation and history.” Mike said 80% of the current membership – including Jill Reynolds, a founder member – were at the party, a “full turn out” with missing Players away and unable to attend. And Jill remembered 1976 – the year of Britain’s heatwave, the maiden flight of Concord, Southampton overcoming Manchester

NEWS BITES

UNFORTUNATE NEWS FOR APAH APAH ANIMAL Rescue Charity regrets to have to inform everyone that for the next few months, they will be unable to accept any new cats or kittens into their Cattery.

Mike Harvey with Jill Reynolds

united to life the FA cup, Brotherhood of Man winning Eurovision with ‘Save Your Kisses for Me”. She told RTN: “When Javea Players first started there were 12 of us – the first production was in a school.” Jill, who came to Spain in 1974, joined to help with costumes as a qualified tailor and seamstress, but said “they didn’t need any at first” – and while those skills were not utilised until a production of ‘The

Importance of Being Earnest”, she was needed as a cast member. “I played parts in the ﬁrst 15 plays – I am not any good as an actress. My daughter was the prompt and my husband helped front of house...it was very much a family thing,” she said “The friends we made then, we still have now. “It was our life and terriﬁc fun. There was nothing else in Javea at the time, no other expat groups, nothing.”

Unbeknown to them, one of the litters of kittens accepted in last year, may have introduced FIPs into their Cattery. This is a highly infectious virus, which can be passed from cat to cat through faeces. This makes shelters where cats share litter trays high risk areas. All APAH’s Cattery volunteers have been informed and APAH is following strict instructions laid down by their vets, to hopefully contain the virus until it passes out of their Cattery. This is a heartbreaking situation for any animal rescue organisation, and is similar to having an outbreak of parvovirus in a kennels. APAH will not be in a position to accept any new cats or kittens until they are advised by their vets that it would be safe to do so.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Tree plantation day by JACK TROUGHTON

ALFAZ DEL Pi celebrated their Arbor Day by planting more than 400 saplings in the quarry area of Serra Gelada. About one hundred adults and children gathered on Sunday to help the conservation project that seeks to improve the Serra Gelada by planting trees indigenous to the area such as Kermes, Rosemary and Olive. Vicente Soler, Councillor for the Environment in the town, said “I would like to thank all the municipal associations who have worked throughout the year to help ensure this environmental education project stands out for promoting awareness and learning about the habitat.” The quarry area has seen a transformation since November, with the addition of a gazebo, picnic area and climbing wall, partly funded with subsidies from the European Social Fund.

#NEWS BITES

NO MONKEY BUSINESS

IRISH DES will provide the live entertainment at the Wok Restaurant in Javea on Sunday night (7th February) to see mark the Chinese New Year. Des will play from about 8pm and has a great selection of music ready to get the party started and mark the start of the Year of the Monkey.It is a popular night out every year and reservations are advisable. Call the Wok Restaurant, alongside the Caixa Bank – previously Barclays Bank – on 96 579 7016.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Exciting new TV series wants to Rocket’s golf hear from you! society ON 26TH January, the society played at Alicante Golf, where the course was in good condition, despite the winter dormant grass, although the greens were a bit slow.

TV PRODUCTION company Twofour (http://www.twofour.co.uk/) are looking for people to take part in a brand new documentary series following would be entrepreneurs as they build or renovate and open a hotel or guest house for the very first time.

We want to follow fledgling hoteliers as they make their life changing journey from investing in the right location, tackling the ups and downs of refurbishment to finally opening their very own business to paying guests. If you’re a ‘would be’ hotel or guest house entrepreneur, no more than

50 % through your renovation and due to open to paying guests by the summer of 2016, please get in touch, we’d love to know more! Please contact Kat – Katherine. healy@twofour.co.uk for more information. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

The competition was a singles Stableford competition, and the best score of the day was from a guest, Hugh Riley with 37 points. Members Peter Daggart and Geoff Wild came close with 36 points each. The results were: Gold Category, 1st Peter Daggart, with 36 pts, 2nd Ivie Davies, with 30 pts, 3rd:Malcolm Anderson, with 28 pts, Silver Category, 1st:Geoff Wild, with 36 pts, 2nd:Ken Hopkins, with 34 pts, 3rd Rocket Ron, with 32 pts. Nearest the pins were, hole 3, Graham Knight, hole 6, Hugh Riley, hole 8, Ken Hopkins, hole 12, Andy Nicholls, hole 15, Malcolm Anderson, and hole 17, Peter Wilkinson. Longest drive was Peter Daggart, and best guest was Hugh Riley, with 37 pts. The next game is at Vistabella on Tuesday 9th February, 9am, with the first tee at 9:45am. For more information or if you wish to play, contact Ron Nicholson on 678 84 91 42 or email sanmigron@gmail.com.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016s

News from afar

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Hot gossip

EUROPE IS creating a data superhighway allowing satellites to talk to each other high above earth and relay crucial information to ground stations. The first key part of the network, a telecommunications satellite, was launched by the European Space Agency (Esa) into orbit from Kazakhstan. It will use laser technology to gather pictures of the planet from other orbiting spacecraft and relay them to waiting ground stations. And scientists say it will get information back to earth much quicker than previously possible – currently, it can take hours to get information from satellites because they can only transmit over a narrow time window as they pass over a receiving dish; sometimes just a 10 minute opening each hour and a half. The Esa solution is to send the information further into the heavens to another satellite which has a constant view of the ground station and it is claimed when the network is completed, information will be on the desks of people who need it within 20 minutes. Benefits will include allowing emergency teams to have a view of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes much more quickly; allow the monitoring of pollution events; trigger a faster response to illegal fishing or piracy, and get more accurate weather information to shipping and aircraft. The project is known as the European Data Relay System and it has been in development over the past 10 years. A second satellite carrying the relay system will be launched in 2017 and continue until a network, known as ‘Sentinels’ will be created by a target of 2020. However, Esa project manager Michael Witting revealed that getting satellites to talk to each other across a narrow laser beam had not been an easy task. “The difficulty is, basically, that you have to hit another satellite with your laser beam over a distance of over 40,000km; which is akin to hitting a two-euro coin over the distance of the Atlantic.”

Trumped! OUTSPOKEN REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Donald Trump lost the Iowa caucuses to Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the first round of the campaign in the United States. Senator Cruz said it was a victory for “courageous conservatives” as he took 26% of the vote beating rival and frontrunner Mr Trump and Marco Rubio. The aim of the votes across the USA in the coming months is to determine which candidate will stand for the two main parties for the November presidential election. Hilary Clinton narrowly won the backing for the Democrats. Iowa is seen as a key test of the voters’ loyalty, but Mr Trump has seemingly won support from middle Americans after airing controversial views – which also earned him international condemnation – and will look to bounce back in the race to the White House.

British tourist killed by elephant

BRITISH HOLIDAYMAKER Gareth Crowe died after being trampled and gored by an elephant on the Thai island of Koh Samui. The 36-year-old was riding the animal with his daughter Eilidh, 16, during a trek when they were thrown as it “rebelled” against its handler - the teenager receiving minor injuries but witnessing the horror before the animal ran off into the jungle. Mr Crowe, from Scotland, was on holiday with his partner and two children and the Foreign Office has offered support to the family. An investigation has been launched into the incident but according to World Animal Protection, it was a “stark reminder” that elephants remain wild animals and were not supposed to be ridden. A spokeswoman said their thoughts were with Mr Crowe’s family following the tragedy but it underlined how many tourists did not realise the cruelty such elephants were subjected to in order to tame them enough to give rides. She added: “If you can ride it, hug it or have a selfie with a wild animal, then the chances are it is cruel and the animal is suffering.”

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Wrong side of the blanket

The film ‘Dad’s Army’ is on general release today, a timely reminder of my untimely arrival during WW2, via this rather coarse couplet.

Chris Ashley

Writer & Broadcaster

‘Conceived at the back of the Ritz. Born at the height of the blitz.’ Hardly Tennyson, granted. It didn’t bother me I was born the wrong side of the blanket, outside the sanctity of Good Holy Matrimony. God’s Boots! I was only a baby at the time- far too busy drying off & learning to breathe to worry about such pettifogging details, & no worries later in life either. Who remembers a terrific 60’s film called ‘The Professionals’ starring among others Lee Marvin & Ralph Bellamy? In one scene the Bellamy character delivers an insult to Marvin “You b*****d.” His reply “Yes, Sir. In my case an accident of birth. But you, Sir, you’re a self-made man.” We know a Bellamy or two over here – don’t we?” (Apologies if your name is Bellamy. I’m sure you’re a saintly soul). In 1940’s Blighty having a bairn out of wedlock, (6½%) compared to now (56½%), was practically deemed a ducking stool offence. Today austerity has a totally different interpretation too. Protesters railing against so-called poverty. “Ok -yah! Tory scum! OMG got to dash, going to see Coldplay & then Cara, Kate, Paris, Pippa & Moi off to Ibiza, 3rd time this year. Ciao!” Pish! - about as subversive as a fondue set. Mind you, one 50’s pea-soup smoggy morn aged 15½, I woke full of communist zeal – ready to bring out the tumbrils for the bourgeoisie. However, that afternoon I got my first paying job (£1.9s.6d. per week). I bought a pair of brothel creepers (under 40’s – Google!) & suddenly I’m a well-shod creepy capitalist. Fifties austerity wasn’t quite as Dickensian as some portray. Yes! There was Cold War Russia, rationing & rickets, but there was also – praise be - Rock ‘n’ Roll. How did we survive without the now ubiquitous Health & Safety Diktats? We spent so much time outdoors roaming hither, thither & yon. My best mate Barry, exploring a bombsite, found bullets – uh-oh! We took them back to my place and before I could stop him, Baz chucked the lot onto a blazing coal fire. It did more damage to our 2 up, 2 down & one around the back rented house than Hitler’s entire Luftwaffe. Bravo ‘Bellamy’ Barry.

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The Supreme Court leaves Bankia hopeless

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

AGAIN THIS week, Bankia is making the news, with mounting legal claims against Bankiafor theirsale of shares in its IPO which took place on July 2011. On 27th of January 2016, the website of the General Judiciary Council of Spain, statedthat “The Supreme Court has rejected two appeals of Bankia against the cancellation of the purchase of shares in its IPO “, stressing that it is understood by the Civil Division of this High Court, that there were serious inaccuracies in the information contained in the prospectus for the public offering, and the information given to investors. Thus, the Spanish Supreme Court confirms two things: the information provided by Bankiato the investors was inadequate and did not reflect the real financial, or economic situation of the entity in July 2011, when it sold its shares in the public offering. whilst there is a criminal procedure against Bankiamanagers, this does not prevent investors claiming in the civil courts, as we ourselves have been doing so far. Although the Supreme Court decision is known, the decision itself has not yet been published, as it is currently being drafted. According to some media this deception could have affected around 400,000 families, and claims could amount many millions of euros, not surprisingly, the president of Bankia, Mr. Goirigolzarri, has confirmed that the company has already madeprovisions of 1,840 million to face all the potential legal claims for this issue. If you purchased shares of Bankia in its IPO in July 2011, it should remembered that (Unless you have sold the Bankiashares, in which case your case should be dealt with in a different way ):

Now is the ideal time to claim, and we understand that in principle there is time up to May 2016, but do it as soon as possible, do not miss the opportunity. You would get back the money paid, plus legal interest from when you paid it, court costs and fees, etc. White Baos lawyers we have helped dozens of people aﬀected by Bankia to get their money

back, and we have won 100% of our cases. We will only charge when we win the court case and recover the money invested, and Bankiawould need to reimburse all costs of the court case, including our fees. The Supreme Court has dashed the hopes of Bankia by rejecting their requests, in the above judgment,soon to be published. It’s time to claim, Contact us

The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys general information related to legal issues. White & Baos Abogados. Tel:+34 966 426 185. E-mail: info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2014 – All rights reserved. Send your questions to spanishlawyer@roundtownnews.com or info@white-baos.com

LEGAL & FINANCE

Claim Now for the “Bankia Shares”: 100% Success Rate.

Carlos Baos

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Good news only, please

MONEY

AS AN IFA I have become very sensitive to market reactions and I have always has an interest in current affairs but at this time even I am getting bogged down by this endless supply of bad news. THE RECENT drops in the stock markets is simply down to conﬁdence and not of the same making of the crisis 8 years ago.

I still struggle to see why a barrel of oil at $27 dollars compared to $108 18 months ago is anything other than good news, after all there are more consumers of oil than producers. Motorists felt the positive effect immediately and users of oil in industry such as manufacturing plants or airlines should post better than expected quarterly profits, which should help dividend levels. In many cases this is yet to be rolled out. Further good news is that Rolls Royce has won a $2.7Bln order from Budget carrier Norwegian Air for a package of new Trent 1000 engines and service support for 19 new 787 Dreamliner aircraft. And this is just as well because it looks like the order book for Rolls Royce limousines to oil Sheiks will be slowing down. What a shame. This week, Google, which is now part of our day-to-day language and activity, showed an impressive share rise by 6%. This pushed its market capitalisation above Apple making it the most valuable Company in our solar system, and possibly beyond. Lastly, Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England has said UK interest rates will remain low until well into next year, and I know many of you will be unhappy about that. But if you want to be happy again call us as we have several solutions and we will find one that suits you and your circumstances best. Till next time, I’m off for a drive with the family. Because I can, cheaply. TIME FOR ACTION? CALL US. We are here to give you impartial, independent investment and financial advice (minimum investment just £20,000 / €25,000). Call me direct on 615 607 278 or e-mail dave.diggle@blacktowerfm.com Dave Diggle C.A.T., DipFA, (SOUTH COSTA BLANCA adviser i.e. Torrevieja etc). Main office: Edificio Palau III, local 7, Javea 03730, Alicante, Spain. The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. The value of investments can rise and fall and Capital may be at risk.

Dave Diggle

International Financial Adviser

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

ASSSA can help you.

Did you know that you need to prove that you are covered for healthcare in Spain when applying for your residence certificate?

In 2012 the Spanish Government changed the legislation regarding the healthcare system and you will find more rigorous requirements when applying for the “residencia” in Spain. As soon as you permanently live in Spain you are no longer entitled to medical treatment nor getting issued the European Health Insurance Card. You need to take out a private medical insurance in Spain. We supply all the policy documents and certificates necessary to meet the health cover required for residencia in Spain. So whatever your problem is, if ASSSA can help –we will! ASSSA - Experience, Expertise & Customer Service At ASSSA Insurance we are specialists in the field of healthcare, caring for the health of thousands of people. Our company, established in 1935, is offering personalized professional service at the offices in Costa Blanca. Our personal service is unique. Our friendly, multilingual employees are pleased to inform you about our policies without any obligation to purchase. We speak your language, answer all client queries fully and with complete honesty and assist with any questions you may have. Contracts are of course in your native language as transparency is important for us. Many of our clients join us on recommendation from existing ones, which is a clear indication of our unique service. Doctors and Hospitals We offer our customers an extensive directory of private clinics and hospitals, GP´s and Specialists. In order to comply with the

wishes of our clients, we make contracts with facilities most of whom speak your language or offer translation service. Quality Insurance We provide flexible levels of health insurance - depending on the cover level and premium best suited to the client’s requirements - from a supplementary insurance (from 48 € per month) to a more fully comprehensive insurance cover. We have exceptional LIFETIME offers of up to 30% discount. Insure your health! With Spanish insurance companies you hardly will find two important guarantees we offer in ASSSA: Our premiums do not increase due to age The age you join is the age you stay - no age adaption of the premium. ASSSA guarantee cover for life - in writing and in our General Conditions we give you this so important guarantee that we never cancel your policy, not because of age or due to high policy usage. Visit us for a chat and without any obligation, receive a personal premium calculation. Our area manager will be pleased to answer all your questions. We look forward to your visit! Customer Service Offices: Denia Tel: 965 786 969 Moraira Tel: 965 744 033 Altea Tel: 966 882 680 Ciudad Quesada Tel: 965 725 421 Orihuela Costa Tel: 966 761 794 Mazarrón Tel: 968 153 396

Feature

Are you applying for the “residencia” in Spain?

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

#life&leisure Canine carers

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016



LIFE SAVING medical alert dogs are being trained by charity Grant A Wish and an animal expert to help youngsters and give early warning of an emergency. Read the full story on page 37.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #gardening



Dick Handscombe Holistic gardener and author

Attracting and keeping birds happy

AS MENTIONED a couple of editions ago, the more one attempts to garden close to nature the more nature’s creatures, apart from humans, from lizards, microbes in the soil, hedgehogs, pollinating bees to birds will be attracted to the garden. SO THIS week I look especially at what can be done to attract permanent and seasonal migratory visitors to your garden. There are four main areas of possible actions feeding, watering, thickets and nesting boxes. 1. Supplementary feeding – I say supplementary feeding for in a balanced garden there is plenty of food in terms of natural seeds, insects and worms. However seed feeders, coconuts with a whole in it and lumps of hanging fat are useful. Bread has a problem in that when it soaks up moisture in a birds digestive organs it swells up. 2. Watering – Bird baths and ponds are being regularly visited at present, the pond by an increasing mix of birds as they migrate from the colder northerly zones and find that hillside pools and springs have dried up again. Autumn rains were insufficient to replenish them for the winter months. 3.Thickets – Thick evergreen hedges, climbers on walls or up through trees, and heavily branched and leafed trees are popular haunts of many varieties of birds. 4. Nesting boxes - Some birds such as blackbirds and thrushes, unless shot during the winter thrush hunting season, are happy to nest in the branches of the dense foliage of evergreen hedges and bush or climbing shrubs. However many others prefer natural holes in trees or artificial nesting

boxes fixed to tree trunks or boundary or house walls. Some years ago I made a dozen nesting boxes from a free wood supply when a drum from main electrical cabling was left outside our house, unwanted by the contractors. However, although most were nested in several times, they had started to rot and fall apart and become unusable. So since bird boxes are rarely sold in garden centres in Spain, unlike well stocked British garden centres, I searched the internet over the New Year for Spanish bird box makers and suppliers. Finding none I resorted to visiting the website of the UK Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, RSPB. They illustrated an excellent selection for different groups of typical garden birds so I purchased eight, six of which are shown in the photo. The large long one is for a colony of sparrows there being three boxes ion one, two entrances are in the unseen end walls. I purchased this as there was a recent article reporting that Spain’s population of hedge and house sparrows is on the decline but there is a good flock feeding in the garden at each day break. Moving along the row beneath the long box from left to right the first is for robins and wrens both of which are currently regular garden visitors; the second with the smallest entrance hole is for small birds such as blue, long tailed and coal tits; the third is for great tits, pied flycatchers and tree sparrows; the right hand one is for

‘The selection of bird nesting boxes that I purchased’

larger birds such as starlings , wrynecks shrikes or even hoopoes. They were not expensive, are well designed and strongly made, delivery from the UK to Costa Blanca was only three days by parcel post and they look as if they will survive the rest of my gardening days. Helpful guidance re where to locate the boxes came with them so during the winter clean up and cut back they were strategically ﬁxed to tree trunks and house

and garden walls. May be they are being put up for this year’s nesting but hopefully they will have been found in time for 2017 nestlings and the garden full of ﬂedgling birds for my 80th birthday that spring. So whether you live in an idyllic country glade or a large urbanisation think of doing something to reverse the falling trend in Spain’s bird population, and by buying from the charity RSPB the population of UK birds.

Email auntyvirus@roundtownnews.com

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #aunty virus /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Windows 7 Dear Aunty Virus I HAVE just upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and I have a few teething problems. Firstly, I cannot open Google Chrome. I have been using Windows Edge, but find opening Outlook and a few other apps is very slow so would prefer to use Chrome. I hope you can help me with this problem Thank you, Barbara.

Response: Many people are finding other web browsers easier, or more user friendly than Edge, and upgrading to Windows 10 can cause a few problems, especially with some incompatibilities, and Chrome is not an exception. The way to solve this is to totally remove Chrome, using Revo Uninstaller from revouninstaller.com. This will remove ALL traces of Chrome when it is uninstalled. The standard Chrome uninstaller still leaves traces on your PC which may cause problems. Once Revo has uninstalled and cleaned Chrome, restart your PC. Get the download (from google.com/chrome/ ) and re-install Chrome.

Google log in

Hi Aunty, On Star Wars release day I clicked on ‘THE DARK SIDE’ on my Google log-in page. This has made my inbox page black with white printing. How do I return it to its original white with black printing. Regards Gerry Reply: Clicking on ‘the Dark Side’ changes the theme settings for all your Google account to that theme.

It should return to normal in February, when the promotion ends. Alternatively, you can go back to “www.google. com/starwars/” click on the ‘Change Side’ icon, drag your icon to the middle option, and click on ‘Back to Default’.Google will then revert back to the normal theme and colours. Response: Many thanks for your help I am now back to normal

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

Sara Bell life&leis re ask Sara u  by

Life Coach

WITH A background in family and matrimonial mediation, Life Coach Sara Bell helps Readers with their daily worries. If you are having difficulties with relationships, family, work or any other aspect of your life, then help is at hand.

I need time to myself

MY ELDERLY Father died two years ago. To begin with, I gave my mother the support I felt she needed, but I noticed that she became very dependent on me. Before Dad died she did everything for herself. Now, she calls me constantly, even inventing problems. I spent all of Christmas with her, but she complained that I wasn’t with her on New Years Eve. I needed a break and went to a party. She has friends, but hasn’t bothered with them lately. It is possible your mother has lost confidence. After the death of a loved one, help and support from the family can be full on. When things get back to some kind of normality, it can be difficult for those who have no occupation. Talk to your Mum about the need for you to have your own life. Keep your visits regular, but avoid responding to her every request. Your Mum would benefit from socialising herself more. May be you could ask her friends to drop in and see her.

It’s my fault MY MUM and Dad have split up. I am 13. They argue all the time, mainly about me. I think the split is my fault. I am also now having a very hard time at school - I don’t have any friends, and there’s a bully who is picking on me. I stopped talking to my parents about anything, because I realised they argue less when I am not a worry to them. Your parents splitting up is most deﬁnitely not your fault, and you mustn‘t blame yourself. I understand why you haven’t been talking to your Mum and Dad, but I am sure they would be quite upset to learn the reason why. If you still feel you cannot talk about your problems, perhaps you can go to your Grandparents or another family member. Also, you mustn’t endure bullying, so please go and see your school Counsellor or a teacher. You can begin to feel better very quickly indeed, if you share your worries with someone. Write to Sara in conﬁdence. A pseudonym will be used if you wish. Sara reads all letters and can give a personal reply. Email your question to agonyaunt@roundtownnews.com or Sara is available for private consultations, telephone 650 054 467.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure people

Canine carers LIFE SAVING medical alert dogs are being trained by charity Grant A Wish and an animal expert to help youngsters and give early warning of an emergency.

MABS Cancer Support Group Mar Menor events VOLUNTEERS MEETINGS are held on the first Wednesday of every month at Roda’s Bar, Roda, 11am for 11.15am. If you are interested in helping MABS and would like to know more, go to a meeting or phone the Volunteer Coordinator, Sylvia on 634 35 355. Share & Care Group is held on the 3rd Friday of every month at Vintage Restaurant, San Javier, between 11am and 1pm. This informal get together is for anyone affected by cancer. Newly diagnosed, cancer survivor, family or friends and indeed anybody affected by cancer or bereaved is welcome to come for a coffee and a chat, and to meet others in a similar situation. For more information please call Anne 693 79 52 47 or the centre 868 17 10 35. Book Stall at The Arches Bar, Los Narejos, Los Alcázares is everey Saturday between 10am and 1pm. Book donations are always welcome. Charity Shop, Avenida de la Unión, San Javier, is open Mondays to Fridays 10am to 2pm, for good quality second hand clothing, furniture and bric-a-brac. Donations are gratefully received. Ring 968 19 13 00 during shop hours. Information Centre, Urb. Foque, Avenida Mar Menor, San Javier. is open Tuesdays and Fridays 10am to 2pm. Drop in for information or help about anything related to cancer. A volunteer is always available to make you a coffee and take the time to talk. Ring 868 17 10 35. Cancer does not discriminate and neither do MABS. They help anyone, of any nationality, affected by cancer. The helpline is 693 27 57 79 anytime.

Alan (centre) with Jody Kirby and Ramon Howard of Grant A Wish

by JACK TROUGHTON SHORT HAIRED retriever ‘Mac’ is currently the star pupil of ‘dog whisperer’ Alan Filjak and will soon be caring for Keira Alvarez Turner, who suﬀers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Keira and mum Debbie, from Finestrat are currently in Scotland, and Alan is preparing Mac to look after his patient. The dog is being trained to push a button and alert Debbie at night when an attack – which could be fatal – is imminent. A second dog is also being trained to be a companion for a little boy on the Costa Blanca who suﬀers from diabetes. This canine can sense when the four-year-old’s blood sugar levels dangerously change. RTN spoke to Alan, from Croatia, as he made a whistle stop visit to Spain on his way to Scotland. He has previously worked with military and police dogs as well as medical alert animals. “I can actually work with any breed of dog, it is not important because you pick a breed to suit the family,” Alan explained. “In Keira’s case, you need a dog that is active – you don’t want a dog that falls asleep easily at night, it cannot fall into a deep sleep. With diabetes it can be a more relaxed dog, a dog that accompanies the child wherever he or she goes.” COMMUNICATE Alan also trains dogs to work with autistic

children. “When a child has a ‘meltdown’ parents cannot get through to the youngster, they cannot communicate with the child but the dog is trained to make a communication breakthrough and put pressure on the child to gently take the kid into a lying position. “It distracts the child from the meltdown and they start to stroke the dog – in itself a therapy for the youngster.” It can take up to eight months to train a medical alert dog. Alan, who has worked with dogs for 25 years, uses the animal’s natural instincts to get them to react automatically to an emergency. “It is quite amazing, they recognise the symptoms before the emergency happens and learn how to raise the alarm.” Jody Kirby, Grant A Wish founder and President, said it was an “exciting” new venture for the charity and she had ﬁrst contacted Alan because her father was a diabetic. “He is a very gifted and talented medical alert service dog trainer. We realised we could work together and actually change people’s lives through Grant A Wish,” she said. “We want to continue to work with Alan and help people. These dogs are not just companions but actually change lives. Every dog costs about 10,000€ to train – we could do with a really big sponsor!” For further information go to www.grantawish.es.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #horoscopes

Kenny Corris kennycorris@hotmail.com 686 361 594

 As Mars squares midweek with the Sun it opens up new aspects that you now have to take on board. This is a final chance to make something work better on emotional levels as you have a right to be happy as well. Times are changing and you are right to reject current issues because they do very little more than merely scratch the surface. Venus trines with lucky Jupiter and squares up to Uranus, Planet of Invention and Innovation. There’s far more to something that meets the eye, and you would be wise to sit things out until you are absolutely sure that what you really want is what you get. With distinctly positive changes for the better on the horizon, belief may just be that missing link. Abundance comes from actions between Mercury and Jupiter who trine together just after the weekend. Whatever it is you are seeking right now you need the tender loving care and the backing brought about by friendship of sincere like minded people. You are close to your reward now that you have taken that very big step forward, now go, get it There is a matter that needs your attention but you have been thrown off course as of late. This week actions of the Moon’s phase bring you a chance for resolve and reckoning and although the matter is not your fault, in any way; it is time to get on with what has to happen next. Enjoy taking control but accept apologies, forgiveness feels right. The Sun is kept on its toes this week with an initial sextile with mighty Uranus and a midweek squaring with warring Mars. You appear to be in two minds and needing to make a decision that benefits all concerned; however there is something you are not aware of and it would help to sway you in the right direction, and it is about to be revealed! Mercury squares on Kora midweek bringing some mixed blessings on all levels. You are looking to facilitate changes and to shift your focus, and this will only happen if you look within and follow your highly sensitive innermost feelings. Have faith that all will fit nicely together and live better with the higher vibrational energy that will result! Stored anger does you no good whatsoever and it is starting to be noticed by others. The Venus sextile with Mars is an incompatible mix of love and war but it clearly underlines the problems and conflicts that continue to stubbornly exist; and which are bringing so much stress right to your door. Make choices and you can simply walk away. A great time for forward planning, so long as you are the organising force behind any culpable actions. You need something to get your teeth into right now, and this would be killing two birds with one stone. It’s all about making dreams come true, and this time around, if you do play your cards right, it could all come together at last. No use in crying over spilt milk. Jupiter directs you to cut your losses right now before any more damage is done. With actions of your planetary leader trysting with Mercury whilst ensconced in Venus, further aspects with the Sun this week are seeming to back you all the way, especially indicating that love is returning to you, on all viable levels. If you knew then what you know now you would never have got involved but you are, and you are implicated in something which shows to be veering out of control. For someone who likes to cross their T’s and dot their I’s this is a regrettable situation, but all is not lost. The Sun currently in Mars is a perfect time to cut your losses and just move on. The sextile with the Sun unleashes the pioneering aspects of your trusty planetary leader, Uranus. Inspiration is something you could write a book about, and just now there comes the chance of a fresh start with a distinct new opportunity as a door opens for you. Be prepared for new angles and be sure that you are the right person for the job! Priorities have necessarily thrown you off course temporarily....and you seem to have an ever expanding agenda to be working around. Not the person to ever let anyone down you are compromising your own need to express and be free, and though it may bring you good results, never ever forget that you matter to yourself too.

If It’s Your Birthday This Week

Slowing down can speed you up if you really take what’s on oﬀer to heart. Take a chance to prove to others that you mean business and stick to your guns!

In touch

AS A young developing Medium I was always glad for contact with those inhabiting the Spirit World. Since this contact can come in so many ways, and I was my beginning to learn my craft I was keen to experience any contact from the Spirit World that came along. Blissfully unafraid of this imaginary barrier between life and death and mindful that I was young, I was both keen and determined to get good results. There was nothing new at the time regarding the ability of those in Spirit to broadcast to Earth. The entire foundation of Spiritualism is based on the wonderful and inspiring communication between the living and the dead and vice versa. Over the years such contact has been able to be experienced by the addition of new technology brought about by the scientific processes that have contributed much to the innovation of the communication process. For instance, before television became commonplace in every household, Spirit were not able to broadcast through an individual set. Now it is a frequent method that the Spirit World uses to keep in touch, as there are numerous reports of loved ones who have passed over to the Other Side turning on sets and being both heard and seen by loved ones specifically. The most common connection through television was way back when, when daily broadcasts came to an end and white noise was experienced on the small grey screen. However loved ones have received messages on the most modern of digital equipment, despite satellite viewing and twenty four hour daily programming. A determined Spirit gets its message through, at all odds, it would seem. One very popular way Spirit broadcasts is through EVP or Electronic Voice Phenomena. This is a tried and trusted method of spiritual communication, and the most widely used by the departed. These days the messages can be recorded very easily and there are a plethora of them on You Tube to browse through if you feel like it. Nowadays tuning into non digital radio brings the best results as ever it did. Spirit find it easy to pass messages by radio wave judging by the great number of recordings. As a young man I regularly tuned into white noise on my portable Roberts radio and used a tape recorder to help receive and record messages from the Spirit realms. It did mean listening to long playbacks, but when an audio transmission came through, and they periodically did, it was well worth it. In the 1920’s a device that recorded EVP was available to what must have been a sceptical market. Nowadays there are ever more recorders for all types of paranormal activities, and naturally, as belief and understanding surrounding the communicative process between the dead and the living are further explored, there comes compatibility between the science and the art. They can merge the sheer success that is being registered to prove that life exists after death, whether you like it or not. I like it, of course. Old evidence from past recordings held by The Spiritual Association of Great Britain, have the authenticated voice of Winston Churchill passing on a message after his death. The Churchill family were confirmed and revolutionary Spiritualists of their time and the recording was made by a visitor paying respects to Winston as he lay in State at Westminster Hall. The voice is unmistakably Churchill, and has since been scientifically authenticated by modern Science, along with many others. Actual communication is a process obviously known to Spirit for some time. Often a subtle message confirms the ability to communicate between Worlds’ that are apart from only their designation. Just as Science finds new ways of communication so Spirit appears to be able to use it to pass on messages of survival and love. Whatever the future does bring with it, it will come with the overwhelming ability to prove that this current life we live is one of many; and that the great divide, and the Medium in the middle of it, are all a part of a process that clearly needs to keep well and truly in touch!

Kenny‛s Postbag

Email your letters to me at: kennycorris@roundtownnews.com

KENNY, I would like to experience some of the things that other spiritual people talk about, but I do not lose faith. What can I do to tune in more to Spirit? Paula G. Well Paula, how long have you got? Each of us decides to make a spiritual journey, or not, and we have to be open to experiencing whatever we can. But we are all learning at every step of the way. Some become experts at speciﬁc things but we all have a common energy and being spiritual we love to share each our own experiences. I think that you need to meet with some spiritually enlightened people who wish to work together..... that way you can be inspired to work with your own individual desires, rewarding your faith very promptly.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #puzzles /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Sudoku Last weeks crossword answers can be found on page 56.

Across 1. Step (5) 4. Stuffed (7) 8. Respire (7) 9. Jokes (5) 10. Consumes (4) 11. False belief (8) 13. Uncovered (4) 14. Leg joint (4) 16. Usually (8) 17. Tardy (4) 20. Farewell (5) 21. French sailor (7) 22. Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room (7) 23. Blunted (5)

Doodle box

Quick Crossword

Down 1. Cape Town landmark (5,8) 2. Build (5) 3. Obligation (4) 4. Gifted (6) 5. Postpones (8) 6. Huge (7) 7. Impartial (13) 12. Animal (8) 13. Obstruction (7) 15. Awkward (6) 18. Distribute (5) 19. Stump (4)

Cryptic Crossword Across 1. Cringe with hesitation by milk-producer (5) 4. A pound got through work to become scholarly (7) 8. Honourable cry in favour of Conservatism? (7) 9. Toned in well-known manner (5) 10. Those who stand it may have sat for it successfully (4) 11. Real baby changed in a way that could be tolerated (8) 13. One note or the next in string (4) 14. Athletic contest for a human group (4) 16. What an idiot Edward is to have given help! (8) 17. Boast that costume has gone back (4) 20. Claw used in frontal onslaught (5) 21. License complete quiet (7) 22. Why brunette canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a leader in the Eastern bloc? (7) 23. Urge newspaper men to be seen here (5) Down 1. Take too big a risk resulting in catastrophic trial? (5,8) 2. They are puzzling when cross (5) 3. Change gear in a temper (4) 4. Correspondence from the landlord? (6) 5. Ban moral arrangement that is irregular (8) 6. Unskilled apparently, but famous (7) 7. Male insect can make great strides with youngsters? (5-4-4) 12. Attendance at scene shown by rep in complete disarray (8) 13. The actors went first and made a move on the board (7) 15. Stopped when many were given relief (6) 18. Line of mountains to the north in 3 (5) 19. Give thunderous applause, perhaps (4)

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leis ure #whats on 

Live music for Majbrit by CAROLINE TYSZKA

LIVE MUSIC every Thursday at the Ponderosa Bar, Denia

MUSICIANS FROM around the Marina Baixa are getting ready to hold one of the region’s biggest jam sessions this weekend, to raise funds for Alfaz del Pi resident Majbrit Jessen. As reported in RTN a few weeks ago, Majbrit needs expensive surgery in America to save her life, and the musical community, which she has always supported, is gathering together to raise as much as possible. Sean Lock, local musician and friend, has organised the very special jam session, to be held at the train station bar in Alfaz del Pi on February 6th. Sean said: “We decided to have the charity jam to help raise funds for any expenses that will arise in America, and what better way to raise awareness, as well as money, than by everyone gathering together for an afternoon of music.” The event starts at 2pm this Saturday until around 7pm. Throughout the afternoon there will be live music, the opportunity to bid at an auction on various services, which include two ladies to clean for a day and “Sugar Shack” to play at a venue of your choice.

Live music at the Ponderosa Bar Plus a Dance Evening once a month. Calle Rap no 5, Las Marinas Km2. Call 646 858 245 or visit www.barponderosa-com.es

Classical meets jazz Alfaz del Pi station

Raﬄe tickets will be on sale with some amazing prizes, and a small entrance donation of 2€ will help raise as much as possible. On Saturday 13th February, at 2pm, Nick, from the Paradise Bar in Albir, will be cooking a paella at a cost of 3.50€ a plate, with all proceeds being donated to the

charity. Any musicians that want to do a jam with either acoustic or electric guitar, and sing on the terrace, are more than welcome to go along to make it a great afternoon. Full details on Majbrit’s medical condition, and donations, can be found at: www.gofundme.com/hngptfvk.

‘BACH2JAZZ’ IS a pair of concerts organised by the Alfaz del Pi Classical Music Society this month featuring Guissepe Nova and the Rino Vernizzi Jazz Trio. The Italian musicians are playing an exciting programme which crosses boundaries and includes jazz arrangements of work by Bach, Mozart and Paganini – through to Benny Goodman. They are performing on Saturday 13th February at the Casa de Cultura in Alfaz from 8pm, and at noon on Sunday 14th February at the Fundaccion Frax in Albir. Tickets for non-society members are 10€ and will be available on the door. For more information go to www.alfasmusica.com.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #travel 

Budapest

WITH REGULAR direct flights from Alicante, Budapest attracts around 4.4 million tourists each year, making it the 6th most visited city in Europe, and 25th most visited in the world. THE CITY is gets its name from the joining of the two ancient cities, Buda and Pest, which, along with Óbuda, were combined to form the current Budapest, nestling on the banks of the river Danube.

With a history stretching as far back as before 1AD, when the Celts originally settled there, the city´s architecture reﬂects the various developments and inﬂuences which have helped Budapest become the city that it is today. The temperatures in Budapest are very pleasant in the summer months, averaging around 25 – 28 degrees June to August before getting cooler again in September. The city does get very cold in the winter so be prepared for freezing temperatures & snow in December and January, if that is when you choose to travel.

Synagogue

Visitors to the city can enjoy culturally rich, guided walking tours taking them around the city´s old quarters, including the largest synagogue in Europe (2nd largest in the world). Hiring bicycles in the city is easy, and a great way to get around to see the sights, or if that is too much effort, take a cruise on the river Danube (daytime cruises, lunches and dinner cruises all available), offering a panoramic view of this UNESCO World Heritage site. The currency in Hungary is the Forint, which is easily obtainable in Banks and Exchange Kiosks in Budapest. It is not advised to try to change money in the Hotels, as they generally have a poorer rate of exchange than in the bank. The rate of exchange is around 1€ to 300HUF. For a guideline, a bottle of wine costs around 2 – 12€ and a meal in a restaurant around 10€ - 20€. The city offers many restaurants, including Michelin 4* rated for those who would like to sample the traditional fayre of pork, lamb, vegetables and fruits, fused with the modern take by some of the best known chefs. Locations such as old, abandoned buildings have been revitalised as venues for bars and restaurants, however for the real foodie, the must-see venue has to be the Great Market Hall, in Budapest. On three floors, you can find a vast array of taste sensations, Meats, pastries, candies, spices, spirits as well tourist souvenirs to stock up on before heading home.

Grand Market Hall

Cruise the River Danube

Budapest is also very well known for its Spa – the city was a sought after destination in the 20s due to the contruction of the enormous thermal spa Baths built during the Roman period, and the ruins of these can still be seen today. There are plenty of functioning spas today, the Széchenyi Baths being the largest complex in Europe, with both indoor and outdoor pools to enjoy. In the summer, some of these spas are converted into open air parties for the young, a fresh way to enjoy the hot summer evenings! Flights are regular from Alicante, allowing for a Mini-break to this fabulous city, or longer dependant on your wants. 4 nights 3* room only accommodation is from 200€. Flights vary from around 200€ per person return, making this a very aﬀordable mini break – from 300€ per person!

Thermal spa baths

Contact Worldwide Horizons for dates and availability, on 966761492 or email travel@whtravel.es

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #music

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Chill Factor/Rio Chill Factor are Pam (vocals) and John Pearson (guitars/vocals), now one of the most popular live music acts on the Costa Blanca.

They play carefully selected, originally arranged and well performed classic pop/rock songs . Together with Christian Pearl (phenomenal keyboardist) they form the rock band ‘RIO’, playing popular rock anthems including tracks by Tears for Fears, Coldplay, Pink Floyd, U2, Simple Minds, Arcade Fire, Sting, Spandau Ballet, Pretenders, Talk Talk, Yes, Peter Gabriel, etc... For more details phone Pam or John on 696 731 290 or, as they live in the mountains and have nearly no phone signal, better to email: pamandjohnspain@hotmail.com and/or check out their web site: www.pamandjohn.net February Gigs: Saturday 6: Saxo Disco Chillout, Moraira. 4 pm. (RIO BAND) Sunday 7: Coll de Rates Rte., Tarbena. 1.30 pm Sunday 7: Aleluya Bar, Jalon. 8 pm (RIO BAND) Wednesday 10: Club Saxo, Moraira. 6 pm. Saturday 13: Saxo Disco Chillout, Moraira. 4 pm. Sunday 14: Laguna Ribs Bar, C/Cannes 1, Javea. 1.30 pm. Sunday 14: Himalaya Indian Rte., Moraira. 8 pm. Saturday 20: Saxo Disco Chillout, Moraira. 4 pm. (RIO BAND)

The Elderly Brothers

Andy Keen and Pete Wood formed “The Elderly Brothers” about 1 year ago.

They soon realised they had something special which has a strong likeness to the Everly Brothers sound. Andy sings the tenor harmony made famous by Phil Everly and Pete provides the baritone harmony of Don Everly. They are both retired but are loving what they do, which is entertaining their audiences with music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and much more. Andy said “It’s all about people having fun, we actively encourage our audiences to sing along, dance and have fun” after all that’s what we are doing every time we perform. If you want to know more or book the boys for a gig then they can be contacted on 646 785 260. Or email: elderlybrothers50@gmail.com or by Facebook on ElderlyBrothersinSpain. Next Gig: Sunday 7 February: Laguna Ribs Bar, C/Cannes 1, Javea. 1.30 pm

Sister Act Show The “Sister Act Show” is coming to Le Cabaret, La Pedrera Industrial Estate, Benissa on Saturday 29th February.

Are you ready for a Miracle!. Based on the films made famous by Whoopi Goldburg, this high energy show is sure to have you on your feet. Featuring songs from the film like ‘Aint No Mountain High Enough’, ‘I will

Follow Him’ plus more. A feel good show not to be missed. Tickets are 15 euros which includes a two course meal. For bookings and details of future events in Le Cabaret phone: 608 419 715 or email: lecabaret1@gmail.com. Le Cabaret is located in the La Pedrera Industrial Estate, on the N 332, between Teulada and Benissa.

Let’s Boogie with Jonathan White SINGER JONATHAN White has just celebrated his first year in Spain, six months of it performing on the Benidorm circuit. Jonathans first show “Sam Smith and Friends” proved really popular with the summer crowd but, during the winter, he has been performing his “Let’s Boogie with Jonathan White”, which caters for all generations. He said: “I have always loved singing but it was just a hobby as I lacked confidence when it came to speaking on stage. I also found the strip quite intimidating, as there are some fantastic acts that are vocally trained, whereas I am not.” Luckily for the resort, Jonathan found the courage to perform and, although he now lives in Alicante, he spends his weekends in Benidorm entertaining the holidaymakers. “I am very happy now,” he said, “and very excited about the release of my new show ‘Sam Smith vs Ed Sheeran’ this summer.” You can see Jonathan perform at The Tropical on a Friday at midnight, or 9.30pm at the White Star on a Saturday, as well as other venues around the town.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

#tv&showbiz goss

by Peter Taylor

 WITH THE Spice Girls definitely not going to have a full line-up reunion, London based all girl group All Saints can now step in and steal their thunder. The girls got 5 x No1 singles from their first 7 releases and their album ´Saints and Sinners´ also made No 1 in year 2000. They will be releasing a new single, Óne Strike´ on February 26, a song that we´re told has a ‘lovelorn yet uplifting’ melody, that apparently was inspired by Nicole Appleton’s acrimonious break-up with Liam Gallagher in 2013. Here’s a fact that you might find surprising: All Saints first formed 19 years ago. OMG!

THERE´S A 17 year old America lad called Jackson Murphy, whom at the age of 11 won a New York Emmy as a Commentator /Editorialist. His father is a sports broadcaster on Canadian service Sportsnet, and clearly taught young Jackson everything he knows. The lad now has an operation called ´Lights Camera Jackson! ´ which is a really smart name, and something that’s opened a few doors for the boy. However young Jacko recently made a bit of a hash of an interview with Amy Schumer which has since got him dubbed “the most annoying movie critic ever!” Wack wack oops?

Caroline pulls up her socks, and returns to Gogglebox! GOGGLEBOX BEGAN on Channel 4 in March 2013, and has already won a BAFTA and a National Television Award. One of the reasons it managed to set itself above the normal pap that is reality shows could well be to do with the narrative. Caroline Aherne has been narrating the show since the beginning, and her naturally comedic spin on the proceedings has most certainly given the show an edge. When you add in her having written and starred in the wonderfully funny Royle Family with Craig Cash, you have a promising idea for a reality show that has a presenter who wrote about people sitting on a sofa watching TV. Caroline was unable to present the whole of the last series having contracted cancer, on the moment she was told she said “when you hear the doctors say you have cancer, it’s true, you really don’t take it in properly, you just don’t think of the questions.” That was a few months ago, but when her brother Patrick was speaking to The Mirror last week he joyfully said “She is absolutely ﬁne and starts work on Gogglebox next month.” Aherne began performing on the Manchester comedy circuit as characters like Mitzi Goldberg, lead singer of the comedy country act The Mitzi Goldberg Experience, and Sister Mary Immaculate, an Irish nun. My favourite character of hers was Mrs Merton who became popular on Piccadilly Radio, where she worked as a receptionist. The Mrs Merton Show ran on the BBC from ´95 - ´98. Craig Cash ﬁlled in for Caroline during her sick period, a man who is clearly a good friend, and a man who also worked with her writing a spoof documentary in 2000 ´Back Passage to India.´ Hey! Hey!

HOW MANY of you have gone for a pee in a forest somewhere, and end up running a half marathon? Last weekend April Hamlin from Alabama, let her dog Ludivine out in the back yard to pee and it ended up coming seventh in the county’s inaugural Trackless Train Trek Half Marathon. The pup made her way to the starting line of the race and then ran the 13.1 mile course, crossing the ﬁnish line in seventh place. Another runner said “Every time I thought she´d dropped oﬀ to go home, I´d hear her coming back up to me, and she would race past me up to the two leaders!” Mad Mut!

THE LOVELY Rihanna, the girl from Barbados, has ﬁnally ﬁnished her new album called ANTI. While she waits for the promotion machine to kick into top gear, she´s come up with a pretty cute way of making the world stand up to attention … and yes indeedie! … It’s a set of headphones! … But they are no ordinary headphones! The crown-inspired set, encrusted with Swarovski crystals and pearls, are designed by Dolce & Gabbana and retail for $8,895, although they’ve currently sold out on D&G’s website. Why does that not surprise me?

CINDI LAUPER put out ´Girls Just Wanna have Fun´ in 1983 and she turned into an international artist overnight. The song is very upbeat, and Cindi´s bubbly personality coupled with her being the ﬁrst artist to have multi-coloured hair very much established her in the business. All of that said a young lady called Allana Verde has made a cover of the song and it’s been turned it into a very moody ballad, and it works remarkably well. The producers work under the name of ´The Incredibles.’ Watch the track at Allana Verde - G.I.R.L.S. [Girls Involved in Real Life S**t]

Sean Penns´ an actor who´s taken the darker route in movies portraying many real people whose lives had been controversial to say the least. He´s been nominated somewhere for his work in many of his 67 ﬁlms, but never won any of the major awards in the business … and he might well have missed an opportunity for that to have happened. ´The Revenant´ starring Leonardo Di Caprio is up for all sorts of Academy Awards, and Sean was the original choice for ruthless fur trader John Fitzgerald in the ﬁlm but turned it down. Oh dear Oh dear!

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

tv listings 5th February - 11th February 2016

Youtube videos of the week

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If you enjoy watching a good old fashioned tumble down a snowy mountain check out ´Female Skier Of The Year Tumbles Down Alaskan Mountain´ and if you are mad for seeing Mulder and Scully returning to the one eyed lounge monster next month have a look at Episode 1: Preview Clip 2 | The X-Files | Channel 5. PT

BBC1

BBC2

ITV1

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Housing Enforcers 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at Two 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 For What It’s Worth 16:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Seven 20:00 The One Show 20:30 A Question of Sport 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Dickensian 22:00 Shetland 23:00 BBC News at Eleven 23:25 BBC Regional News 23:35 The Graham Norton Show 24:25 Would I Lie to You? 24:55 The Apprentice USA

07:15 The Housing Enforcers 08:00 Wanted Down Under 08:45 Flog It! Trade Secrets 09:15 MasterChef: The Professionals 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Coast 14:05 The Pallisers 15:00 Who Do You Think You Are? 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:45 Best Bakes Ever 17:30 David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 Sea Cities 21:00 Mastermind 21:30 What to Buy and Why 22:00 Earth’s Greatest Spectacles 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight 24:00 Artsnight 24:30 Weather 24:35 Leningrad and the Orchestra That Defied Hitler

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 14:55 ITV News 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson’s Real Deal 16:59 ITV Regional Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News 19:30 ITV Evening News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 The Martin Lewis Money Show 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Mr Selfridge 23:00 ITV News at Eleven 23:30 ITV News 23:40 Birds of a Feather 24:10 Diamonds Are Forever

saturday 6th February

BBC1

07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking 13:00 BBC News; Weather 13:10 Football Focus 13:50 Saturday Sportsday 14:00 Bargain Hunt 14:30 Live Six Nations Rugby Union 17:30 Live Six Nations Rugby Union 19:55 BBC News 20:05 BBC Regional News and Weather 20:15 The Voice UK 21:30 The National Lottery: Win Your Wish List 22:20 Casualty 23:10 BBC News and Weather 23:30 Match of the Day 24:55 NFL Highlights

BBC2

07:15 Tension at Table Rock 08:45 The Red Beret 10:10 Animal Park 11:10 Homes Under the Hammer 12:10 Natural World 13:00 James Martin: Home Comforts 13:45 Rick Stein’s India 14:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 15:30 Escape to the Country 16:30 Flog It! 17:30 Final Score 18:25 Earth’s Greatest Spectacles 19:25 Back in Time for the Weekend 20:25 King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy 21:25 Dad’s Army 22:00 The Real Marigold Hotel 23:00 Live at the Apollo 23:45 Insert Name Here 24:15 Tim

ITV1

CHANNEL 4 07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 The King of Queens 08:35 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Frasier 11:00 Frasier 11:30 Undercover Boss USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Deal or No Deal 16:10 Countdown 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine Champion of Champions 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast 22:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 23:00 The Last Leg Goes Down Under 24:10 Virtually Famous 24:55 Rude Tube

CHANNEL 4

07:00 Fort Boyard 07:15 How I Met Your Mother Ultimate Challenge 07:40 The King of Queens 07:25 Childrens TV 08:05 The King of Queens 08:50 Horrid Henry 08:30 The King of Queens 09:10 Nerds & Monsters 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Jessie 09:25 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:05 The Tom & Jerry Show 10:00 The Morning Line 10:25 ITV News 11:00 Frasier 10:30 Murder, She Wrote 11:30 Frasier 11:20 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 12:00 The Big Bang Theory 12:15 The Jeremy Kyle Show 12:30 The Big Bang Theory 13:15 ITV News and Weather 13:00 The Big Bang Theory 13:20 The Jeremy Kyle Show 13:30 Marvel’s Agents 14:25 Judge Rinder of SHIELD 15:25 Tipping Point 14:30 Channel 4 Racing 16:30 Doc Martin 17:00 Come Dine with Me 17:30 The Martin Lewis 17:25 Come Dine with Me Money Show 18:00 Come Dine with Me 18:00 The Chase 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 ITV Regional News 19:00 Come Dine with Me 19:30 You’ve Been Framed! 19:30 Channel 4 News 20:00 Ninja Warrior UK 20:00 Great Canal Journeys 21:00 Take Me Out 21:00 Walking Through Time 22:20 The Jonathan Ross Show 22:00 Prisoners

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Paw Patrol 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders & Bodge Jobs 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Undercover Bridesmaid 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Make You Laugh Out Loud 21:00 That’s So 22:00 Celebrity Big Brother 24:05 Lip Sync Battle UK 24:35 Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side

07:00 Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 08:05 Dinner Date 09:05 Emmerdale 09:35 Emmerdale 10:05 You’ve Been Framed! 10:35 Catchphrase 11:20 Dinner Date 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:45 Emmerdale 14:15You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:45 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey 24:20 Take Me Out

07:00 07:50 08:35 09:05 09:35 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 24:15 24:45

CHANNEL 5

07:00 Childrens TV 09:15 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:30 Wanda and the Alien 09:45 Toby’s Travelling Circus 09:55 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 10:30 The Saturday Show 12:35 Funniest Fails, Falls & Flops 13:00 Police Interceptors 14:00 Police Interceptors 15:00 Now That’s Funny! 16:00 Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 17:00 Benefits 18:00 Benefits 19:00 Benefits 19:55 5 News Weekend 20:00 World War II in Colour 21:00 America’s Hidden Pyramid City: Ancient Mysteries 22:00 Football League Tonight 23:00 Football League Tonight 23:30 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 24:25 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

itv2

07:00 The Hot Desk 07:10 Emmerdale 09:50 Coronation Street 12:10 Ninja Warrior UK 13:10 Scorpion 14:05 You’ve Been Framed! 15:10 Mr Bean’s Holiday 17:00 Beethoven 18:50 Catchphrase 19:50 The Mummy Returns 22:20 Take Me Out The Gossip 23:20 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 23:50 Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Made in Chelsea Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory Melissa & Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks 2 Broke Girls The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Safe House The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

E4 07:00 07:25 07:45 08:10 08:40 09:05 09:35 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:30 14:30 16:05 16:35 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 24:30

Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me The Jump The Goldbergs The Goldbergs Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Bridesmaids Gogglebox

“ Quote of the week The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 23.20

“

friday 5th February

Mariah Carey has two Jack Russell dogs, Cha Cha and Jill E. Beans, and speaking to the New York Post about their first class flight on American Airlines from Aspen to Los Angeles said “The dogs flew in the ´deluxe cabin´ of the airliner, but because they hate each other, they had to be placed in separate kennels and It costs about $2,000 per dog for the flight!” Do Bleedin´What? PT

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

sunday 7th February BBC1

BBC2

07:00 Breakfast 08:35 Match of the Day 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Sunday Politics London 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News 14:10 Weather for the Week Ahead 14:15 Homes Under the Hammer 15:15 Escape to the Country 16:15 The Great Sport Relief Bake Off 17:15 Songs of Praise 17:50 Pointless Celebrities 18:35 Nature’s Miracle Orphans 19:35 BBC News 19:50 BBC Regional News and Weather 20:00 Countryfile 21:00 Call the Midwife 22:00 War and Peace 23:20 BBC News 23:40 BBC Regional News and Weather 23:50 Match of the Day 2 24:55 In the Valley of Elah

07:05 The A to Z of TV Gardening 07:50 The A to Z of TV Gardening 08:35 The Secret History of the British Garden 09:35 Countryfile 10:30 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:00 Best Bakes Ever 12:45 NFL Highlights 13:15 MOTD2 Extra 14:00 We Dive at Dawn 15:35 None but the Brave 17:15 Cats v Dogs: Which Is Best? 18:15 Flog It! 19:15 Ski Sunday 20:00 Six Nations Highlights 21:00 Greece with Simon Reeve 22:00 James May’s Cars of the People 23:00 Patrick Kielty’s Mulholland Drive 23:50 American Football

ITV1

07:00 Fort Boyard Ultimate Challenge 07:25 Childrens TV 08:30 Scrambled! 08:35 Mr Bean: The Animated Series 08:50 Horrid Henry 09:10 Nerds & Monsters 09:30 Bear Grylls Survival School 10:05 The Tom & Jerry Show 10:25 FIA Formula E Championship 11:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 12:20 The Jeremy Kyle Show 13:20 ITV News and Weather 13:30 Off Their Rockers 14:00 Ninja Warrior UK 15:00 Live Six Nations Rugby Union 18:15 Catchphrase 19:00 ITV News 19:30 Planet’s Got Talent 20:00 Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands 21:00 Vera 23:00 ITV News and Weather 23:15 Rookies 24:15 Premiership Rugby Union

CHANNEL 4

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:15 How I Met Your Mother 07:40 The King of Queens 08:05 The King of Queens 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:30 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces 14:30 Location, Location, Location 15:35 Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel 17:15 The Simpsons 17:45 The Simpsons 18:15 Channel 4 News 18:35 X-Men 20:30 The Jump 22:00 Deutschland 83 23:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 24:05 Alien 3

07:00 Childrens TV 09:05 Blaze and the Monster Machines 09:30 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:50 Wanda and the Alien 10:05 Toby’s Travelling Circus 10:20 Jelly Jamm 10:30LazyTown 10:55 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:30 Football League Tonight 12:30 Football League Tonight 13:00 Police Interceptors 13:55 Police Interceptors 14:55 My Favorite Martian 16:40 Three Men and a Little Lady 18:35 5 News Weekend 18:40 Little Nicky 20:15Zoolander 22:00 The Internship 24:20 The Green Hornet

07:00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 07:25 Emmerdale 10:05 Coronation Street 12:35 Take Me Out 13:55 Take Me Out The Gossip 15:00 Grease: Live 17:55 Minion Madness 18:10 Despicable Me 20:00 Legally Blonde 22:00 Ibiza Weekender 23:00 American Pie: the Wedding 24:55 Forgetting Sarah Marshall

07:00 Rude(ish) Tube 07:20 Baby Daddy 07:40 Baby Daddy 08:05 Melissa & Joey 08:35 Melissa & Joey 09:00 The Goldbergs 09:30 The Goldbergs 10:00 How I Met Your Mother 10:30 How I Met Your Mother 11:00 Hollyoaks 13:30 Couples Come Dine with Me 14:30 Couples Come Dine with Me 15:30 The School of Rock 17:45 Rude(ish) Tube 18:00 The Goldbergs 18:30 The Goldbergs 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00 The Big Bang Theory 20:30 The Big Bang Theory 21:00 The Big Bang Theory 21:30 The Big Bang Theory 22:00 Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD 23:00 Tattoo Fixers 24:00 Rude Tube

Legally Blonde 20.00

Pick of the week Sarah Lancashire stars as Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the second series of the hit crime drama by Sally Wainwright.

Tuesday 9th February, BBC1, 10pm monday 8th February BBC1

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Housing Enforcers 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at Two and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Seven 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Inside Out London 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Panorama 22:00 Crimewatch 23:00 BBC News at Ten 23:45 Tracey Ullman’s Show 24:15Crimewatch Update 24:25 The Graham Norton Show

BBC2

07:15 The Housing Enforcers 08:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 08:45 Escape to the Continent 09:15 Close Calls: On Camera 09:45 Now You See It 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Coast 14:05 The Pallisers 15:00 Who Do You Think You Are? 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:45 The Best Dishes Ever 17:15 Nature’s Great Events 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 The Great Interior Design Challenge 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking 22:00 Rick Stein’s Taste of Shanghai 23:00 Insert Name Here 23:30 Newsnight 24:10 Weather 24:15 Greece with Simon Reeve

ITV1

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 14:55 ITV News 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson’s Real Deal 16:59 ITV Regional Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News 19:30 ITV Evening News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Griff’s Great Britain 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Benidorm 23:00 ITV News at Eleven 23:30 ITV News 23:45 The Jonathan Ross Show 24:45 Car Crash Britain: Caught on Camera

CHANNEL 4

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 The King of Queens 08:35 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Frasier 11:00 Frasier 11:30 Undercover Boss USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Deal or No Deal 16:10 Countdown 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine Champion of Champions 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Dispatches 21:30 Supershoppers 22:00 Royal Navy School 23:00 Crashing 23:35 Tattoo Fixers 24:35 Bodyshockers

CHANNEL 5

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Paw Patrol 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders & Bodge Jobs 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:10 Fatal Friends 18:00 5 News at 6 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Ice Road Truckers 21:00 Funniest Fails, Falls & Flops 21:30 The X-Files: Reopened 22:00 The X-Files 23:00 Gotham 23:55 Hannibal

itv2

07:00 Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Dinner Date 08:10 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 09:05 Emmerdale 09:35 Coronation Street 10:05 Coronation Street 10:35 Catchphrase 11:20 Dinner Date 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:45 Coronation Street 14:15 Coronation Street 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:45 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 20:30 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 The Bourne Identity 24:20 Plebs 24:55 Plebs

07:00 07:45 08:35 09:05 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 24:05 24:35

Made in Chelsea Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement The Big Bang Theory Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks 2 Broke Girls The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Rude Tube Gogglebox The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

tuesday 9th February BBC1

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Housing Enforcers 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at Two and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Seven Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 Happy Valley 23:00 BBC News at Ten 23:30 BBC Regional News and Weather 23:45 Live at the Apollo 24:15 Troll Hunters

BBC2

07:15 The Housing Enforcers 08:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 08:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 09:15 Close Calls: On Camera 09:45 Great British Railway Journeys 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Coast 14:15 The Super League Show 15:00 Who Do You Think You Are? 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:45 The Best Dishes Ever 17:15 Nature’s Great Events 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 The Great Interior Design Challenge 21:00 Back in Time for the Weekend 22:00 The Real Marigold Hotel 23:00 Phone Shop Idol 23:30 Newsnight 24:10 Weather 24:15 The Story of China

ITV1

07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 14:55 ITV News 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson’s Real Deal 16:59 ITV Regional Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News 19:30 ITV Evening News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 The Kyle Files 21:00 Sugar Free Farm 22:00 Car Crash Britain: Caught on Camera 23:00 ITV News at Eleven 23:30 ITV News 23:40 River Monsters 24:40 Double Decker Driving School

CHANNEL 4

07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 The King of Queens 08:35 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Frasier 11:00 Frasier 11:30 Undercover Boss USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 13:35 Four in a Bed 14:10 Four in a Bed 14:40 Four in a Bed 15:10 Deal or No Deal 16:10 Countdown 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine Champion of Champions 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 The Secret Life of the Zoo 22:00 The Supervet 23:00 15 Kids and Counting 24:00 First Dates

CHANNEL 5

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Paw Patrol 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 A Surrogate’s Terror 18:00 5 News at 6 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 The Dog Rescuers with Alan Davies 21:00 Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun 22:00 The Great British Benefits Handout 23:00 Prison Brides 24:00 The X-Files

itv2

07:00 07:50 08:35 09:05 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:50 24:20 24:50

Made in Chelsea Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement New Girl Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks 2 Broke Girls The Goldbergs The Goldbergs Tattoo Fixers Virtually Famous The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Gogglebox

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

wednesday 10th February BBC1

BBC2

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Housing Enforcers 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at Two 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Seven 19:55 Party Political Broadcast 20:00 The One Show 21:00 The Great Sport Relief Bake Off 22:00 New Tricks 23:00 BBC News at Ten 23:30 BBC Regional News and Weather 23:45 A Question of Sport 24:15 Film 2016 24:45 Michael Clayton

07:15 The Housing Enforcers 08:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 08:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 09:15 Close Calls: On Camera 09:45 Mary Berry’s Foolproof Cooking 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 Coast 14:05 The Pallisers 15:00 Who Do You Think You Are? 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:45 The Best Dishes Ever 17:15 Nature’s Great Events 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 The Great Interior Design Challenge 21:00 The Â£100K House: Tricks of the Trade 22:00 How To Die: Simon’s Choice 23:30 Newsnight 24:10 Russell Howard’s Good News 24:40 World’s Weirdest Events

ITV1 07:00 09:30 10:25 11:30 13:30 14:30 14:55 15:00 16:00 16:59 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:25 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00 23:30 23:40 24:40

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News Judge Rinder Dickinson’s Real Deal ITV Regional Weather Tipping Point The Chase ITV News Party Political Broadcast ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Midsomer Murders ITV News at Eleven ITV News Parking Wars The Kyle Files

CHANNEL 4 07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 The King of Queens 08:35 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:35 Frasier 11:05 Frasier 11:30 Undercover Boss USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Deal or No Deal 16:10 Countdown 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine Champion of Champions 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Posh Pawn 22:00 24 Hours in A&E 23:00 Bodyshockers 24:05 Royal Navy School

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Paw Patrol 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Benefits 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 My Family’s Secret 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 21:00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 22:00 Violent Child, Desperate Parents 23:00 10,000 BC 24:00 Katie Price: In Therapy 24:55 Botched Up Bodies

07:00 Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Dinner Date 08:10 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 09:05 Emmerdale 09:35 The Cube 10:35 Catchphrase 11:20 Dinner Date 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10 Emmerdale 13:45 You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:45 The Jeremy Kyle Show 17:50 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 20:00 You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Sex and the City 2 24:55 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show

07:00 Made in Chelsea 07:50 Charmed 08:35 Hollyoaks 09:05 Rules of Engagement 09:35 Rules of Engagement 10:00 New Girl 10:30 New Girl 11:00 Melissa & Joey 11:30 Melissa & Joey 12:00 Charmed 13:00 Charmed 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 14:30 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 The Big Bang Theory 15:30 The Big Bang Theory 16:00 Melissa & Joey 16:30 Melissa & Joey 17:00 How I Met Your Mother 17:30 How I Met Your Mother 18:00 New Girl 18:30 New Girl 19:00 The Big Bang Theory 19:30 The Big Bang Theory 20:00Hollyoaks 20:30 2 Broke Girls 21:00 Battleship 23:35 Supernatural 24:35 The Big Bang Theory

Thursday 11th February BBC1

BBC2

07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Housing Enforcers 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 12:45 Emergency Rescue Down Under 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News at Two and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Father Brown 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News at Seven and Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Dickensian 21:30 Room 101 22:00 Death in Paradise 23:00 BBC News at Eleven 23:45 Question Time 24:45 This Week

07:15 The Housing Enforcers 08:00 Wanted Down Under Revisited 08:45 Escape to the Continent 09:15 Great British Menu 09:45 Close Calls: On Camera 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Coast 14:05 The Pallisers 15:00 Who Do You Think You Are? 16:00 A Place to Call Home 16:45 The Best Dishes Ever 17:15 Nature’s Great Events 18:15 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great American Railroad Journeys 20:00 Sea Cities 21:00 Cats v Dogs: Which Is Best? 22:00 The Story of China 23:00 The Clare Balding Show 23:30 Newsnight 24:10 Weather 24:15 James May’s Cars of the People

ITV1 07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV Lunchtime News 14:55 ITV News 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson’s Real Deal 16:59 ITV Regional Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News 19:30 ITV Evening News 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Birds of a Feather 22:00 Jericho 23:00 ITV News at Eleven 23:30 ITV News 23:40 Car Crash Britain: Caught on Camera 24:40 Murder, She Wrote

CHANNEL 4 07:00 Countdown 07:45 The King of Queens 08:10 The King of Queens 08:35 The King of Queens 09:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:35 Frasier 11:05 Frasier 11:30 Undercover Boss USA 12:30 Four in a Bed 13:00 Channel 4 News 13:05 Four in a Bed 15:10 Deal or No Deal 16:10 Countdown 17:00 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 18:00 Come Dine Champion of Champions 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Location, Location, Location 22:00 Keeping Up with the Khans 23:00 Britain’s Weirdest Council Houses 24:05 24 Hours in A&E

CHANNEL 5

itv2

07:00 Childrens TV 09:00 Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom 09:35 Paw Patrol 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Benefits 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Guilty at 17 18:00 5 News at 6 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild 21:00 Flood Chaos: Winter Road Rescue 22:00 Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons 23:00 10,000 BC 24:00 The Great British Benefits Handout

07:00 Planet’s Funniest Animals 07:20 Dinner Date 08:10 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 09:05Emmerdale 09:35 Coronation Street 10:05 You’ve Been Framed! 10:35 Catchphrase 11:20 Dinner Date 12:20 Royal Pains 13:10Emmerdale 13:45 Coronation Street 14:15You’ve Been Framed! 14:45 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:40 The Jeremy Kyle Show 16:45 The Jeremy Kyle Show 18:50 Take Me Out 19:50 The Hot Desk 20:00You’ve Been Framed! 21:00 Two and a Half Men 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Scorpion 23:00 The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 23:30 American Pie: the Wedding

07:00 07:50 08:35 09:05 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 24:00 24:30

Made in Chelsea Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement New Girl Melissa & Joey Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa & Joey Melissa & Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks 2 Broke Girls The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine Gogglebox The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #people 

Verdi’s scandalous opera OPERA BEGINS a new season at the Auditori Teulada Moraira with a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Rigoletto’ – now considered a masterpiece by the composer. WRITTEN IN 1851 and ﬁrst performed the same year in Venice, the tragic and scandalous storyline was based on a play by Victor Hugo and troubled the censors of the time. It is the premiere of a production by company Opera 2001 and makes its debut on the Marina Alta on Friday 19th and

Saturday 20th February. Rigoletto is a work in three acts and is set in the 14th Century – a melodrama involving a large cast and a tale of love, hate, seduction and revenge. Tickets are 43€ and are on sale through Instant Ticket, the Auditori box oﬃce and Teulada Town Hall and the Espai La Senieta in Moraira.

a scene from Rigoletto

HELP Murcia Mar Menor

CALENDAR OF events. Winter 2016. Thursday 4th February, charity menu del día at Galindo´s Restaurant. La Puebla. 1.30pm For 2pm. Cost 10€ Friday 26th February, menu del día at Puerto 3, plus Elaine´s Quiz. 1.30pm For 2pm. Cost 10€ Thursday 10th March, Murder Mystery at the Centro Cívico, Santiago de la Ribera, 7pm For 7.30pm. Cost 12.50€ Wednesday 23rd March, auction at La Zona bar. Los Alcázares, 11am to 1pm, book in items, 2.30 pm, viewing for general public, 3.30pm hammer down. 4E€ per item or three items for 10€ Monday 28th March. Easter eggstravaganza, Aquilino´s restaurant, San Pedro, 1.30pm for 2pm. For tickets or further information please contact Doreen Sykes on 637 92 08 82 or Christine Baillie on 646 87 55 62, or contact HELP Murcia Mar Menor`s oﬃce on 968 57 00 59.

“Scottish Cup” for Caritas Daya Nueva

IMANYO GOLF Society’s first major cup of the year played at Altorreal,on 25th January.andthe course was in great condition. The day was sponsored by Scotsmen Andy Ramage, Alex Porteous and Chris Baillie, and the format was pairs Texas Scramble.Players were paired up into eleven teams with a lower handicap player pairingwith a higher handicap player. After the golf, the society adjourned to Imanyo’s for the presentation and to celebrate Burns night with traditional Scottish food, pipes and entertainment by the superb band Bardoi. Winners of the ”Scottish Cup” (Quaich) were Christine Doolan and Andy Speck,with 39 points.Runners-up wereAlex Porteous and Andy Ramage,with 41 points, and,three’nearest the pins’ were won, athole 5by Pete Doolan,hole8 by Alex Porteous, and hole 17 by Dave Saunders. Two football cards were sold on the night, and were won by Dave Rotchell with Blackburn Rovers, and Sandy with Hearts, both winning 20€and raising 40€for this year’s charity. A raffle raised 487€with all the money going to the charity for 2016,Caritas Daya Nueva. The society’s thanks go to all the businesses and people who donated prizes to the raffle,and Antonio, Norma and staff at Imanyo Bar for the fantastic food and great hospitality.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #events

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Sunday market on sea by JACK TROUGHTON SUNDAY TRADING is a boost for the stall holders of the weekly morning market on the seafront in Javea where handmade crafts are on offer. The craft fair is staged on promenade of Javea Port from around 11am to 2pm and there are between 10 and 15 stalls the craftsmen and women taking turns to make sure there is something on offer. Nothing is imported, everything is made by the people on the stall – it is even possible to order a special piece to pick up later. Jewellery, leather goods, accessories, toys, and paintings are just a few of the goods on offer. The market is organised by Amata, the organisation which brings a summer fair to Javea port (www.amata.es/JaveaSum14). Musicians, jugglers and puppeteers are also interested in joining in with the fun – although they may pass a hat around at the end of their act to help with costs. The market is at the end of Avenida Jaime 1 in Javea Port. For more information call 639 979 678.

Wine tasting

RAISING A glass with guests from the Calpe and District 41 Club is Enrique Mendoza, the founder and President of Bodegas E Mendoza in Alfaz del Pi. A group of more than 20 club members enjoyed a tour of the winery and “just a little tasting” of the wine it produces. Pictured is Mr Mendoza (second from left) with 41 Club chairman elect David Welpton, Chairman Andrew Johnson, and immediate past chairman Malcolm Lee. The 41 Club is a social club made up of former members of the service club Round Table, who are required to retire from the Table in their forties. There are two clubs on the Costa Blanca; for details of the Calpe area 41 Club, visit www.calpe41club.com; and for the Javea area, go to www.costablanca41club.org.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #Spanish

Basic Spanish for everyday needs by Jane Cronin

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Past simple tense: Poder and querer

In a moment of weakness I said that I was going to make this week’s article a little lighter. However, having since been assured that my lesson on the past simple tense of “tener” was very enlightening, I have been encouraged to do a similar job with two more verbs. So, today we are going to look at the verbs “poder” (to be able to) and “querer” (to want). As usual, here is what they look like first in the past simple, or preterite tense: Pude pudimos pudiste pudisteis pudo pudieron Quise quisiste quiso

quisimos quisisteis quisieron

In a similar way to “tener”, one might initially associate these verbs with describing a state, rather than with single or repeated events in the past. We are either able to do things or we aren’t, similarly we would normally either want or love something over an extended period rather than at a certain moment. However, this is not always the case. “To be able to” or “could” can often refer to specific incidents. The difficulty when translating into English is that we sometimes use different expressions to convey the same meaning. For example,

in the negative we might say: “I couldn’t open the door” on a particular occasion, but in the positive we would say: “I managed to open the door”, or “I was able to open the door”. If we stick to the word “could” in the positive, as in “I could open the door”, it is not clear whether we actually opened the door, only that we could have done if we had wanted to. If you read that last paragraph though a few times, it ought to make some sense! In Spanish this is all much simpler. “No pude abrir la puerta” (I couldn’t open the door), but then after some huffing and puffing: “Pude abrir la puerta” (“I managed to open the door” or “I was able to open the door”, rather than “I could open the door”). English is the tricky language here, not Spanish, and hopefully you can see that this is a clear use of the verb “poder” in the past simple tense, referring to a specific moment or event in the past. “Querer” is a verb that is often used in the continuous form – for example “Durante muchos años la pareja quería tener hijos” (The couple wanted children for many years) – this describes a state of wanting or desiring something. However, it is often appropriate to use “querer” when referring to a specific event. For example, somebody phones your friend and when the call is finished you ask “¿Qué quiso?” “What did he (or she) want?” – that is, at that particular moment. Here is another example: you try to persuade your child to go to a party and the child refuses. The child says “No quiero” and you report back to your other half later on “No quiso ir a la fiesta”, adding the appropriate terms of annoyance.

A question of romance ANIMAL CHARITY APASA is staging a Valentine’s Quiz Night on Friday 12th February at Quo Vadis in Javea.

It is an opportunity to test the old grey matter and answer questions straight from the heart – as well as helping support this good cause. Tickets are 17€ including a two-course meal and half a bottle of wine per person. Guests are asked to arrive at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Reservations are “essential” and people are advised to book early. Call Sue on 96 574 1668 or 606 588 197.

Crossword Solutions for Last Week Cryptic Solutions Across: 3 Digestion; 8 Laud; 9 Time-cards; 10 Choirs; 11 Asset; 14 Awful; 15 Sawn; 16 Lease; 18 Germ; 20 Beech; 21 Merge; 24 Instep; 25 Nonentity; 26 Spin; 27 Metronome. Down: 1 All change; 2 Out of form; 4 Iris; 5 Evens; 6 Traces; 7 Odds; 9 Troll; 11 Aware; 12 Take steps; 13 In the pink; 17 Ebony; 19 Meteor; 22 Get on; 23 Lore; 24 Item. Quick Solutions Across: 3 Adversity; 8 Lees; 9 Behaviour; 10 Eroded; 11 Steer; 14 Incur; 15 Rein; 16 Dying; 18 Tale; 20 Radio; 21 Emmet; 24 Terror; 25 Disregard; 26 Snug; 27 Enhearten. Down: 1 Alleviate; 2 Reconcile; 4 Deed; 5 Exact; 6 Shiver; 7 Thus; 9 Beard; 11 Swift; 12 Rendering; 13 Encourage; 17 Greed; 19 Emerge; 22 Eager; 23 Sign; 24 True.

Suduko Answer

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #architects

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Cut the electric wires off!

With the continuous changes in electricity tariffs (always against our pockets), many people are starting to look at that yellow ball up in the sky and mulling over if it could help in some way with our invoices.

Do I unplug from the mains and produce my own energy with photovoltaic panels? Is the photovoltaic profitable? If only, to give a kick in the ass to my electric provider.

Let’s start from the beginning. First of all, let’s talk about “toll backing” for those who do not know anything about it, let me explain that in a summary form, could only be interpreted as a recent joke from the Spanish Government with which the electric companies do charge between 4 and 9 cents for each kWh generated by our own photovoltaic installation (even if it is for own consumption), always and when your house is connected to the mains. Based on that, even if you are not using the mains, you have available those Kws. as backup, therefore you have to pay. (You don`t understand it?.... neither do I) If you have an installation somewhere in a country home somewhere up in a rural area you will not have to pay anything , so it is normal that many people are thinking to install themselves an installation. Let’s put a simple example of a house with a monthly electric consumption of about 1.61kWh which is a low consumption. If we want to feed our house with a photovoltaic’s system and disconnect from our supplier of electricity, we must be self-sufficient 100%, therefore we need to dimension the installation for the months with most unfavourable solar radiation, which in our example will be December and January. This could be our consumer profile for these two months:

We are not going to enter into the calculations, but we have considered a depth of discharge of 50% from our accumulation batteries pack and other parameters that we are not going to analyse here. Therefore we would need a supply of at least: Installed power: 2. 250W Accumulation in batteries: 12kWh corresponding to 6kWh An Inverter of: 4kW.

A kit may be sufficient if it: consists of 9 panels of 250W, built with support frame, an inverter of 4kW and 4 batteries 12V 250Ah. The price would be € 5,500 and the installation could come out approximately €1.500. Total to pay for the system €7,000 In addition this kit could be installed initially without disconnect from the mains and leave it at that time to test it, then once tested we would disconnect and be a fully autonomous “island” which is our final goal. Doing a simulation, we check that the available energy accumulated in our batteries in the two toughest months always is positive; therefore we’ll not stay without supply at any time. With this measure we would save the full invoice from our power supplier, about €43 per month in this example, about €512 a year (with taxes). Energy wise we would save 161kWh per month or 1. 932kwh per year. It should be noted that this facility allows us to feed ourselves fully in the month of January, therefore the rest of the months

we would have more than sufficient, so we will generate more of what we consume. We can use any “energy dump” for these kWh leftovers, in an electric water heater for domestic hot water, for example, in this way would save even more since we would not pay hot water from April to November.

Profitability of photovoltaic panels. If we take into account the savings made from prices of the kWh today, the simple return on investment time will be 13 and a half years, which is not bad and that does not include, the continuous escalation of the price of electricity. We could make a more optimistic estimation of evolution of price of the kWh based on previous years. I say very optimistic because no one will believe is that in 2020 will only cost €0.2 kWh. It would be something like this: With these data, the simple ROI is reduced, becoming little more than 10 years, which is much better. We have not taken into account for this calculation the savings obtained by the “energy dump” (Thermo or similar) making a saving on hot water for example, so the ROI would be quite possibly even less. There is a movement in Spain called “Cut the wires dot com” which is an organisation that guarantee that with the exclusive use solar photovoltaic panels we can disconnect from the electric companies and could leave happily ever after, consuming green energy with 0 Co2 and giving a kick in the ass to all the Spanish electrical companies. So it could be very interesting if you pay a visit to http://www.cortaloscables.com/.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #Food  by

Dani Bowler

Owner Vintage Cafe, Albir & MasterChef semi finalist

King Prawn Gambon Tempura THIS IS a popular Japanese recipe that everyone loves IF YOU think about Japanese food, especially the Japanese food that is commonly served worldwide, tempura is probably one of the top three items that springs to the mind. Even though tempura is an iconic Japanese food, it originated from Portugal. I find this is a great finger food for pre drinks snacks, you can find king prawns (gambon) in any supermarket. if your not a fan on peeling prawns you can always buy pre peeled prawns as long as they are raw and not cooked! 75g corn flour 75g plain flour 1 egg lightly beaten 180ml beer 10 king prawns (gambon) vegetable oil

For the batter, sift the corn flour and flour together into a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the egg and beer and whisk to a nice thick batter. Allow the batter to stand for a few minutes in a cool place. Peel your gambon prawns leaving the tip of the tail on, so it makes it easier to handle when dipping into the batter mix Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or in a pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown. Place the flour onto a plate and cover the prawns till well covered in the flour. Dip the prawns into the batter and then carefully add to the hot oil to deep-fry in batches for 23 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Carefully remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with paprika (optional) and serve with soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce or even plain mayo!

Sponsored by Vintage Cafe Albir. For bookings and info call: +34 865 60 93 45 Kitchen open 13h-16h 18,30h-22h Avenida del Albir, 68 (next to Europa Sol) info@danibowler.com

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #teams

U3A Moraira-Teulada Walking Football Group by PATRICIA THOMPSON IN LESS than 12 months, the U3A Moraira-Teulada Walking Football group has grown from a few players struggling to form a 5 a side team, to over 30. On Thursday 28th January, they hosted 3 teams from Los Montesinos in their first competitive match. The visitors were from Los Montesinos, inland across the salt lake, from Torrevieja. Their local Walking Football group was formed to bring ex-pats in the area together. In order to play in Moraira the away team hired a coach and, as well as their 20 players, they brought 34 supporters, creating a wonderful atmosphere on the perfect sunny day. Moraira U3A achieved a Spanish ‘first’ by fielding a ladies team. The Ladies played two games against two different men’s teams, and emerged unbeaten. These are retired ladies, many having taken up football for the very first time, and it is not an exaggeration to describe their performance as sensational. Having gone behind early in their first match, the girls gave everything and were rewarded with a 1-1 draw when Val converted a well earned penalty. In their second game, the other team members, Shirley, Barb, Deb and Louise, defended bravely and forced a 0-0 draw. The two local men’s teams, captained by Bob Nix and Chris Cooper, proved too strong for their opponents, and won all of their games. The Moraira Challenge Trophy was the prize and, with 5 wins and 2 draws, the trophy will stay in Moraira. After the match, over 80 people enjoyed a carvery lunch at Munro’s, where group leader, Chris Dry, was presented with the ‘Moraira Challenge Trophy’ by the Los Montesinos group leader, Stan Dibble. It was clear, from comments made, that the guests, and host team, had had a fabulous day. The sport was played competitively, but in good spirit. Those visitors who had the opportunity to walk around Moraira’s front and harbour were hugely complimentary about the town. Most of the players had considered that their footballing careers finished 30 or more years ago. Walking football reignites that passion which was once lost. The game, while played at walking speed, demands precise positional play, and carefully weighted passes; a real test of skill. They play on the Astro turf pitch next to La Sieneta, Moraira, every Thursday at 10.30am. Any other teams on the Costa Blanca wanting a match should contact Chris Dry crdry@hotmail.co.uk.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #health

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Shoulder problems There isn’t a week that I don’t see a patient come with shoulder problems which in many cases are debilitating and extremely painful. What usually occurs is that the patient starts with a mild pain around the shoulder joint, and expects it to go away within a few days or weeks, but unfortunately this doesn’t happen. Because it is left untreated for several weeks or months they can no longer continue with their daily routine because of the loss of mobility and intensity of the pain. This issue needs attending as soon as possible to avoid chronic shoulder issues. The sooner it is treated the better the recovery, and of course, less sessions will be needed. Of course not every shoulder is the same. We can find all kinds of causes for shoulder dysfunctions that vary from a mild muscle problem (that only involves a couple of sessions to re-establish the rotator cuff stability), to a rotator cuff tendinitis (or more correctly, tendonosis) that requires a correct diagnosis (MRI or Ultrasonography in many cases) and needs many more sessions to obtain a full recovery. I will now describe the typical scenario of a supraspinatus (rotator cuff tendon)tendonosis: This is a condition that develops over time, usually caused by a repetitive strain on the tendon due to a certain activity under which the tendon is continually irritated. At the beginning this tendon puts up with this strain and doesn’t cause any pain at all, the patient may feel slight tiredness in the shoulder, but nothing more. Over time the tendon enlarges and begins to give symptoms, patients refer pain and weakness in the affected shoulder. With tendonosis we find a curious type of pain. In many occasions after a few weeks or months, the pain is located further down the arm and doesn’t really give pain in the actual shoulder. in this case it is referred pain from the tendon that travels half way down the side of the humerus. Patients often comment that they have no pain most of the day but there are certain movements that ‘catch them out’ with intense pain. Another thing that also happens is that the patient often mentions that there are certain days that they feel practically no pain and feel it is improving, but then they have other days where the pain is very intense. As they say, “I have good days and bad days”. If left untreated for weeks or months there is a high risk of developing a “frozen shoulder”, and this is a real problem that can take months or years to cure. This is just a very short example of one of the most common conditions that we treat here at the Family Medical Centre, but there are many other conditions that can affect the shoulder with different symptoms. In conclusion, any shoulder discomfort should be assessed by your physiotherapist or osteopath to determine a correct diagnosis allowing a correct treatment and recovery. Article supplied by Simon Ratcliffe at the Family Medical Centre, Albir. Please call 96 686 5072 for more information or to make an appointment.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #charity

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Close finish at quiz JALON VALLEY HELP had all the right answers at its first fundraiser of 2016 when the Charity Quiz raised a total of 854.60€ to fund its community projects. After supper at the El Cid Restaurant in Benidoleig, Quizmaster Peter Tomlin was able to keep 83 people in 17 teams in good order. The only challenge coming during the music round when several excited contestants insisted on getting on their feet to sing along to Showaddywaddy and the Village People – and escaped with a yellow card as they answered correctly. At the end of the quiz, it was discovered two teams had tied for second place so a tie-break settled the matter. The winners were the ‘Dorothy Squires Fan Club’, in second place was ‘Mair to Fiddlin’, and ‘One over the Eight’ was third. However, all 17 teams achieved good results; in the ‘Table Round’, seven teams achieved full marks and eight only dropped a point. Quizmaster Peter pledged to toughen the test in future. HELP President Elaine Horton thanked everyone for supporting the event, those who organized the quiz

Walk for cancer LA NUCIA held their 7th “march for the fight against cancer” at the weekend, which was blessed with glorious sunshine.

and the event, and the hosts at El Cid. And the charity’s next events are: the almond Blossom Walks on Sunday 21st February; a 60s, 70s, and 80s Night on

Friday 26th February; and the annual Charity Auction on Friday 11th March. Full details are available on the website www.jalonvalleyhelp.com.

More than 2,000 people of all nationalities joined together on Sunday to walk a 5km course around La Nucia to raise funds for the Cancer Association of La Nucia and the Anemone Association, which helps women with breast cancer. Walkers, of all ages, set off from the Esportiva Camilo Cano in the town, and children’s activities were organised, including a bouncy castle for the smaller ones. Following the walk, there was a raffle to help raise further funds, with prizes being donated by the 107 sponsors of the event. February 4th was International Day Against Cancer assigned by the World Health Organisation, and this event marked that anniversary.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #road test

Tim Saunders Independent unbiased car reviewer

Jaguar XJ

THERE IS justice in the world. This point is emphasised by the Jaguar XJ but not in the way that you might ﬁrst imagine.

Consider that drivers of this luxury saloon are more often than not going to be chauﬀeurs and that passengers will typically be businessmen and politicians. The fact that the electrically adjustable and heated front seats are equipped with a 10-minute massage function (as you can see from the video at testdrives. biz), which really does get to all the necessary areas, makes the driver and front passenger’s journey a thoroughly pleasurable experience. This luxury is reserved just for the front passengers not the stressed PM in the back. What a dreadful pity when he has had such a tough day introducing policies such as allowing homeowners to add sizeable extensions without requiring planning permission - fuelling neighbour disputes. While he unwinds and no doubt curses the media for missing the point about boosting work for builders and his position in the shadow of the late titan Margaret Thatcher, his chauﬀeur can nod in sympathy, all the while enjoying the drive. It’s not all bad in the rear though, because these

seats are heated and electrically adjustable. It’s even possible for the rear occupants to move the front seats forward if legroom proves too tight. There are air conditioning controls, too. Television screens ﬁtted in the back of the front headrests help passengers forget about their woes or indeed keep up to date with the latest news. This is reliant on there being reception and sadly in the depths of Hampshire and Dorset, where the bulk of the test takes place, there is none. Back in the front, by far the best part of the XJ, there are controls to satisfy every whim. Push a button and the steering wheel warms up. The dial for the automatic six speed box rises when the engine start button is pushed. If fast driving is required to get to the Commons or Chequers then dynamic mode and sports control, used in conjunction, ensure swift progress, on occasions jolting occupants back in their seats; useful if they become irritating… It’s hard to believe that

under the bonnet resides a three-litre diesel engine, although there is an audible rattle on start-up, quickly forgotten when on the move. Engine stop/start, which cuts in and out with great reliability, is one of the smoothest and quickest on the market. This helps the largest Jaguar in the range to travel around 500 miles on its 82 litre tank. The sophisticated cruise control, ideal for motorway cruising, automatically keeps the Jag a safe distance from the car in front, braking and accelerating when necessary. Ride is as you would expect: exceptionally comfortable and the trouble free all-aluminium body ensures good handling.

Jaguar XJ Saloon SWB 3.0d V6 Luxury 4d Auto Facts at a glance: Engine: 3-litre V6 diesel 0-60mph: 6.2secs Top speed: 155mph Economy: 40mpg Power: 271bhp New price range: 64,930.69€ 137,977.71€ Watch the video at: www. testdrives.biz

Advanced motorist Tim Saunders is the former Business and Motoring Editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo. His regular test reports appear in numerous newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar. For more independent unbiased car reviews and videos visit www.testdrives.biz

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #sports

Torrevieja swimmer in the ‘Masters’

by PATRICIA THOMPSON

THE XXII WINTER Spanish National Masters’ Swimming Championships took place last week in Gijón, Asturias. Over 1,390 swimmers, from 155 clubs throughout Spain, and some from other countries, came together at the sports complex, Santa Olaya, Gijón, and swimmers of all ages, from pre-masters, 20 to 24 years, to swimmers still competing in their eighties, enjoyed 4 long days of races from 28th to 31st January. Swimmers compete in age categories of 5 year blocks, and can swim a maximum of 5 individual races and, in addition, relays. Club Natación Torrevieja’s Vicki Connolly swam in the 50 to 54years age group. Vicki worked hard against some very hard competition and was triumphant in winning two silver medals over the 4 days in her 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle races. She also got a close 4th place in her

800m freestyle and 7th places in her 50m and 400m freestyle events. Although only 7th in the 50m race, Vicki still managed a new personal best, and a new Valencian regional record, with a time of 34:62. She also gained a Valencian regional record in the 100m race, with a time of 1:17:69. These times qualify for the Masters European Championships later in the year being held in the London Olympic Aquatics Centre. Before this Vicki, and swimming colleague Beth, are preparing for the Spanish Masters National Long Distance 3km Championships, in the 50m pool at Mataró, Barcelona, on Sunday 14th February. If you wish to join the masters’ team, or would like more information on swimming in Torrevieja, please contact Club Natación Torrevieja through Rosa 622 60 09 65 or Vicki 669 63 70 15, or by email on info@clubnataciontorrevieja.com.

Benitachell Bowls Club

winning on 2 rinks, drawing on 1 rink and losing on 1 rink, resulting in a 7 points to 3 win.

BBC LIONS v FINCA GUILA SWALLOWS The Lions faced a strong team from Finca Guila, who won last week and, this week, won two games and lost two games. A convincing win from Dave & Jacquie Roberts and Annie Jones of 28 – 12 managed to get the overall shot diﬀerence of 8 shots, giving

WINTER LEAGUE REPORT Benitachell Bowls Club Winter League Team were at home this week to San Miguel. and the top rink was Alex Fisher, Terry Corner, Iris Gardiner and Bert McLean, who won 4 of the ﬁrst 5 ends, including a superb 5 on the ﬁrst end. They dominated the game and went

BBC Lions 6 points and Finca Guila 4 points. The challenger team, Richard Chamberlain, John Lapthorn, & Jenny Hawker, also had a good win 29 – 13. TIGERS v JAVEA OPALS This was a close fought match with Tigers

on to win the game 26 – 11. An overall 10 points to 2 victory gave BBC its biggest win against San Miguel for a number of years, and helped make up for their early season reverse away from home. 11 wins out of the last 12 games, helped them maintain a 100% home record. For a full update and further information about forthcoming games and results, please see www.benitachellbowlsclub.com.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #sports

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La Vila beat Santboaina RC by PATRICIA THOMPSON LAST SATURDAY, the first team had a very hard game at Barcelona, against Santboiana RC, the oldest club in Spain, winning 35-6. It was not an easy game despite the result, as their scrum was the best in the league. Tries were from Miguel Angel Pérez, Ivan Agudo and Matias Jara. La Vila remain top of the table, 7 points ahead of second placed San Cugat, Barcelona, their opponents in next Sunday 7th February’s, home game at 12.30pm. This could be the game of the season, as, if La Vila win, their play off classification will be nearly certain. They need all your support and want to break their attendance record, obtained last Sunday, when nearly 500 spectators turned out to watch the game. There will be free fried fish for everybody, sponsored by the Cofradía de Pescadores (fishermen) from Villajoyosa. The free fish will start at 11.45am. Last season, this was a big success. On Sunday, special guests will be the girls of Russia’s National Rugby sevens team. Who are training at the club until 14th February. The team were second in the Dubai 7s, only losing to Australia in the final. One of their players, Nadezda Kudinova, was nominated one of the

Montgo and Pego challenge ON SUNDAY 31st January, at Oliva Nova, the annual challenge match between Montgo and Pego took place.

3 best women players in 2015 by the World Rugby (the old IRB). Entry will be 5€ for adults, and free for under12s. You can now buy tickets at www.instanticket.com, for the same price. As usual, an Argentinian barbecue will be available, with a large warm roll for 4€. If you want to join in the after-match meal with the players, book your ticket at the bar. Paella and a drink costs 5€. The second team is playing very well, beating Alzira RC last Saturday. The 30th International Benidorm Sevens competition will be held on 28th and 29th May, with top teams preparing for

the next Olympic Sevens Qualifiers. La Vila Rugby Club is situated at Carretera El Pantano, Villajoyosa. Just take the motorway AP-7 exit 66 (Villajoyosa). At the first roundabout head for the mountain. It is about 1 km from the Motorway exit 66. Alternatively, take the Villajoyosa by-pass, and take the middle exit, at the first roundabout bear right towards the motorway entrance and at the second roundabout bear left towards the mountain. If you are interested in joining La Vila contact Jason Craig on 659 67 47 68 or Ignacio Davila 608 06 82 08 or email oficina@rugbylavila.net.

They played a Ryder Cup format for an annual trophy, presented by Oliva Nova Golf Club some four years ago. Both Societies use Oliva Nova Golf most weeks, and Pego, as holders from 2015, were the favourites this year, but Montgo fielded a very strong team, and the result could not have been closer. The final result was Montgo 40.5 and Pego 39.5, so, out of eighty players, the result was decided by a single putt. Congratulations to Montgo for a great win on the day, and, of course, commiserations to Pego. The day finished with wonderful cuisine at the Oliva Nova Golf Club Buffet for all the players and wives, totalling 110, with dancing afterwards to music provided by Oliva Nova Golf Club.

Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #sports

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Three on the spin for Monte CD MONTESINOS RECORDED three straight wins on the spin for the ﬁrst time this season, after a hard working and very professional performance against San Fulgencio. A second-half goal from Dario, after some excellent work from Macán, allowed the home side to win 1 - O, taking all three points, so they remain in seventh position with 33 points. San Fulgencio are still in third place with 38 points, with leaders Dolores running away from the group with 48, and San Miguel in second place with 39 points. This was a workmanlike performance by “Monte”, especially as they picked up two bad injuries to key players last week. New signing Galindo broke a wrist, and will be out from between six and eight weeks, whilst main forward Carlos has new ligament damage, and could miss the rest of the season. However, manager Roberto called up a couple of the youth players and, with Wallace available again, planned this game to perfection, never allowing the opposition to take charge. When the goal arrived, it was a typical counter-attack move, executed to perfection. Macán received a ball

Cartagena rugby round up, sponsored by Car Broker Spain SATURDAY SAW Cartagena A team (currently 2nd in the league) play Albacete (currently 7th in the league). The match was dominated by Cartagena throughout and they eventually won 28 - 10 despite having 2 players sin-binned for bad behaviour.

out wide from his defence, took on and beat the defender down the line, and crossed into the middle of the penalty area, for Darío to slot home from 10 yards, to the cheers of the 270 supporters at the ground. After a poor ﬁrst half of the season, it does appear that the Monte players are starting to respond to Roberto´s way of doing things. Red and Yellow cards for dissent have been well down this season, and the players are giving their all on the pitch. Although too many points have been lost to make a real challenge for the top two positions, if they keep this form going, it will certainly bring more and

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more people to the Campo Municipal in Los Montesinos. The Man of the Match award, which, this week, was sponsored by Charlie Blue, was presented to the goal scorer Darío by David Winder and young Marcos Stewart. This coming weekend, CD Montesinos are away to Rayo Orihuela. This match will be played at the Sports Centre in Playa Flamenca (Orihuela Costa). Day and time of kick oﬀ have not been conﬁrmed yet, so, for additional information and updates, see the website and forum at www.cdmontesinos.com or visit the CD Montesinos

Sunday was the turn of the under 18’s when Cartagena squared up to local rivals Totana. This was definitely a game of 2 halves, as, last time these two teams met, Cartagena dominated, and, this time, Totana wanted revenge. In the first half, Cartagena controlled the game and went into half-time with an impressive 19 - 5 lead. However, the second half saw a determined Totana fight back with a totally revived team. They tookCartagena by surprise and charged past to an impressive victory, with the final score being 19 - 31. This weekend is the big one for the under 16’s and 18’s who face teams from throughout Spain and the Balearics, in the national junior championships, held in Plasencia. If you want to know how to get involved in Spanish rugby, male or female, old or young, call Peter on 620 340 548.

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Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

life&leisure #clubs /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Alfaz Fantasy Football League by patricia thompson 12 FOURTH ROUND F.A. Cup games, involving Premier League Teams, gave the A.F.F.L. 34 goals,6 clean sheets, and 13 yellow cards. Joe’s team, Keith Lard F.C., have maintained their place at the top of the league for the 3rd week running, despite only scoring 15 points. Scott’s Dog Dale have jumped 2 places to 2nd. Paul’s team, Elite Kitchens, Swinton, and Wayne’s Arthur’s Wombles, only scored 6 points between them. Rob’s Scunny F.C. moved to within 8 points of 4th placed Arthur’s Wombles. At the bottom, Lyn’s team, Handbrake City, are trailing Alison’s Foxywise by over 100 points. In the Mark Carter Ladies Section, Maxine’s Plaistow13hammers and Joanna’s Hup Hannah City are level at the top, both on 666 points. Karen’s Ceasar’s Blackcats are only 6 points behind the 2 leaders, followed by Pam’s People who have also won the 20€ voucher, sponsored by Quicksave Supermarket in Albir, by beating Liz’s team Cookies Crew by 25 points. Harley’s Ginger Ninjar became the 7th team to reach the top of the U.K.T.V.SPAIN Junior League, by taking a 5 point lead

Pego Golf Society

over Nathan’s Tyrannosuarez-Rex F.C. At the bottom, Bradley’s team, Hero to Zero, at one time over a hundred points adrift, are now within 13 points of Lili’s team, Sponge Bob. In the Leonard Knowles Construction Golden Boot League, James’ team, Jukeboxers, are top for the 3rd week running, 16 points ahead of Johnny’s Rockets. At the bottom, Handbrake City are trailing Anne’s Bolton Wanderers by 20 points. The last 2 teams in the monthly Premier Imports Draw for a case of cava are top scoring team, Andy’s Benissa Hotspurs, with 47 points, and lowest scorers, Angie’s Blues, with minus 1. The January Manager of the Month, sponsored by Claire’s Nails in Albir, is Darren, whose team The Pheonix Club beat Pam’s People by 10 points. Derek’s team, Catto’s Flyers, has won this week’s Breakfast for 2 at Rafters sponsored by Kate, by climbing 38 places to No 120. After the 4th round of the F.A. Cup, the new leader of the RTN F.A. CUP League is Kevin’s team, Clever Cookie, 7 points ahead of Coey & Doey’s team, Parkwyddn. Mickey’s Trapper’s Fur Hat and Derek’s Catto Flyers are in 3rd & 4th place. Don’t forget to check your team by visiting the website www.

alfazffl.com or visit one of the bars who display the league tables and results; In Albir Wyndhams & The Local, in Benidorm Union Jack, in Alfaz Robin’s Nest and in Moraira Barilloche.

ON TUESDAY, Pego Golf Society held the “Pego Putter” competition at Oliva Nova Golf Course, playing a “Bogey Competition” against the course. 47 players and two guests, took part, and the results were, 1st, Steve Patton playing off 12.0 with a final score of 4 up, 2nd, Malcolm Wise playing off 6.5 with a final score of 2 up, 3rd David Blakely playing off 21.8 with a final score of 1 up, 4th John Evans playing off 17.8 with a final score of 1 up, 5th, Colin Foster playing off 10.4 with a final score of 1 up, and 6th Patrick Lynch playing off 22.5 with a final score of 1 up. There were five 2’s, by Ian Robertson, Peter Rapley, Gordon Weston, Roger Brown and Bill Pike. The “Balls in the Water” prize was won by Kenny Millar with 115 balls. Nearest the hole at Hole 5 with the second shot was David O’Connor, with 2.15 metres, and at hole 16 Peter Rapley, with 1.40 metres. If any member or guest would like to play with Pego Golf Society, please contact the secretary and send an e-mail to Donna Green at pegohandicapsec@gmail.com or enter through the website www.pegogolfsociety.com.

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Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

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Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

DOG SITTING HOME FROM HOME Secure garden,Costa Blanca North 637 160 545 K9, PET ONLY TRANSPORTATION We only use fully fitted out ex police vehicles to transport your pet. DEFRA Registered, Fully legal.Specialist in Animal only Transportation. Owners welcome to travel with there pets k9transportation@hotmail.com UK: (00)442380 668 000 SPAIN: 671 797 151 PET TRAVEL UK Family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free. All air conditioned vehicles (no vans) www.pettraveluk.co.uk. Removals also arranged in other vehicles. Tel UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960 130 537 IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DOG OR PUPPY please join our Facebook group. We have many dogs, large, small, scruffs and pedigree! Just go to Facebook and search Costa Blanca Dog Homing. Even if you cannot offer a home, rescues are always needing foster homes, and just sharing the dog posts really helps us to help them.

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY Own your own lingerie, clothing and swimwear boutique. Prices from 10,000 Euros including stock and shop fittings. Full help and support given throughout. Established company with over 10 years trading in Spain. Call Peter on 660 170 355 without obligation.

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Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016 Beginners Class [new beginners starting Wednesday 13th January 2016] 2pm -3pm Intermediate Class 3pm - 4pm Intermediate Plus Class 4pm - 5pm Andrea Murphy [0034] 616 478 157 TAPPY TOES DANCE CLASS FOR BABIES from 18 months, at 4kwatro in Albir, 11am, call Louise on 655 781 068 for more information. LADIES DANCEFIT WITH L.A DANCE at 4kwatro in Albir, Mondays at 7.30pm, call Louise on 655 781 068 for more information

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Friday, February 5 - Thursday, February 11 2016

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La Vila beat Santboiana RC Read the full story on page 62.