inVLC March 2013

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#31

Make the most of the Valencian Community

March 2013

The Big Bang

Independent reviews Language learning Food & Drink Living art Gardening Fallas

Free!

The very best in Valencia & the Community

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Graffiti : (Collins dictionary) The name given to a rude drawing scribbled or scratched on walls of buildings in ancient cities such as Rome, Pompeii.

Photograph by Louise van den Berg

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in

#31

Regulars 4 Before we start 5 Did you know... & Dutch Corner 6 News in brief 16 City Maps 30 Photo competition 31 Classifieds, Weekly markets & Rastros

inVLC Talks 7 Monthly essentials 8 Independent review 10 Random reviews

Language learning 26 Learn English with the British Council 27 Language exchanges

inVLC Contact information invlceditor@gmail.com 622055534 Scan this code to be taken to previous issues of inVLC

in this issue

Food & Drink 15 Recipes

Features 9 Street Life 11 Gardening 12 Music 13 Getaways 14 Spiritualized 19 Fallas 2013 22 L' Oceanogràfic 24 Your pet and Fallas 25 An Irishman in Spain 28 Expat business

inVLC is for all people in the community of Valencia: whether born here, visiting for a day, or living a new life in the sun.

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Important numbers & Embassies / Consulates Fire | 080 Local police | 092 French | 96 351 0359 Dutch | 96 341 4633 Medical | 061 General | 112 USA | 96 351 6973 German | 96 310 62 53 British | 96 521 60 22 Depósito legal V-816-2006 inVLC We do our very best to strive for accuracy but we do not accept responsibility for unintentional errors or omissions, accuracy of advertisements or contributors’ opinions.

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I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll be glad to make an exception. :: Groucho Marx

Photograph ©TVCB, Valencia. All rights reserved. www.turisvalencia.es

Before we start

Everything louder than everything else

March brings with it a number of holidays and celebrations, none bigger than Fallas. A Valencian institution and one huge excuse for a party. Love it or loathe it, there is no escaping it. It is to Valencia what a good old cuppa is to the UK and to fight it is futile, it's like living in New Orleans and complaining about the music. With it's early morning Despertàs (particularly annoying when you're trying to sleep, it has to be said), parades, Mascletàs, fireworks, flowers, statues, the infamous Cremà and the large influx of tourists both from other parts of Spain and abroad, you become part of it simply by being here. Resistance is futile, so read our guide to information and our timetable of events that are happening throughout March until the 19th and embrace it. Just be sure to stay safe, and watch out for those pesky kids who think chucking fireworks at each other is funny.

Other events in March include St. Patrick's Day, Mother's day and of course, Easter, so take look at our Monthly Essentials page for all the information.

We also have our regular selection of reviews, news and articles and for an alternative view of the role of the Irish in Spain, check out Eoghan Ryan's article on the quiet remarkable Charles Donnelly, a young Irish poet and activist who fought and died in the Civil War not far from here.

We hope it is a nice way to show that the Irish in Spain have offered more to the culture than themed bars and an annual excuse to drink excessively.

We are also starting a series of articles entitled 'Expat Business' where we aim to interview expats from around the world who have come to Valencia and set up their own businesses. We hope these articles will be an informative and interesting view on how

and why people have chosen Valencia as their home and how they are making their lives here. We also hope that it will act as a guide for people who are thinking of setting up their own businesses here.

Our Dutch neighbours can check out our Dutch Corner written by Louise van den Berg who has also contributed a series of photographs of Graffiti found around the city. These thought provoking pieces are proof that you don't need to go to a gallery to see works of art; they are all around us.

Well, that's all for this month, enjoy yourselves whatever you do and we'll see you again in April.

Lisa & Paul

Never try to impress a woman because if you do she’ll expect you to keep up standards for the rest of your life. :: W C Fields

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Did you know

that in March...

1963 Debut album by the Beatles is released by Parlophone, called “Please Please Me”; it had fourteen tracks and capitalized on the success of the single – “Please Please Me”. The album cover was shot by photographer Angus McBean and taken in the stairwell of London’s EMI offices. In May 1963 it hit number one in the UK charts and remained there for 30 weeks. It was replaced only by their second album “With The Beatles”. The album was recorded in just one day, in three sessions totalling just over nine hours.

1969 Concorde, the supersonic powered aircraft made its maiden flight. It was in the air for 27 minutes and it was another seven years before all test flights and finishing touches were completed. It then flew regular transatlantic flights to places such as New York and Washington before venturing further afield. It flew at speeds of up to 1,350 mph cutting the time of other airliners by half. It took approximately three and a half hours from London to New York. The fleet consisted of only 20 aircraft and continued to fly until 2003 when the Concorde was retired from service.

2000 The opening to the public of The London Eye, a giant ferris wheel with 32 ovoidal capsules with fantastic panoramic views over London. It was officially opened by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair back in December 1999 but had technical problems which delayed the opening until March 2000. When built it was the

Dutch corner Nu dat ik zelf al enige jaren in valencia woon, ben ik gewend aan het heel andere ritme van de dag hier. Vaak loop ik door de stad en zie verbaasde nederlanders naar een restaurant zoeken dat hen op de, voor ons, normale tijd, zo rond 6 uur een maaltijd kan verschaffen. Behalve in het centrum zijn dan de keukens potdicht en gaan niet voor negenen weer open! Dus als je warm wil eten, mik dan op een uur of 3 's middags, dan eet men hier de hoofdmaaltijd, gevolgd door de beroemde siesta.

Om 5 uur gaan de winkels weer open en tussen 5 en 9 is het tijd voor de merienda, een koffie of chocola met iets zoets erbij!

tallest Ferris wheel in the world but has since been surpassed. Each of the 10 tonne capsules represents one of the London Boroughs and holds 25 people in each; it rotates at 10 inches per second and because of the slow rotation rate never has to stop to allow passengers on or off.

2002 The 30th saw the death of Queen Elizabeth better known as the Queen Mother at the age of 101 at Windsor in Berkshire, England. Wife of King George VI and mother of the current Queen, Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret (deceased). She was married to George who was the second son of King George V. When Edward, the first son abdicated in 1936 George became King and Elizabeth became Queen Consort of the United Kingdom. She was probably the best loved member of the Royal Family.

2004 On the 11th March huge bomb explosions tore through Madrid’s train stations during the morning rush hour. At least 190 people lost their lives and over 1,500 were injured. Television footage shows the general public desperately trying to help the paramedics who were overwhelmed by the number of casualties.

There were 29 terrorists arrested in total, although some were later acquitted. The trial took five months in 2007. A memorial forest of olive and cypress trees was planted at the El Retiro Park in Madrid.

Louise van den Berg

Het beroemde fiesta, de Fallas is alweer in aantocht (tussen 15 en 19 maart) en op de plaza de ayuntamiento wordt de "kooi" alweer opgezet voor de Mascleta, het vuurwerk dat vanaf 1 maart elke dag om 2 uur wordt afgestoken! Het is een kunstvorm die heel serieus wordt genomen, waarbij het om het ritme van het (oorverdovende) geluid gaat. Duizenden mensen komen er naar luisteren en wat mij treft is het gedrag van de mensen, ze komen, luisteren , applauderen en verdwijnen weer, zonder veel politie. Gedurende de Fallas zelf is vrijwel de hele binnenstad verkeersvrij, het bekijken van de beelden, die vaak politiek kritisch zijn, is voor mij het hoogtepunt.

Het is verbazingwekkend hoe deze beelden, die 19 maart allemaal in de fik worden gestoken, tot in de puntjes verzorgd zijn.

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News in brief

Overview of world & local news

February saw a series of worldwide events happening that would usually make up an end of year review. However, they all happened in one month. Here is an overview of what February brought us.

Closer to home:

Pope Benedict resigned citing poor health, the first pope in 600 years to do so; he will be replaced before Easter. According to ancient Latin scripts the next pope is due to be the last pope and will bring with him the beginnings of the Apocalypse. Hours later during a storm, St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican was struck by lightning, not once but twice.

The second driver in the space of a week has been arrested in the Comunidad Valenciana after travelling for 23 kilometres in the wrong direction down the A-7.

Police received around 15 calls in as many minutes from panicked motorists and ended up having to pursue the driver at high speed for almost 20 minutes.

The driver was finally caught at the exit for Alquerías del Niño Perdido (Castellón), although he had driven past several slip roads he could have taken to get off the motorway in the meantime.

Terrified motorists had to brake and swerve at split second notice to avoid a head-on collision.

Once officers caught up with the driver, they identified him as being from Lora del Río (Sevilla province) and said he tested negative for alcohol and drugs. His motive for driving down the left-hand side of the motorway instead of the right is not known.

In the Russian Urals a meteor came crashing down spreading shards of debris and injuring around 1000 people as it blasted out windows from buildings spreading panic amongst the population.

A couple of days later Asteroid BX34 passed the Earth, even though it was around 37,000 miles away, it was the closest an asteroid has ever been to the Earth.

The Solomon Islands have been hit with two earthquakes within hours of each other. Also there were heavy winter storms in both Canada and USA. At India’s biggest religious festival The Kumbh Mela, a stampede at a railway station killed 36 pilgrims and many more were injured; it happened after a foot bridge collapsed.

Oscar Pistorius also known as The Blade Runner and hero of the 2012 Paralympics was accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp although he strongly denies the allegations.

Driver travels 23 kilometres on the wrong side of the motorway.

Horse-meat scandal Two chilled pasta products available here in Spain have been removed from the shelves after traces of horse meat were found.

Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini have been withdrawn and be will replaced with product confirmed by DNA testing to be made from 100% beef.

Suspended school pupils get community service.

A High School in inland Valencia is making kids who get expelled or suspended carry out community service.

Pupils excluded permanently or temporarily for bad behaviour get unpaid jobs in nursing homes making beds and cleaning, or sweeping up sports courts and weeding in forestry areas to prevent wildfires.

The school in Navarrés was the first to put the scheme in action and other high schools in Chella, Bolbaite, Quesa and Bicorp, all in the province of Valencia have followed suit.

Community service is given to delinquent kids based upon the severity of their offence, whether they have been previously suspended or in trouble for behavioural problems, and what their local council needs them to do.

Valencia's regional education authorities are considering rolling out the idea to all schools in the Comunidad Valenciana, which covers the three provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón.

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inVLC talks

Monthly essentials jeans and cute tops.

Mother’s Day Spring forward, Fall back March 10th is Mother’s Day in the UK. Mothering Sunday is held on the fourth Sunday of lent. It is exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday and usually falls in the second half of March or early April.

Traditionally people visited the church where they were baptized but Mother’s Day is now a celebration of motherhood. So, don’t forget to call home and to send your Mother a card and a special gift to mark the occasion.

Don’t forget to change your clocks on March 31st as this sees the first day of ‘summer’, I know this means an hour less of sleep but it also means an hour more of daylight YAY! How will you be spending your longer evenings? No doubt we will be walking in the park enjoying the last hours of light and sunshine throwing a ball for a very disinterested dog, then on to one of the many bar terraces to enjoy a cold beer or cider.

St Patrick’s Day Spring saving = summer holiday March 17th is St Patrick’s Day and it isn’t just a day to celebrate getting inebriated and drinking beer laced with green food colouring. St Patrick’s day was originally a religious holiday to mark the life and works of St Patrick who is believed to have died in the year 493 and according to legend, is buried under Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, County Down. In 1903 it became a public holiday in the whole of Ireland, however the degree to which people celebrate the day varies depending upon their religious and political affiliations.

Pubs were not allowed to open on March 17th until the 1970’s and it is only recently that St Patrick’s Day has become a secular holiday.

Easter Easter also falls in March this year. Palm Sunday is on the 24th and many Christians remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on this day which also marks the beginning of holy week. The 29th is Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion of Christ and Easter Sunday on the 31st, marks His resurrection. Easter is taken very seriously in Spain. ‘Semana Santa’ is celebrated with various religious observances and processions, so keep a look out for events in your town and don’t worry if you think the Klu Klux Klan are marching through, the outfit means something entirely different here.

Fallas Of course March in Valencia means the Fallas: A huge event that attracts tourists from all over the world and is an excuse (like the Valencians need it) to party. Best described as ‘organised chaos’ it is quiet a spectacle. You can read more about Fallas and find a timetable of events on pages 19-21.

March is also the beginning of spring.

This hopefully means the end of high electricity bills from running heating through the winter. March should also mean we can put away our bulky winter coats and warm winter boots and take out our light spring jackets and trendy Converse type trainers. March is also a good time to do some spring-cleaning to your wardrobe and get some shopping done for spring essentials such as cardigans,

We all know we should have started to save a while ago if we wanted to get away this summer but it’s not too late to start, you just have to make some slight adjustments to your spending. It’s easy to get carried away in the supermarket so when you’re going shopping make a list and stick to it. You don’t need to stay in when saving money, just budget accordingly; set a budget aside for going out and don’t go over it, take advantage of all the free club passes, cheap drinks and student nights. If you’ve got to have a new outfit try to get it cheaper in sales, discount outlets or online. Instead of going out for lunch or dinner take advantage of the good weather and go to the park or beach for a picnic, take a ball and enjoy some exercise before you eat. When leaving a room make sure to turn off the lights, TV, stereo etc.., always unplug chargers when you have finished using them and use your washing machine on an eco cycle to save money on electricity.

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I have the body of an eight year old. I keep it in the fridge. :: Spike Milligan

inVLC talks

Independent review

A taste of Italy at Lambrusqueria Restaurant Lambrusqueria has three locations in the city all in The second dish looked like two scoops of ice cream but was in fact Canovas. Two on Calle Altea and the other on Calle Ciscar where we Mascarpone and Gorgonzola cheese, which whilst not entirely to our went for a late dinner. taste, was still good. Next up was a Victory salad with Goat cheese, banana, apple and walnuts and it was superb. A light, tasty and The restaurant came recommended by a friend and also has a host of surprising mix of ingredients that we’ll definitely be trying ourselves excellent reviews on the internet, so we were hoping for a good night at home. of fine Italian food and we were not disappointed.

For the pasta dish we were served Norcina, a taste of central Italy with The décor is attractive with ambient music and an intimate Tagliatelle pasta, a creamy sauce, mushrooms and sausage meat. atmosphere. We were seated and presented with an Italian dried This isn’t something either of us would normally order if seen on a sausage and bread as a free appetizer. The waitress was polite menu but again, it was excellent. attentive and spoke some English too which helped with some of the translations. As well as a main menu, the restaurant offers a For desert we had a Brownie and some very nice and strong coffee. tasting menu where they bring you a selection of dishes that they For the two of us including the wine, water, coffee and bread the total recommend. Don’t worry if you don’t like a dish though as they will was just shy of 60€ which for the standard, we thought was very replace it for you. This is what we opted for along with a bottle of reasonable. If you want to reduce the cost, then there are cheaper Prado Rey wine at 15€ a bottle. wines available and of course a selection of soft drinks.

The wine was good if not outstanding and the appetizer was very tasty (thankfully not a hint of chorizo in sight). First course on the tasting menu was Carpaccio made with very thin slices of beef with a marinade of lemon, olive oil and shavings of parmesan cheese with a little rocket. It was tasty, tender and excellent.

Opening times: Mon - Sat: 13:00 - 16:00, 20:00 - 02:00 Sun: 13:30 - 16:00, 20:00 - 02:00

All in all, an excellent meal in good surroundings and with helpful and polite staff. We will definitely be returning next time we get the hankering for some great Italian food when we will be giving the proper menu a look to expand our palate.

Address: Calle Conde Altea, 31/36 & Calle Ciscar, 3

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Street life

Photographs by Louise van den Berg

Living art in the city

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inVLC talks

Random reviews

Valencia Plaza Right bang in the middle of tourist central on Plaza Reina we found Valencia Plaza where we decided to eat because of the wide range of tapas available and being too hungry to go further afield. The restaurant offers tapas selections that are available in different sizes with plenty of choice for reasonable prices considering it’s location. We decided on combo 3 which had 7 tapas, we picked out fresh mussels, grilled prawns, cured ham, cheese, calamari rings, mushrooms and patatas bravas and bread was also served. The food was fresh and tasty and much more than we were expecting.

The waiter was friendly, helpful and spoke some English. To drink we had a coke and a beer and the bill was about 20 euros which is a bit of a bargain for the amount of food served and the central location.

of the Plaza and an excellent place to sit and watch the world go by and if you’re out for a walk with your four legged friend, they will be happy to bring him a bowl of water. If you’re missing a taste of the old country, it’s an excellent stopping point.

Derek Derek is the new series from Ricky Gervais, which piloted late last year to somewhat mixed reviews. Commissioned for a full run on Channel 4, Derek started its first full series in January. Based in an Old People’s Home where Derek (played by Gervais) works he is joined by the frankly hilarious Karl Pilkington who plays Duggy and two newcomers. Derek explores the trails, tribulations and humour of growing older and the difficulties associated with keeping care homes open. Derek is funny, no doubt, but it isn’t always laugh a minute.

However, that’s not entirely the point. Highlighting the workload of the nurses and the efforts of volunteers, it also acts as a reminder that there are hard working people out there who sacrifice their time and energies to help others. It also reminds us to take people at face value without pre-conceived notions of people’s abilities or perceived disabilities. Engaging, funny and thought provoking, it is certainly a recommended watch.

Finnegan’s Finnegan’s is an Irish run pub in Plaza Reina with friendly English speaking staff and an international menu making Finnegan’s popular with locals, expats and tourists alike. The pub offers a large variety of imported beers such as Murphy’s, Guinness and Paulaner, and ciders including my personal favourite Magners Pear cider, which has a somewhat sweeter taste than a traditional apple cider. Finnegan’s boasts an excellent terrace (one of our favourites) with great views

Dog of the month P.E.P.A Name: Beauty Age: 11-12 months Size: Large Breed: Labrador / Boxer cross Health: Health vaccinated Personality: Affectionate and playful.

Would make a really gorgeous family dog.

For more info contact P.E.P.A. on 650 304 746. www.pepaspain.com

LITTLE

AMERICA FOOD and DRINKS

Tienda de alimentación especializada en comida importada de Estados Unidos

C/ Músico Peydró No 54 46001 Valencia 607 231 006 www.facebook.com/Valencialittleamerica

Beer is living proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy. :: Benjamin Franklin

Gardening

Spring is in the air

Spring is just around the corner and it's time to be thinking about putting a little colour back into your garden or patio. From just a tub or planter to a fully fledged garden, it’s nice to see the fruits of your labour grow and mature and become a sight to admire every day.

OK, so you only have room for a planter but what about filling it with the likes of Petunias or Begonias, both are long flowering throughout the summer and very beautiful with a large choice of colours. You can either mix the colours or go for a splash of just one to make a bold statement. Geraniums also make a bright and cheery show; they also come in mixed colours and thrive in either pots or planted out.

For those of you with a garden why not add, for instance, some roses; there are lots of choices and some can be very fragrant. De-head when needed to get the best out of them and remove any sucker growth from as low down the plant as possible. A prune in the winter when they die back will get them ready for the next spring growth.

Jasmine is also a really good plant, either potted or planted out, it has a wonderful fragrance which is more noticeable in the night air.

Another plant that has a lovely perfume is the Gardenia an evergreen bush with beautiful white, creamy flowers.

If you want to add foliage, try Calla or Cannasor lilies. These have good all year round colour. Also try Strelitizias or the Bird of Paradise which have large flower heads. And don’t forget Crotons with their bright leaves or Cordylines with their long handsome leaves that come in a variety of colours; all these add height and interest in your flower beds.

Hydrangeas, both the Mop Head, which has a mass of florets, or the Lace Cap, which have clusters of small blooms, are capable of withstanding dry ground. These can be grown in most soil types and the colour of the flowers will depend on your soil. They flower during summer and autumn and provide good ground cover, with the added bonus of suppressing weeds. You may need a larger garden to grow them and don’t forget the occasional water top-up during very hot weather.

Something to cover or grow over a pergola or wall; you can’t go wrong with Bougainvillaea that comes in different colours but the deep purple is the best known and looks really stunning. Stephanotis is a climber with white waxy scented flowers and can be grown in a planter with a frame or sticks. It may have to be wintered indoors if it gets too cold as it doesn’t tolerate really cold nights. Honeysuckle is another fragrant climber but maybe needs a little shade. There’s a lot of varieties and colours that will bloom from June to September.

For spring flowering the Broom is great, Spain is a natural habitat for it so it needs very little looking after. It has vibrant yellow flowers and adds a boost of early colour to the year. Another good bushy plant is the Oleander but it requires plenty of room. It is an evergreen which comes in white, red, purple or yellow flowers and is relatively easy to grow looking good all year long.

If you want a structural spiky effect, the Cactus or succulent plants are the ones to choose. They make a wonderful addition to flower beds and both the foliage and flowers are great. You could also pot grow the smaller varieties to put on decks or patios.

For more structure and height what about a Palm, which always look majestic. They will grow tall so you need plenty of room and don’t plant them too close to the house.

You could try growing your own salads, such as lettuce, radish and tomatoes; these can be planted in pots, grow bags or in the garden if you have good soil. Maybe turn your hand to some vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage or carrots.

If you have a larger plot, fruit trees are a must, not only can you reap the rewards but they add shady areas for you so you can stop and admire your handy work, so maybe put a table and chair out and enjoy the summer.

Finally, apart from salad and vegetables which need plenty of water, the plants in this article are all drought tolerant but may need a little help in the height of the summer. The only exception is the Gardenia which can be intolerant to tap water, so try to use stored rain water or bottled water, a plant feed or fertiliser will also be required, follow the information you get when buying your plants and all should be well.

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The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them. :: Will Rodgers

Music Record Hunting in Valencia City

Reviews & News

As a music lover with a large selection of CD’s it’s a shame to say that since moving to Valencia I have rarely bought a CD in the last four years. Why? Well, the answer is simple; they’re so damn expensive here. Even in sales they are still more expensive than standard prices on the likes of Amazon; so what are the alternatives? Well, apart from downloading new music, which although hugely convenient, is in this writers opinion, a little soulless, there’s rediscovering good old vinyl.

Prices for new vinyl releases in Spain seem to be about the same as in the UK so I feel much better about parting with my money. Added to the fact that there seems to be resurgence in both new releases and reissues appearing on vinyl, it is a great time to rediscover your lost love of records. Secondhand vinyl here in the city is a little pricier compared to the UK, where you’d pay say £2 or £3 for an album, here you need to pay around 8€, but adding postage to any order from the UK and you soon come out evens.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

There are many places to pick up vinyl these days from El Corte Ingles and FNAC to smaller independent places dotted around the city. Harmony Discos is an example of a smaller independent shop focusing mainly on vinyl. They have a good selection of both new and used records covering the classic Rock & Pop genres and also have a pretty good Hard Rock / Heavy Metal section. Discos Oldies is also another example catering mainly to the second-hand market of classic 60 & 70s music but also carrying many new releases. There are also a couple of other shops in Chinatown near Bailen metro, again catering for most of your 60’s and 70’s vinyl needs. For the more adventurous music lover, there is Flexi Discos next to Russafa market. With a selection of new and used Industrial, Experimental, Electronic and Drone/Sludge vinyl it is a great place to stop in if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary.

Push the Sky Away Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds recently released their 15th studio album, which is their first since the much acclaimed 2008 Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!. Since then, Nick Cave concentrated on his side project Grinderman but now back with the Bad Seeds, Push the Sky Away features a much more restrained sound. Described by Cave as “the ghost-baby in the incubator and Warren's loops are its tiny, trembling heart-beat” the record is moody, stark and quite brilliant.

Cave’s lyrics and vocal delivery are superb and Ellis’ violin loops are as engaging and innovative as ever. Musically sparse and hauntingly atmospheric, Push The Sky Away is a gem. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will be hitting Spain in May at Primavera Sound, so it will be interesting to see how this new work translates into a live setting.

News: March 12th sees the Spanish release date for David Bowie’s new album The Next Day. Bowie needs no introduction, so we wait with baited breath to hear the new album.

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready has said that the band will definitely be releasing a new album this year. Speaking to Rolling Stone, McCready said that the follow-up to 2009's 'Backspacer' will be coming out "this year, for sure". Of the content of the album, which will again be produced by Brendan O'Brien, McCready said inspiration was taken from Pink Floyd and punk rock, adding that the record is 'experimental'.

Metallica are currently in the studio working on new songs and are So, rather than simply downloading your next album, why not planning to release the follow up to their last album 'Death Magnetic' rediscover the ritual and joy of rummaging through records shops to in 2014. Drummer Lars Ulrich said the new material is sounding find that ever elusive album, taking it home, gently lowering the vinyl "heavy", "energetic" and "crazy". onto the turntable and dropping the needle into the groove.

On the 9th of March radio station Rock FM lights the fuse of Fallas in Valencia this year with a tribute to Queen that you cannot miss. On 9 March, the best rock voices in the country will stage the ultimate tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time. Starts at 21:00 in the Viveros Gardens.

Directory: Discos Oldies

Discos Amsterdam

C/ Nª Sra. de Gracia, 6.

Nuevo Centro

Harmony Discos

Cha Cha

Pasaje Dr. Serra, 9

Convento Jerusalén, 11

Flexi Discos

Acetato

Plaza Baron de Cortes, 2

C/Pelayo, 12

Devil Records C/ Cerrajeros 5

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Getaways

Fancy taking a short break this spring? Then how about Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital Here's a look at some of the things you can of the Netherlands. It is also one of the top do in Amsterdam financial centres in Europe and the cultural 1) Take an Amsterdam Canal Cruise capital of the Netherlands.

Amsterdam city fans out south from the Take a tour of Amsterdam’s world famous Amsterdam Central railway station. The canals in a canal boat. Get a different Damrak is the main street and leads into the perspective on the city, and enjoy a tour that street Rokin. The oldest area of the town is is unique to the Netherlands! known as de Wallen (the quays). It lies to the east of Damrak and contains the city's famous red light district. To the south of de Wallen is 2) Rent a Bike the old Jewish quarter of Waterlooplein. The 17th century canals of Amsterdam, known See Amsterdam by bike. Amsterdam is one as the Grachtengordel, embraces the heart of the world’s most bicycle friendly cities, of the city. Beyond the Grachtengordel are with bike lanes and even traffic lights for the former working class areas of Jordaan cyclists. Even if you haven’t been on a bike and de Pijp. The Museumplein with the city's in years, the flat terrain and excellent bicycle major museums, the Vondelpark, a 19th infrastructure will allow any visitor to have a century park named after the Dutch writer wonderful day on 2 wheels.

Joost van den Vondel, and the Plantage neighbourhood, with the zoo, are also located outside the Grachtengordel.

3) Visit the Anne Frank House

And for the more adventurous: 9) Visit A Coffee shop Have a smoke at one of Amsterdam’s world famous coffee shops, or cannabis bars. Small quantities of marijuana are tolerated by the police and may be purchased in one of the city’s famous (and highly regulated) coffee shops.

10) Red Light District

In a city known for liberal attitudes, the Dutch outlook on prostitution is perhaps its best example. The thriving Red Light District brings the world’s oldest profession into the public eye, and places it in a neighborhood rich with history. No trip to Amsterdam would be complete without a walk through this area which, in addition to its most well-known attractions, boasts historical sights, architecture, museums Visit the Anne frank House, one of the most and other attractions that cater to the popular tourist attractions in Europe, where curious and casual tourist. Despite its seedy the Frank family hid from the Nazis during reputation, the neighborhood is safe and well-patrolled, so take some time to see it.

World War II. 4) Visit the Van Gogh Museum Experience the art and life of Vincent Van Gogh at the Van Gogh Museum.

5) Walk Through Vondelpark Walk through one of the world’s great parks.

If you have time, spend an afternoon sitting on the grass people watching. This “central park” of Amsterdam is the jewel of the city’s green spaces.

6) See the Floating Flower Market See millions of flowers at Amsterdam’s floating flower market. A perfect place to buy souvenirs and gifts. The market is a little touristy, but it is still really cool, and locals do go there as well.

7) See the Begijnhof Find a hidden refuge from the chaos of the center in the Begijnhof. This medieval courtyard was founded in the 1300s and is home to a chapel and a number of historic Dutch houses.

8) Check out the ARTIS Amsterdam Zoo Have a look at the plants and animals at the Amsterdam Zoo. With a number of restaurants and cafes, a planetarium, playgrounds, not to mention exotic plants and animals, the ARTIS is a great place for families and kids. The zoo is the biggest in the Netherlands and one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Currently, there are direct flights departing to Amsterdam, Schiphol airport by Transavia Holland.

14

Spiritualized

I would like to start by saying that I'm a believer. I believe that there is life after death and that we existed before we were born.

We are infinite spiritual beings temporarily inhabiting our physical bodies. To me it makes perfect sense and it has nothing to do with morality, good or bad, religion, heaven or hell. Obviously physical reality has a very strong hypnotic effect in our daily lives but spiritual reality makes about as much sense to me as the physical reality we inhabit. You can take what I have to say as valid or useful or leave it, that's your decision; I have no intention of trying to convert you to anything in any way or form.

Declan Lehane point I would like to make here is that these experiences show that conscious energy can exist outside the physical body.

There have also been many books written about near death experiences when people have died for a short time and then come back to life. The experiences have all followed a certain pattern.

They come out of their bodies, they see a bright light, and they are attracted to it and pass through a tunnel of light. They are met by a spiritual being who gives them a revision of their lifetime on earth.

They usually don't want to go back to their bodies as they feel such peace and lightness but they are told that their time has not come As I said before the existence of an afterlife is logical to me. When and that they have to go back. Suddenly they are back in their bodies. you see the body of somebody you know who has just died, it's Usually these experiences have had a life changing effect on their clear that the individual, the personality, the person you knew and lives. loved/liked/hated is not there. Everything else is there, all the parts etc‌ but the person is not there. Where is he/she? Where is that A lot of people ask; "well if there is a life after death then why don't power or energy? The energy of that person has left the body and as those who have passed on come back and tell us about it?". Well, science has shown you cannot destroy energy. The question is, wheth- nowadays there are lots of "channelled" books whose writers claim er that energy is conscious or not. To think that conscious energy only that they are receiving the information from the other side. These exists in physical form and we will all be just atoms floating around books should be read from a critical but open point of view. If it the Universe when we die doesn't add up for me at all. In my sounds right, if it feels right and it makes sense then maybe it is opinion our personalities and spirits exist after we die and that there right. You must also take into account that if individuality exists here then it's more than likely that it will exist on the other side as well, are many indications to show that that is so. so the spirits will be telling us their experiences from their different A cousin of mine (a convinced atheist) told me that one day when perspectives. he was 18 or 19 he was working in a clothes department of a big store. During a quiet period he was standing at the cash register The following are some of the channelled books that I found relaxing and suddenly he felt himself floating above his body, very interesting: All the books CDs, DVDs by Esther and looking down on his body. He wasn't surprised as he had this experience Jerry Hicks (You can see Esther channelling on YouTube; she is All the books by Patrick Francis previously. These kinds of experiences have been reported by many spectacular). people and I know of two famous people who describe their out of (real name Paddy McMahon) www.paddymcmahon.com. All the body experiences (OBEs) in books they have written. Both Richard books by Neale Donald Walsch.

Bach (of Jonathan Livingston Seagull fame) and Shirley McLean If anybody is interested there are two of us meeting once a month to (actress and writer) describe in detail their experiences. When they talk about all things spiritual. At the moment we are only speaking in came out of their bodies there was a cord of light connecting them English as my friend is in the process of learning Spanish. If you are to their physical bodies and they sensed a great feeling of lightness. interested you can contact me through the magazine. That's all for I don't want to go into too much detail as it's a short article but the now, may the force be with you!!

15

Recipes

Two easy and tasty pasta dishes

Spicy Prawn & Cherry Tomato Pasta Serves 2 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine or 1 heaped teaspoon of minced Garlic A 500g packet of quality cherry tomatoes Salt Freshly ground Black pepper Red pepper flakes, to taste 200g Rigatoni pasta 1 cup of white wine 500g packet of prawns, de-headed, peeled & tails removed.

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Set a timer for 20 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. When the oil is hot, lower the heat, add the onion and cook until the onion is clear but not brown. Add the garlic and cook until softened but again not browned. Approx 2 mins.

3. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and add a few pinches of salt plus a few turns of a black pepper grinder and the red pepper flakes.

SautĂŠ the tomatoes until they start to pop, then cover the pan. Keep cooking over a low-medium heat, stirring every two minutes.

4. When the pasta water comes to the boil, add the pasta and cook using packet instructions or set a timer for 11 minutes and add the Rigatoni pasta to the boiling water. Eleven minutes is usually the perfect amount of time for your pasta to be done al dente. Never overcook your pasta.

5. When there's 8 minutes left on the timer, add the wine to the saucepan. Only ever use a wine that is good enough to drink.

6. When there's 6 minutes left on the timer, add the prawns to the pan.

7. When your timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the sauce sit in the covered pan a few minutes while you drain the pasta.

8. Add the drained pasta to the saucepan and mix.

9. Serve, and enjoy.

Lasagna For the sauce ( can also be used as a bolognese sauce) 3 tbsp olive oil 2 small or 1 large red onion 10 portobello mushrooms 400g good quality mince or quorn Splash of soy sauce 1. Cook onion and mushrooms in olive oil until tender then add garlic, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

2. Add the mince and cook until brown.

3. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, black pepper, sugar, and wine and leave to simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Splash of Worcestershire sauce 1 tin of chopped or 3 fresh tomatoes Half a tube of tomato puree 300ml beef or vegetable stock 1 heaped tsp minced garlic or 2 cloves

For Lasagna

2 tsp dried rosemary

1 pack fresh Lasagna sheets

2 tsp dried oregano

2 packs good quality Italian mozzarella

2 tsp dried basil

1 pack fresh basil

2 tsp dried thyme

Grana Padano to grate over top

1 tsp sugar (to take the bitterness out of the tomatoes)

1. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees. Put a sheet of pasta on the bottom of a Pyrex dish, add a layer of the sauce mixture.

1 tsp black pepper

2. Add another layer of pasta with some of the mozzarella and basil on top. Alternate layers with sauce and mozzarella and basil.

3. Top layer should be a mix of the sauce with mozzarella and basil on top, you then grate the Grana Padana over the top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

250ml red or white wine *Only use wine that is good enough to drink. *If using fresh herbs you will need more.

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18

Favourite places

To help with those new to the city, a selection of a few of our favourite places around Valencia to eat, drink and generally hang out.

Eating

Drinking

Places to visit

Miss Sushi

Portland

Biopark

As the name suggests a Japanese Sushi restaurant with several locations around the city. Good food and healthy prices make this a firm favourite.

Plaza Cánovas, 9 Avenida de las Cortes Valencianas, 39 Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, 61

American style bar offering home-brewed Av Pio Baroja, 3 ales on tap.

C/ Salamanca, 10 Botanic Gardens

Lambrusqueria

Finnegan's

C/ Quart, 80

Irish run bar in the heart of the tourist area offering a range of imported beers on tap and Silk Exchange bottled cider.

Plaza Mercado Plaza Reina, 19

Recently discovered Italian restaurant in the popular Canovas area of the city.

Central Market Excalibur Calle Conde Altea, 31 Located in Benimaclet, an excellent friendly Plaza de Brujas Calle Conde Altea, 36 bar with great pool table and international Calle Ciscar, 3 clientele.

Ceramics Museum C/ Dr Vicente Zaragoza, 7 & 9 C/ Poeta Querol, 2 Peggy Sue 50's style American Diner serving the finest of Burgers and American style food. Complete with jukeboxes and authentic atmosphere.

Calle Quart, 41 C/ Salamanca, 12

Mercado Colon C/ Jorge Juan, 19 Miguelete

Taj Mahal

Plaza Reina

One of Valencia's finest Indian restaurants serving an excellent range of curries. Also does takeaway.

C/ del Doctor Manuel Candela, 20

Torres de Quart

Al Pomodoro

Torres de Serrano

Interesting restaurant with a large variety of authentic Italian style pizzas.

C/del Mar, 22

Plaza de los Fueros

C/ Guillem De Castro

City of Arts and Sciences La Pappardella

Cafe de las Horas

Sister restaurant of Al Pomodoro specializing Close to Plaza de la Virgin, this interestingly in Italian pasta dishes. decorated cafe is a great place to stop Bordadores, 5 at when you want something a little bit different.

C/ del Conde de Almodovar, 1 Kana Makan Cheap, interesting Moroccan style tapas and Robin Hood salads.

British style pub in Canovas with friendly C/ Explorador Andres, 24 (Pl Cedro) staff and locals. Great place for a proper pint.

C/ Conde Altea, 38 La Salvora Excellent Spanish food that is a cut above the El Gau del Rall norm. A little pricier but well worth it.

Tucked away on a small courtyard next to Sol C/ de Calatrava, 19 i Lluna, serves a selection of bottled beers and good house wine. A great ambience.

C/ del Mar

Avda. del Professor López Piñero Jardines del Turia Plaza de la Virgen Barrio Carmen Get lost wandering around the narrow streets of the hip barrio Carmen which has many bars, restaurants and shops.

Train Station & Bullring Architecturally interesting buildings slap bang in the centre of Valencia. Also worth visiting is the post office.

It’s not the size of the dog in a fight; it’s the size of the fight in a dog. :: Mark Twain

19

Fallas 2013

a quick guide

During the 18th century, carpenters used to burn their ‘parots’ (old structures which they hung candles from to see whilst they were working) in Spring as they were not necessary as days were longer. Over the years, people began dressing the parots up as people or satirical statues to attract the attention of their neighbours before burning them. Children went from door to door for una alfombra vieja (an old rug), which was also a song that they sung to get people to give them any old furniture that they might have to add to their parots. These materials made up the first figures (ninots or, nowadays, fallas). At some stage the church got involved and tied the burning in with the celebration of the patron saint of carpenters: San José.

Fallas is steeped in history, legend, religion, music, gunpowder, fireworks, noise, and, for many, the spirit of Valencia itself. La Planta begins on 15 March, which is the final date for the structures to be erected in order to qualify. La Ofrenda (the offering) takes place on 17 & 18 March in La Plaza de Virgen and is when the flowers are gradually planted onto the wooden structure of the virgin herself. On 18 March is La Nit De Foc (The Night of Fire), which sees a massive fireworks display happen. On the night of 19 March is La Cremà (La Quema) at about 1 a.m. On top of this you have daily Mascletàs at 2pm every day in Plaza de Ayuntamiento and the numerous parades that happen throughout with the Falleros and Falleras dressed in their traditional clothing.

The effigies that are burnt during Fallas are done so as a symbol of purification of things that people want to see gone from their society. For this reason the designs vary from year to year depending on what polemic is at the forefront of debate. Usually they encompass the social, the political, and the economic, but are not only limited to these spheres. Celebrations take place throughout the community of Valencia and each of the Fallas has a Casal, which is a community of Falleros, who organize social events and fund-raisers throughout the year in order to fund the construction of their Falla, the size of which also depends on how big the Casal is.

The decibel count for Mascletàs goes out on national television and it is thought to be watched by nearly 1 million people every day.

Churros with chocolate, Paella, sweets, Fideua and basically a ticket to eat and drink anything you want in the street without being bothered by the police. Try to catch a huge, spontaneous, 4-metre diameter paella in the street, which spring up across the city and are given to anyone standing around.

Photograph ©TVCB, Valencia. All rights reserved. www.turisvalencia.es

20

I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to food. :: W C Fields

Fallas is one long continuous party with a multitude of processions with crowds in the restaurants spilling out into the streets. Explosions can be heard all day long and often through the night. Visitors may be surprised to see everyone from small children to the elderly throwing firecrackers in the streets, which will be littered with debris. The timing of the events is fixed and they fall on the same date every year.

Here are a list of some the events that take place.

La Despertà

La Plantà

Each day of Fallas begins at 8:00 am with La Despertà ("the The day when all of the fallas infantils and mayors are to be finished wake-up call"). Brass bands appear from the Casals and begin to march and if not completed, they face disqualification. down every street playing music. Close behind them are the Falleros, throwing large firecrackers in the street as they go.

L'Ofrena floral

La Mascletà

The floral offering where each Falla Casal takes an offering of flowers to Saint Mary. This occurs all day during the 17th and 18th of March when a huge statue of Saint is covered with all the flowers.

The Mascletà, an explosive barrage of co-ordinated fireworks taking place in each neighbourhood at 2:00pm every day of the festival; the Els Castells and La Nit del Foc main event is the municipal Mascletà in the Plaça de l'Ajuntament where the pyrotechnicians compete for the honour of providing Firework displays in the old riverbed in Valencia. Each night is the final Mascletà of the fiestas (on March 19). At 2:00pm the clock progressively grander and the last is called La Nit del Foc (the Night chimes and the Fallera Mayor (dressed in her fallera finery) will call of Fire). from the balcony of City Hall, Senyor pirotècnic, pot començar la mascletà! ("Mr. Pyrotechnic, you may commence the Mascletà!"), La Cremà and the Mascletà begins.

On the final night of Fallas, the Fallas are burnt as huge bonfires. This The Mascletà is almost unique to the Valencia Region, hugely is known as the Cremà (the burning), the climax of the whole event, popular with the Valencian people and found in very few other places and the reason why the constructions are called Fallas ("torches"). in the world. Smaller neighbourhoods often hold their own mascletà Traditionally, the Falla in the Plaza Ayuntamiento is burned last. for saint's days, weddings and other celebrations.

Images ©TVCB, Valencia. All rights reserved. www.turisvalencia.es

21 Fallas 2013 timetable 1st to the 19th March 14:00 Daily Mascletà in la Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

15th March 01:30 08:00 Nit del Foc the biggest fireworks display in Plantà (setting up) of Fallas Infantiles Fallas. On Paseo de la Alameda (children’s).

1st March 19th March 21:00 18:00 horas 1am Puente de San José (Saint Joseph Gala del Deporte, in Devesa Gardens.

Award for the best adult Ninot.

Bridge). Flower Offering by the Fallas Queens followed by a Mascletà.

2nd March 00:00 11:00 Fireworks display in the Paseo de la Alameda. 12:00 Mass in honour of the Patriarch St. Children’s fiesta in el Parque de Bomberos de Joseph. Valencia Cathedral, Pl. de La Reina. la avda. de la Plata.

16th March 08:00 19:00 Cabalgata del Fuego (Fire Parade) 00.00 The Plantà for the adult Fallas. along C/ Colón and a firework show in Pl. Mascletà of colours in la Plaza del Porta de la Mar. Ayuntamiento.

16:30 Children's Fallas Awards Ceremony. Pl. del 22:00 Cremà or burning of the Children's 3rd March Ayuntamiento.

Fallas.

11:00 In la Plaza del Carmen, Contest of “Cant de 22:30 22:30 Cremà of the winning Children's Fallas. l’Estoreta”.

International Folk Parade around Pl. del Ayuntamiento. Mascletà.

23:00 Cremà of the Children's Falla in Pl. del 17:00 Ayuntamiento.

Parade of the Ninot’s: Leaves from la Glorieta, 01:00 down Calle de la Pau, San Vicent, Plaza del Fireworks display in the Paseo de la Alameda. 00:00 Cremà all the remaining Fallas.

Ayuntamiento, Marqués de Sotelo and Calle Játiva. Finishes in la Plaza del Ayuntamiento 17th March 00:30 Cremà of the winning adult Falla. with a mascletà of colours.

09:30 Pl. del Ayuntamiento. Fallas Awards 01:00 Aerial fireworks in the Pl. del 7th March Ceremony Ayuntamiento and Cremà of the Pl. del 12:00 Ayuntamiento Falla.

In la Plaza del Ayuntamiento “XLIV Ronda 15:30 Fallera de Coches de l’Antigor”.

1st day of the Flower Offering to our Lady of the Forsaken (Virgen de los Desamparados).

8th March All day parade.

11:00 Calle de San Vicente In el Parque de Bomberos de la avda. de Calle de la Paz la Plata, celebration of the "festividad del patrón del cuerpo" with the visit of the Mayor 01:00 of Valencia Fallas and his Court of Honor.

Fireworks display in the Paseo de la Alameda.

9th March 00.00 Mascletà of colours Ayuntamiento.

in

la

Plaza

18th March

A las 11:00 horas del Homage to poet Maximilano Thous, at his monument at C/ Sagunto & C/ Maximilano Thous, then a Mascletà.

14th March 15:00 12:00 Closing of the Exhibition of Children’s Ninots. Homage to the Maestro Serrano, at his monument in Ave. Reino de Valencia, then a 18:00 Mascletà.

Award for the best children’s Ninot.

15:30 2nd day of the Flower Offering

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L' Oceanogràfic

I'd like to be, under the sea

Last Sunday we decided to take advantage of the 10 euro entry fee to the Oceanografic and spend the day there, we decided to arrive just before lunchtime thinking that everybody would be off for that important Sunday family lunch. Well, we were wrong and greeted with a huge queue almost reaching the roundabout and as you can probably guess, it was badly organised. We dutifully made our way to the back of the queue where we were asked by equally confused patrons whether this was the line for entry or the purchasing of tickets; we responded to that we didn’t know and so decided that we better ask someone official in case we should be standing in a different line. So we then marched to the entrance on the way being knocked onto the road, hit by prams and bumping into unruly children. Once we got to the entrance we found an employee of the aquarium who we asked about our query but she abruptly butted in without answering our question and told us to stand in the queue.

After this, our day started looking up as a nice English lady who had heard me quietly swearing at the aforementioned unhelpful worker came up to us and offered us tickets as they were no longer using them, and for this we were hugely grateful.

Now we got to skip right in, avoiding the huge line which didn’t seem to be going down any at all. When we got in it was very busy and we headed straight for the Mediterranean Sea where we were faced with sea cucumbers, starfish, crabs and much more.

After this we headed over to the Wetlands but there was a big line to enter so we walked around the edge taking in the flamingos,

turtles and ducks. And of course, just walking around the Oceanografic itself you are faced with ducks, pelicans and various other birds.

Next stop on our list was to see the sea lions and we happily stood watching them swim about and coming up for air for quite a while.

We then followed the path to the Arctic which is my favourite, although I was a little disappointed because the Walrus wasn’t there as his tank was being renovated. In the Arctic we managed to get a look at the Belugas and I couldn’t help but feel a little sad at the size of the small enclosure. We left the Arctic and went straight in the Antarctic where the penguins now live. I’m a huge fan of penguins and was a little angry with the behaviour of the people in this area. Grown adults as well as children were standing in front of the barriers banging the glass and taking photos using the flash, it was quite amusing when finally an employee had to come and shout at a room of adults asking them to basically use their common sense.

Now was time to enter the Tropics where we came across some very colourful fish that wouldn’t look out of place in the Disney film Finding Nemo. Taking a walk through the underwater tunnel we came across some eels and flat fish. We exited to the islands where we came across the seals. The seals ranged in size and made a variation of interesting noises. We were by the seal enclosure for quite a while because I wanted to see the huge male exit the water but after standing there for quite some time, it hadn’t happened, so off we went. We took a walk past the birds of prey with some flying so low

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. :: Mark Twain

I got a little scared they were going to pull my hair as I had a bad experience with a seagull (the scariest of all Birds of Prey, I know) when I lived in Glasgow which makes me very nervous of this sort of encounter.

By this time we were starting to get hungry and decided to leave the park and get something to eat in the shopping centre across the road. We approached a worker to ask if we could re-enter the park after exiting and she kindly pointed us in the direction of the help desk to get a wrist band. After an expensive and poor quality lunch we returned with hopes of seeing the sharks, but alas, this was not meant to be as the queue was huge and it was getting near to closing time. We spent some more time by the sea lions enjoying watching their underwater dance, had another walk through the Tropics and back to the seals where I was delighted to see that the huge male had exited the water and was lying in a very awkward position against a wall. We watched him for a while, took some photos and it was now time for us to leave, we were lucky earlier in the day to get a good parking space so we didn’t have to walk too far to get to the car.

Although a bit busy for my liking and a little disappointed from the lack of walruses, the day had been a great success.

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Anyone who says he can see through women is missing a lot. :: Groucho Marx

Your pet and Fallas

A helpful guide

Fireworks are a big part of Fallas and with all that extra noise, who could blame your pet for getting a little anxious and frightened.

Keeping cats and dogs secure • Make sure your pet has somewhere to hide whether this be in a room or cupboard with no windows or under the bed. Our dog chooses to hide in the shower.

• Try to walk dogs at a quieter time of the day or if you have a car maybe take them somewhere away from the excitement.

• When it’s very loud keep the windows and curtains closed, play some music or have the TV on to help drown out some of the outdoor noise.

• Try to ignore frightened behaviour (difficult I know), unless the animal is going to hurt itself.

• Don’t punish or fuss over your pet when it is scared, it will just make things worse.

• Make sure your pet is always kept in a safe and secure environment.

Just for dogs – before the firework season starts Planning ahead can help your dog cope with the firework season.

Before the noise starts get your dog set up in a quiet area of the house that is easily accessible for your dog. It should be a place that the dog is happy with and feels in control. Get your dog to associate this area with positive experiences by leaving some of it’s favourite toys in this area as well as some treats. Hopefully when the noise starts your dog will go find the quiet area you have set up for it and it will find it easier to cope there. Make sure your dog has easy access to it’s quiet area when left home alone.

Just for dogs – when the fireworks start • In the quiet area make sure all windows and curtains are closed.

• Before the fireworks begin, move your dog to the quiet area and make sure there are plenty of toys and treats to keep your dog occupied. It might be worth taking a book there with you so your dog isn’t left alone.

• Ignore the fireworks yourself. Try to get your dog to play with you to take it’s mind off the noises • If you are lucky enough to know a dog that isn't scared of the fireworks and that your dog likes, see if you can borrow it for a few days and try keeping the two together the one which isn’t frightened should show yours there is nothing to be scared of.

Just for cats • Make sure there is somewhere safe for your cat to hide. In a cupboard or under some furniture are good places.

• Leave your cat where it is, let it come out in it’s own time.

Don’t forget small animals • If your pets live outside, partly cover cages, pens and aviaries with blankets to help sound proof their home but make sure they can still see outside.

• Give the animals lots of extra bedding so they can burrow in to it if they need to.

Here are the signs that a stressed pet may show.

Dogs Trembling and shaking.

Clinging to owners.

Excessive barking.

Cowering and hiding behind furniture.

Trying to run away.

Soiling the house.

Pacing and panting.

Refusing to eat.

Cats Cowering and hiding behind or on top of furniture.

Trying to run away.

Soiling the house.

Refusing to eat.

Rabbits Stamping hind feet.

Staying motionless.

Trying to escape.

25

An Irishman in Spain In the midst of the Fallas festivities this month, the party atmosphere will be taken up a notch or two on the 17th. St. Patrick's Day has become, less a celebration of Irish culture, than ex-pat party and an international excuse to get on the beer. It has occurred to me often, that more and more the international perception of the influence of Irish culture is simply that of the pub.

Charles Donnelly was born in rural Ireland in 1914. He died in Jarama, about an hour from Valencia in 1937.

Donnelly grew up at a time when Ireland and Europe were being torn apart by war. As a child, his family stayed as detached as was possible from the revolutionary war and the civil war that followed.

His parents saw hard work as the pathway from rural subsistence to the urban middle class. Their plans were torn to shreds when his mother, Rose, died suddenly when Charlie was just thirteen.

Charlie’s father, Joseph, moved the family to Dublin following the death of his wife and this move was to impact his bookish son in a huge way.

The family lived in Mountjoy Square, a middle class enclave, just minutes from some of the worst slums in Europe.

The Cosgrove government of the time was trying, often ineptly, to piece the country together as a free state, following the civil war.

The country’s moral compass was deferred to the hypocrisy and punitive culture of the Catholic Church.

Donnelly, from a young age was driven by a sense of injustice.

Ireland was and remains a small place, not somewhere where an intelligent young man of his time could easily insulate himself from the vicious poverty and injustice he witnessed daily. As a voracious reader, this sense of injustice was fuelled by the literature of the likes of Connolly, Trotsky and Marx.

Donnelly was equally enamoured by literature and poetry. He had begun writing at a very young age while his family were living in Dundalk. His greatest influences were Keats and Yeats. From early on, it is apparent that he didn’t see a poet’s role as that of a passive observer. Donnelly believed words and action should be entwined.

It was at the newly formed University College Dublin, that Donnelly’s activism came to flourish. He wrote, debated, protested and networked constantly; he was attacked and arrested numerous times. Even at such a young age, his passion and talents for expression and argument made him a contemporary of people like Frank Ryan and George Gilmore.

Donnelly left University without graduating and with his relationship with his father increasingly strained, found himself homeless. He moved to London where he stayed for a short time, immersing himself in the socialist movement and increasingly making a name for himself as an organiser and writer.

Donnelly signed up to fight for the International Brigades while in London. He returned briefly to Dublin to say goodbye to his family and friends. They would say later that he was hugely enthused about joining the fight but he was in no way the naive idealist. Donnelly was fully aware of the dangers he would face and was clearly very frightened.

He travelled to Spain via Paris and probably crossed the border near Perpignan. He joined up with the Connolly Brigade in Albacete, which in turn joined forces with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

Eoghan Ryan

Connolly and his companions received only rudimentary training. He held a gun for the first time in his life the day before the battle of Jarama began. They were only allowed to fire a couple of practice shots in order to conserve ammunition.

Minutes before he was shot, in a lull in the machine gun fire, Charles Donnelly is reported to have picked up a bunch of olives and squeezed them, saying, ‘even the olives are bleeding.’

His body lay on the battlefield for ten days before his companions could retrieve him for burial. He was twenty-two years old.

The battle of Jarama was effectively a battle for control of the road from Valencia to Madrid. More than 25,000 were killed in a month of brutal slaughter.

As was the case with many of his contemporaries, Charles Donnelly’s story was very slow to become well known. Much of his remarkable poetry remained unpublished until the late eighties.

20th Century Spanish and Irish history share many parallels, many similarities and many brutal truths. Our civil wars were separated by only a decade and many veterans of the Irish conflict fought and died on both sides here. Perhaps, come March 17th we should raise a glass in honour of this shared history.

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British Humour

Activity 1

by Andy Keedwell

a We laugh at authority

Match the headings with the paragraphs in the article.

b We laugh at losers – but we hope they’ll win c We laugh at ourselves d We laugh at things that are rude e We laugh at word play f

We sometimes don’t laugh when we think things are funny

g We sometimes laugh when others might cry

Activity 2 Look at these verbs from the article. Which verbs are used to talk about something funny and which ones to talk about something sad or annoying? Write (F) or (S) chuckle ___ giggle ___ groan ___

despair ___ snigger ___ find (something) amusing ___

Find the words in an English dictionary to check their meaning.

Activity 3

© Mat Wright

Is it true that the British laugh at different things from people in other countries? Let’s have a look at what we laugh at in Britian.

1 To the British, the powerful and important are often figures of fun. It’s not just politicians who make us chuckle but anyone whose job it is to tell other people what to do and who take themselves too seriously. We laugh at our class system too – especially those who try to present themselves as ‘better’ than they are.

2 We giggle at authority, but also, sympathetically, with anyone who is downtrodden. We know they can’t win, but if they do so occasionally, it’s even funnier. Our clowns are often silly people doing silly things, while in America, they are often clever people doing clever things – and winning.

3 The British laugh when other people might despair, one of the oddest things to appreciate about British humour. People say that the British are reserved and reluctant to show their feelings and this is expressed in our humour. I don’t really think that’s true but I know that we do have a strong sense of irony. ‘Not very pleasant’, we say after some terrible experience and that’s perhaps why we sometimes laugh at things that should be taken seriously – accidents or funerals, for example.

Coupled with this, is our love of understatement.

‘It’s a bit windy today’ we might say in the middle of a typhoon, or ‘There’s a slight problem’ when something has gone very seriously wrong.

4 We are also known for a very ‘broad’ sense of humour Traditionally holiday makers would send

‘smutty’ (rude) postcards back home. Many other nationalities find this kind of humour quite childish – but we continue to snigger. We laugh at what we ordinarily find embarrassing – perhaps we laugh because we are embarrassed.

5 A stand up comedian (someone who tells jokes for a living) will often begin by saying ‘Have you ever noticed…..?’ We find humour in ordinary, boring life, especially its negative aspects. As well as this, we find it amusing to tell jokes about things that have gone wrong for us, rather than not mentioning them in case we look stupid.

Our stories might start with ‘I’m such an idiot, I did something really stupid yesterday’.

6 Another thing that can make it difficult to understand ‘British humour’ is that we don’t always laugh or even smile when we say something funny.

We often ‘keep a straight face’ or use an unsmiling, ‘deadpan’ expression even when we’re making a joke 7 One final thing. Lots of British humour is based on word play. It is very easy to ‘pun’ in English because lots of words have more than one meaning or sound like other words. The results are often enough to make you groan. For example, what do you do if you feel hungry when you’re on the beach? Eat the sand which is there. Get it?

Sand which is there / sandwiches there. See I told you punning was groanworthy.

So, is the British sense of humour unique?

Well probably not. It is the combination of all these features that make the British laugh and my friends from other countries ask ‘Why is that funny?’

Word of the week

Look at these two English jokes.

Do you think either of them is funny?

Which one do you prefer?

1 Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson are on a camping trip in the countryside. Late at night, Holmes and Watson are lying on their backs looking up at all the stars in the sky. Sherlock Holmes says, ‘Doctor Watson, look at all the stars and tell me what important question we have to ask.’ Doctor Watson says, ‘Well, OK. There are millions and millions of stars in the sky. No-one knows exactly how many. There are planets out there that no-one has seen with a telescope.

Maybe there is a planet somewhere that is just like earth. I think the question we have to ask is, ‘Is there life in another part of our universe?’

And Sherlock Holmes says, ‘Watson, you idiot!

The question we have to ask is ‘WHERE IS OUR TENT?’ 2 A rabbit walks into a butcher’s shop and says ‘Have you got any carrots?’. And the butcher says ‘No. This is a butcher’s shop – we don’t sell carrots,’ and the rabbit says ‘OK’ and goes out of the shop.

An hour later, the rabbit comes back. ‘Have you got any carrots?’ And the butcher says ‘No, I told you, this is a butcher’s shop – we haven’t got any carrots’.

An hour later – it happens again, and an hour after that, it happens again. Well, the butcher’s getting really annoyed. Next time the rabbit comes in – ‘Have you got any carrots?’ the butcher says ‘Look, I’ve told you – we don’t have any carrots here. If you come back to this shop one more time I’m going to take a hammer, take some nails and I’m going to nail your ears to the floor! OK?’ So, the rabbit goes away. But, guess what, an hour later, the rabbit comes back and walks into the shop. ‘Have you got any nails?’ ‘No’ says the butcher. ‘Have you got any carrots?’

Deadpan (adjective).

If you tell a joke or a funny story without smiling or laughing you are being deadpan.

Activity 1 1 a, 2 b, 3 g, 4 d, 5 c, 6 f, 7 e

Answers

Activity 2 Funny: chuckle, giggle, snigger, find something amusing.

Sad/Annoying: despair, groan.

For more fun activities to help you learn English visit www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© British Council 2010

Money can’t buy friends but you get a better class of enemy. :: Spike Milligan

Intercambios Portland Ale House - Calle Salamanca, 10 - Tuesday & Wednesday 8:30pm English Night & Thursday 8:30pm German Night Anfora - Avenida de Francia, 65 - Thursday 8pm Bar 7 - Plaza Honduras, 34 - Thursday 8:30pm St Patricks - Gran Vía Marqués del Turia, 69 - Thursday 8pm English, Spanish & German Cafe de las Horas - Calle del Conde de Almodovar - Monday 8pm Thomas & Johnsons - Calle Chile 9 - Thursday & Sunday 8:30pm The Lounge - Calle de la Estameneria Vieja - Monday 9pm Big Ben - Plaza Honduras, 36 - Monday 8pm El Labratorio - Plaza Cors de la Mare de Deu, 3 - Tuesday 7pm The Black Sheep - Plaza de la Porta de la Mar, 6 - Tuesday 7pm Sofa Club - Avenida Tirso de Molina, 15 - Tuesday 7pm Ubik Cafe - Calle Literato Azorin, 13 - Tuesday 8:45pm Sally O'Brien - Avenida de Aragon, 8 - Thursday 8:30pm Route 66 - Avenida Regne de Valencia, 59 - Thursday 8:30pm

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28

Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. :: Benjamin Franklin

Expat business

with Happy Karma Soaps

Name: VANESSA MARIA LEWIS Nationality: (a Womble!) BRITISH, WIMBLEDON LONDON Company: HAPPY KARMA SOAPS 1. Can you tell us something about yourself?

4. Would you have done anything differently?

I ADORE animals. I'm PASSIONATE about animals, always have been since my school days of registering in at class and then sneaking out of school to join the protests against animal testing in the city of London. Yes, I did make a difference, WE made a difference, it caused so much publicity in the media that companies HAD to look at their testing procedures and invest in machines rather than animals to test their products. I hope students today are just as passionate as I was at 14.

Listen to my gut feeling instead of advice! It's good to listen to the advice of others; but really follow your heart is all I can say. I have many conversations in my head with my old boss Frank, "what would he have done right now?" and it's nearly always HIS way that turns out to be correct. I think that listening to other Spanish market traders I've thought, "they know because they've done it", but that's not always correct. I must say, they've been incredibly supportive.

Each market is like that of a family. It's beautiful.

i) What did you do previous to moving to Spain?

5. How are things going in the current economic climate?

I worked 15 years for the Best Boss in the World, Frank, at a Timber & Builders Merchants in Sussex as his PA Secretary and biscuit & pork pie provider!

It's slow but SURE. Any business just starting out, it's known to struggle for 3 years before lifting off. I'm now in my 2nd year. If you're willing to work 7 days a week you'll see the benefits, the fruits of your labour as it were. Put the hours in, and see what you get.

If you don't try, you won't know, simple. We're now getting repeat sales and more so, the repeat sales are buying for their family, their friends and their neighbours. I also think it's working because we don't have greedy prices. I'm absolutely astonished at the prices in certain soap companies. I believe ours are very fair.

ii) When did you come to Spain?

We bought a bus to travel Europe, said goodbye to ole' Blighty in 2006, travelled France, Andorra, Spain - planned to travel Portugal and Italy but didn't quite get there! Fell in love with Spain; just welled up in tears at the thought of leaving. I think that's when you know you've found home. iii) What made you come and why did you choose to settle in Valencia?

We managed to find work on the campsite we were staying at.

Carl (my partner) has carpentry qualifications and they liked my sales/marketing ideas. One month led on to another month, and before we knew it we'd been working there 3 years! Time to look at property we thought! . . . First house we saw, we fell in love with before we'd even put the key in the door! Why Valencia? It's just a place you cannot leave, you just cannot leave it. There is everything here but the people are so individual, I've never met such sincere, happy caring people, really. I wish I hadn't stayed in London for so long: Look what I've been missing out on! Is it the climate? Is it the Sangria? I don't know, it's just VALENCIA!

6. What are your plans for the future?

Weyhey! I'm wearing a HUGE grin for this question as I'm SO excited!

This spring we plan to start NATURAL face packs, face creams, lip balms, hair colourants. Back to Basics traditional recipes, they've worked for centuries and they're the most natural. HERE WE GO! 7. Do you have any advice for people wanting to start their own business?

Ask as many questions as possible, then make your OWN decision.

Don't rush in (I can talk, I'm a Taurus, bull in a china shop is an understatement! I'm very lucky Carl grounds me or we'd have lost a lot of money, we're a good team really). Do your research in respect of the product more than anything. Something that is a success in England isn't necessarily going to be a success here in Spain.

There are many reasons why things are not done in Spain, ASK QUESTIONS.

2. Tell us about your business?

I make homemade soaps from natural products, and sell them at the Valencian markets. I've been experimenting with soap making for two years now and have been selling for just over a year. To be honest, I got so annoyed with purchasing soaps that said they could sort out my eczema and didn't, AND cost the earth, so I made my own - ¡ADIOS! It’s my top seller! Plus it's just 2,50€, so it's affordable; plus customers have seen positive results in under a week. I think that's good.

3. What did you have to do to set up your business?

A LOT OF PESTERING! If you become a polite nuisance, people do something in the end. I think the co-operatives in Spain are a truly WONDERFUL idea because it's a stepping stone to getting a business started. We're in the most destructive crisis right now and for young people as well, it's a disgraceful disappointing climate, so to be able to start a business with MINIMAL outlay; the co-operatives are a chance for many to actually get started. I'll help anyone that's interested.

8. Can you tell us about any special offers, events or any further information you want our readers to be aware of?

I would say get down to your local AYUNTAMIENTO because they are the hub of every town and village. They want businesses to work to inject money back into the Spanish economy, so they're so helpful and many speak English too. As far as special offers with our business, we've made our top seller even better! Our Olive Soap with black olive exfoliate we now make with INTENSE olive oil, previously SUAVE, and the difference is incredible! At just 3€, we'll be selling our new soap bar ready for March. BUSINESS WISE, if you've had YEARS of that nagging voice inside saying "I WANT TO BE MY OWN BOSS" then GO FOR IT! We've never been HAPPIER! GOOD LUCK!

My new e-mail address (easier for customers to remember) is happykarmasoaps@gmail.com

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Vladimir ksieski Name: Vladimir ksieski Nationality: British Occupation: Artist and my wife runs the gift shop Casa Monet on C/serranos, 36 bajo izq.

I have been living in Spain for the last 30 years and from the first time I came to Valencia in 1984, I got a good feeling and have been here ever since. The decision to settle here was an easy one as Valencia is a great city with very friendly people. The weather, the food, the beach, the nightlife, you have everything here. There are also great travel links to the rest of Spain and with the airport so close, the rest of the world is in easy reach.

I opened a boutique in the centre of Valencia which I had for 5 years until I sold the lease to concentrate on painting and got another shop situated at the entrance to the old part of Valencia (Barrio Carmen) on Calle Serranos, which has my studio above it and is where we are now, open seven days a week.

Many people from all over world pass through Calle Serranos as it is a main tourist route of Valencia, but the current economic climate has changed things in Spain just like the rest of Europe, however, I’m sure it will pass and we will return to better times. Currently in the shop we offer discounts on our range of handmade jewellery, figurines and paintings and many are original pieces.

There are many British people living in Valencia and in the surrounding villages and I would recommend Valencia to everyone.

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Photo competition

Nostalgia

DRIVING IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE : Photo taken on Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Cathy Irvine

Alba Embra Lopez

And our winner is...

Cathy Irvine Thanks to everyone who contributed photographs Please note that there will be no photo competition in April

31

Classifieds Full female scuba kit (except tank and weights) hardly used, bought for over £3000 but selling full kit for €1000..Bargain!

Contact me for more details Katy 656555306 Racing bike Checker Pig CPXR06, 28", 58 cm frame, Alu Light silver, tires: Shimano Ultrega, gear Shift: Shimano 105 - 3x9 Speed, breaks: Shimano 105, weight: ca 10 kg. Price 390 euros Also for sale: Carbon KTM Ultegra (ironman) 2010 racing bike. 2010. Price 2.350 euros Both bikes in perfect condition.

Please contact 671820885, Oscar.

Trac phone: Trac phone, track phone, rural track unit, satellite phone.

Telefonica Trackphone package – for homes without a landline in rural areas, caravans, flats, villas etc. The trac phone works like a landline but with the use of a “trac” mobile sim card. You can use it anywhere in Spain and it’s cheaper to make and receive calls than a mobile. You will need to contact telefonica to set up a contract; they will then post you a new sim. The trac is in good working order and comes with a white booster aerial for areas with low/bad mast range – it has surface scratches but works fine. Please note: this pack does not include a telephone or sim. Set includes: Ericsson trac digital unit, transformer and plug power pack (European). Price 60 Euros. Contact 633 762 391 or norgstar@hotmail.com for more information or photos.

(formerly Kandabooks)

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The Best New and Used Second Hand Bookshop Downtown Valencia. Books in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.

Los Mejores Libros Nuevos y Usados en el Centro de la Ciudad.

Libros en Ingles, Aleman, Frances, Italiano, Español y Holandes.

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Calle Tapineria 18. Valencia.

Tel. 607 485 370 (behind Plaza de la Reina) (detras de la Plaza de la Reina)

If you are a business or individual who wants to advertise in the next issue of inVLC then please contact us for more information at:

invlceditor@gmail.com

Wanted Garden furniture stone table and chairs, benches and terrace furniture, microcar, petrol hedge cutters, quads, lathe and milling machine, building materials blocks, slab, tiles, mechanics and engineers tools, roll cab and box, solar panels and batteries, and Mazda MX5. Contact 693496283.

Secondhand blankets for our doggies.

Contact Vanessa 664003499

Handmade

C.I.F: F.98.144.280

If you buy a book you can bring it back and get 20% discount on your next book.

Si compras un libro obtendras un 20% de descuento en tu siguiente libro.

Dainese leather bike suit unisex size 48 and Carboot lot incl. books, DVDs, clothes etc. Offers welcome.

Contact invlceditor@gmail.com.

happykarmasoaps@gmail.com Facebook HappyKarmaSoaps

Opening Times / Horario Monday to Saturday / de lunes a sabado 11 am to 2 pm / 4.30 pm to 7 pm

Motorbike blue Kawasaki ER 5, 2006 model, 32000km, excellent condition, serviced, new rear tyre, bikini fairing included. Price 1800 Euros ONO. Contact 669786970.

Natural Soaps

For Sale

Vanessa is Friday Saturday Sunday

available at these markets Turis 09:00-14:00 Cheste 09:00-14:00 Alborache 09:00-14:00

Weekly Markets and Rastros Markets Monday

Montroy, Riba Roja, Manises and Valencia (Ruzafa)

Tuesday

Monserrat, Alfafar, Paterna, Turis, Bunol and Valencia (Jerusalem, Nazaret and San Pedro Nolasco)

Wednesday L’Eliana, Casinos, Piccassent, Alzira, Villamarchante, Aldai, Catadau and Valencia (Avd del Cid, Mossen Sorell and Grao) Thursday Alaquas, Gandia , Lliria, Yatova and Valencia (Torrefiel) Friday

Moraira, Turis, Villar Del Arzobispo, Torrente, Chiva, Bunol and Valencia (Benimaclet, Malvarrosa and Cabanyal)

Saturday

Real de Montroy, Gandia , Torrente, Cheste, Godelleta, Macastre and Valencia (Jesus Patraix, Pinedo)

Sunday

Alborache, Montserrat, Siete Aguas and Valencia (Plaza Redonda)

Rastros Every 2nd Sunday of the month at Bar Sardi in Pedralba. Table money donated to Animales y Naturaleza. To book tables phone Lin 680790059.

Every Sunday next to Mestilla football ground.

1st Sunday of the month, Montroy c/La Pau, 625 674 906 Sagrario

32

3ER TRIMESTRE 9 DE ABRIL AL 19 DE JUNIO

MATRÍCULA A PARTIR DEL 21 DE MARZO Pide cita para la prueba de nivel a partir del 4 de marzo

http://www.britishcouncil.org/spain/valencia

EXÁMENES DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE CAMBRIDGE IELTS - EXÁMENES DE NIVEL DE INGLÉS Matricúlate a traves de nuestra página web: http://www.britishcouncil.org/es/spain-exams-valencia.htm

T 96 339 29 80, Avd Cataluña 9 46020 Valencia

www.britishcouncil.es