inVLC Oct/Nov 2011

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advantage valencia WITH | Spanish vs. English | parties & holidays | the best of Valencia and the Community | impartial reviews | ÂĄaprende inglĂŠs con nosotros! ...

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When autumn leaves start to fall ...

With blue skies, a gentle sun and plenty of hiking paths, the Valencian Community is a great place to be for Autumn.

No longer fearing the intensity of the sun, we can spend more time on the terraces of cafes, on the benches in the carefully manicured parks and taking long walks along the beaches.

This month we visit the town of Moraira on page 10 to enjoy the views, food and peaceful walks in one of Valencian Community’s many beautiful seaside towns.

And as many of our readers are learning either English or Spanish, we've taken on the challenge of putting English verses Spanish in I heart Valencia on page 6.

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We also bring the usual news, independent restaurant reviews, albums, films, sport and the best of the rest of the local area. If you have anything you'd like to recommend, let us know so that we can tell the rest of the Valencia Community in the magazine or on Facebook and Twitter.

For those of you new to Valencia and/or new to inVLC, we hope that you like our magazine. We're always here if you have any feedback or suggestions!

Please remember to ‘like’ us on Facebook and also to ‘follow’ us on our recently created Twitter page to keep yourself up-to-date with what’s going on around you.

Andy, Kelly & Sean And, of course, enjoy the read!

A lo largo de esta revista encontrarás distintos niveles de dificultad indicados en la parte superior de cada página y recuadros con vocabulario debajo del texto. Para la pronunciación hemos incluido la fonética.

about us 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.

We hope to guide you on what’s going on in the community, help those living in it, and support language learning with a bit of added fun.

Sales Vincenzo Translations Clara and Javier Models Kelly

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Contact information email invlceditor@gmail.com phone 639 740 746 - English speakers phone 628 831 400 - Spanish speakers facebook inVLC If you have any thoughts, comments or complaints or want to advertise, please email or phone us.

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Important numbers & Embassies / consulates Fire | 080 Local police | 092 Medical | 061 General | 112 French | 96 351 0359 USA | 96 351 6973 British | 96 521 60 22 Dutch | 96 341 4633 German | 96 310 62 53

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Legal chat We do our very best to strive for accuracy in this magazine but we cannot accept responsibility for unintentional errors or omissions, accuracy of advertisements or contributors’ opinions. We aim at all times not to offend. depósito legal V-816-2006 We use CreatorSilk paper It’s chlorine free & the wood used is from sustainably managed forests. We do this because we’re nice & want to reduce our environmental impact.

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The latest News keeping you up to date Hotspots Free in Valencia is looking all silky I heart Valencia the languages are fighting it out Holidays and fiestas are remembering Valencia Community we chill in Moraira Restaurant of the month is a fusion This is me Travis Rabenberg is changing his life Let's talk Expat life! Eoghan looks at theatre Charity| Toms Map Talking teaching is staying motivated Art & culture Music hot new musical releases Live events only the best make it to the list Sport hot news The cinema v.o releases in Valencia Read me Iain loves his books Your photos of 'red' Lifestyle Green Declan is thinking about water Recipe raw fish anyone?

Artist Jaine Thorne is beading good Art to see visits a political exhibition A day in the life Heather takes it easy Cocktails are for spectators Animal we celebrate P.E.P.A's fun day Events & classifieds keeps you in the know

15/10/1917. Paris. Seducer/spy Mata Hari shot after her conviction for passing on information to Germany which resulted in 1000s of deaths. History now believes her role was overstated and she just had a weakness for men in uniform.

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News

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Burn baby burn| Dangerous sweets.

Valencian police have asked the Health Ministry to recall some Chinese made sweets, which have caused burns to mouths and tongues when eaten. While no exact details have been provided the police have said the sweet is made in China and imported into Europe by a Polish company. It is sold in a number of dierent formats with popular children's characters on the packaging. While this is generic, to be on the safe side stay away from any sweets close to this description.

Too much monkey business| Zoo failures.

A formal letter from the European Community has been written to the Spanish Authorities after a failure to keep the standards required in many of the country's zoos.

This follows a damning report from Igualidad Animal last month, which stated that eight of the country's zoos were failing in their care of animals of which two of those eight are in the Valencia Community.

Fly me away| New low cost airline.

News abounds that a new low-cost alternative to Ryanair and Easyjet is about to be rolled out by the British Airways/Iberia partnership (IAG).

The newly formed Iberia Express is starting to recruit in November with a view to starting ights around February 2012.

One hundred hairs make a man| Movember.

An opportunity to grow a moustache to make some money and raise awareness for men's health. Can't grow one? We help on page 31. www.movember.com/es You can ring my bell| New mobile telephone numbers.

With the seemingly relentless advances mobile phone technology has been making to increase their desirability with consumers, it was only a matter of time before all possible combinations of numbers starting with the number 6 were going to be used up. Soon new mobile numbers will start with the number 7. They will continue to be 9 numbers in length.

Vodafone's new numbers will start 7171, Orange 7477 and 7478, Movistar 7170 and Yoigo with 7277.

C/ Verger, 1 (nr Parterre) 961 139 930 La verdadera cocina Italiana Casera

16/10/1793. 9 months after her husband, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette is beheaded. Famously, when told French peasants had no bread to eat she replied with 'Let them eat cake'. No change to royal views of peasants have been reported since.

Free/cheap in Valencia

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ant to see the Valencian Community on the cheap? Every month we'll list some great spots where you can enjoy Spanish culture, nature and have some good, low-cost fun. This month we'll be:

1| going star spotting - it's tennis season and that can only mean one thing ... hot sports stars in shorts will be hopping around Valencia. Keep your eyes peeled.

2| looking up - not only keeping a positive attitude, but literally looking to the skies. There are buildings adorned with ironwork, gargoyles, beautiful windows and stunning designs, and we miss them when we look straight ahead (take a photo and enter it in next month's photo page).

3| taking a stroll through the Casa del Arte Mayor de la Seda in Requena. We have been told that this is a stunning building, set out in a traditional manner with information on silk weaving.

Leizu, The Silkworm Mother (Cangu Nainai) was the empress of the 27th Century BCE, who, according to Chinese legend and Confucius, discovered silk & invented the silk loom.

There are a couple of versions of how Leizu found silk, both ending up with a cocoon landing in her afternoon tea. When Leizu pulled on the cocoon, a small thread unwound, which she unravelled, thus finding a silken thread.

She decided to weave this, and

so invented the luxurious material of many a lady’s underwear.

The creative Leizu persuaded her husband to grow a mulberry Grove, so that she could domesticate the worms, and take the silk.

Leizu wasn't shy to share her knowledge, and so silk production started in China.

The reason why silk shimmers, is because the fibre is made up of triangular prism, which bounces light at different angles, producing different colours.

17/10/1931. Second hand furniture salesman/most famous Chicago mafia boss ever, Alphonse Capone, is found guilty of tax evasion, is sentenced to 11 years in jail (7 of which were on Alcatraz island) and fined $80,000 dollars.

I heart Valencia

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very month we pitch something from Spain up against something from elsewhere. This month we're going to put the Spanish language (or Castillian) up against the English language, both of which are recognised as official languages of the United Nations, the others being Mandarin, Arabic, Russian and French.

Round 1| Roots English came about in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and later spread to Scotland. It is a West Germanic language, but comes from a mixture of different languages. The first of which was Latin during the 5th century as it became the lingua franca because of both its use by the Christian Church and by being the language used by many European intellectuals of the time. It was later influenced by Old Norse with the arrival of the Vikings in the 8th and 9th centuries. The Norman invasion in the 11th century led to an incredible influence of French on the language. In the 15th century ‘The Great Vowel Shift’ took place in which there was a major change in pronunciation causing peculiar and often frustrating spelling of English words.

Spanish is a Romance language and one of the Ibero-Romanic languages from the Iberian Peninsular. It evolved from several dialects and languages during the 9th century in which it spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile.

In the 15th century there was a readjustment of consonants (reajuste de las silbantes) during which many new words were created and other foreign words were adopted. With the expansion of the Spanish Empire between the 15th and 19th century, it soon became one of the most important languages for trade.

WINNER – Spanish! You’ve got to admire its purity, which hasn’t really changed since the 9th century.

Round 2| Number of speakers The number of native speakers of English is estimated at between 328-400 million people whereas the number of native speakers of Spanish is estimated at between 329-400 million speakers. It’s fairly neck and neck at the moment, but it is thought that there are now more native Spanish speakers than English speakers.

The number of non-native speakers, however, starts to tip the scale radically. The number of non-native speakers of English ranges between 199-1.4 billion people worldwide whereas the number of non-native speakers of Spanish is not entirely clear. The overall number of Spanish speakers (both native and non-native) is around 500 million people whereas the overall number of English speakers (both native and non-native) is between 500 million and 1.8 billion. Non-native speakers of English now outnumber native speakers by a ratio of three to one.

WINNER – English!

Round 3| Countries where language is spoken English is the official language in 53 sovereign states including South Africa, Ireland, India & Canada. It is the de facto official language in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Antigua and Barbuda & the Bahamas and also has official status in a further 27 non-sovereign entities including Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Montserrat.

18/10/1974. Soul legend Al Greene is attacked in his own bathtub by his ex-girlfriend when she bursts in and pours boiling hot grits (similar to porridge) on him before returning to his bedroom and shooting herself dead.

Spanish is the official language in 14 sovereign states: Spain, Columbia, Peru, Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guatemala, Bolivia, Honduras, Paraguay, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama & Equatorial Guinea. It's also the de facto official language in 6 more: Argentina, Mexico, Nicaragua, Chile, Dominican Republic & Uruguay. It's also the de jure official language in Puerto Rico, which is a dependent entity.

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in a Spanish-speaking country was the Universitat de Barcelona, which came 148th. The number of internet users using English last year was 536.6 million compared with 153.3 million using Spanish. The two languages were first and third respectively with only Mandarin (444.9 users) separating them.

WINNER – English!

WINNER – English!

Round 4| Size of the language We’re talking now about the number of words. The ratio of which is 2:1 in favour of English although this in no way means that one is more expressive than the other. Spanish is a much more economic language in which a subtle change in the order of words can alter the meaning completely.

However, we’re talking about vocabulary size here, English having a much bigger quantity of words. English is thought to have around 250,000 – 300,000 words at its disposal compared to around half of that in Spanish. It is believed that with just 1,000 words both languages can be spoken reasonably well. The origins of English are thought to be a major reason for this as it has assimilated words from these languages over the years. Whilst Spanish does have a noticeable Arabic influence, it is not on the same scale as with Latin, German & French in English.

Both English and Spanish have influenced each other, too. Words like mosquito, siesta, paella, chorizo and many other gastronomic words have been absorbed into English.

Words like marketing, casting, internet, sofa and many other economic and technological vocabulary have been adopted into Spanish.

“Hola

Round 6| The future For Americans, Spanish is the most important second language to learn due to demographics and popular culture. The sheer size of Spanish in terms of geography, the attractiveness of Spanish-speaking tourist destinations and hotter, cheaper places to retire mean that Spanish may continue to grow. This has contributed to growth along with the political stability of many South American countries in recent years. It is thought that 10% of the world’s population will be speaking Spanish by 2050, especially in the Western Hemisphere.

Guapa"

"Well,

hello there sailor"

WINNER – English!

Round 5| Usefulness In terms of travel both languages can be very useful although the number of countries, airports and hotels where English is spoken is much higher. The increasing number of non-native speakers amongst youngsters also means more people to speak to in English as a common language. 80-90% of the technology and science journals are in English. In addition to this 20 of the top 25 universities in the world are all in English speaking countries based on a recent study by the QS World University Rankings. The highest-ranking university

English is widely considered to be the ‘Latin of the 21st century’ or, to be more precise, the lingua franca of the modern era.

Nowadays non-native speakers outnumber natives by 3:1 making them ‘owners’ of the language.

It is certainly the most popular language for students in the European Union (89% of schoolchildren learn English compared to 32% of those who learn French as a second language). English is the most commonly used language in sciences (95% of science journals were written in English in 1995) and in business. Recent research suggests that English’s dominance in the future will begin to decline due to the lack of native speakers’ competitiveness in the workplace compared to bilingual workers. A recent study in the US has shown that one in five uses a language other than English at home, Spanish being the most common with Mandarin rising quickly. This phenomenon is set to continue as the gap between the number of native and non-native speakers gets bigger.

WINNER – English!

OVERALL WINNER English!

Well, for now anyway…

An absolute drubbing by a very strong opponent. If you want our advice, though, get studying Mandarin. Quickly!

19/10/1989. After almost 15 years in prison 'The Guildford 4' are released after new evidence clears them of being IRA bombers. The film 'In The Name Of The Father' starring Daniel Day Lewis describes the events.

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I heart Valencia

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Learn Better with the British Council Festivals are a great conversation topic and this month it’s Halloween!!

B

ut, what do you know about Halloween?

How did it start?

What do people do?

Try this quiz if you dare…

True or False?

(and then check your answers below)

1. Halloween is traditionally celebrated on the night of 31st October, the night before All Saint’s Day. 2. In England Halloween was called ‘All Hallow’s Eve’.

3. On Halloween night all evil spirits stayed at home.

4. Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic holiday and the name ‘Halloween’ means ‘Winter’s End’.

5. In past times people put lamps or lanterns outside their houses to keep away evil spirits.

6. People believed that witches, ghosts and goblins went around at night looking for a living body!

7. On Halloween people dressed up as ghosts and witches so that the spirits would not steal their body!

8. Nowadays people put pumpkins with faces in their houses.

9. The pumpkin is sometimes called the ‘Jack-olantern’.

10. ‘Trick or treat’ is a game children play at Halloween to play jokes (trick) or get sweets (treat).

Follow this link to find lots more Halloween resources you can use with your to help with learning English »»» >>>>> http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/category/topics/halloween 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

True True False: All the evil spirits went out to haunt people!

False: It means ‘summer’s End’.

False: They wanted to be friendly to the spirits.

6. True 7. True 8. False: People put pumpkins outside their houses.

9. True 10. True

www.britishcouncil.es

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t's a period of change; the weather alters to something a little damper, and the holidays reflect this by taking a more sombre turn.

(29 +) 31 October - Halloween An evening of costumes and face paints. But as the 31st is on a Monday, you will find that some start celebrating on Saturday 29th.

So it's not really a local holiday, but it certainly is a day when lots of people get into the spirit and spend a bit of time getting dressed up, and possibly drinking something green in a glass.

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Remember that National holidays will mean fewer buses, and most shops, banks and supermarkets will be closed.

1 November - All Saints Day A day to remember loved ones.

A local holiday which looks like it won't have a bridge (an extra holiday on Monday 31 October). However this will be confirmed either way closer to the time.

It's a period of days where extra buses are laid on to take the locals to the graveyards around the outskirts of the city, to pass some time and reflect on their family and friends.

It's a melancholic affair, but there's a nice tradition here of remembering the pleasant elements of someone who has passed. Don't feel left out, everyone is invited to spend some time remembering.

In the community and the neighbouring towns | (Ali=Alicante, Cast = Castellon) 15-31 October 18| Cheste San Lucas Evangelista 21| Sinarcas, Santa Ursula, Caudiel (Cast) 24| Onda (Cast), Sueras (Cast), Calp (Ali) 31| Museros, Puebla de San Miguel, Artana (Cast), Canet lo Roig – San Miguel, El Toro (Cast), Eslida (Cast), Higueras (Cast), Alcocer de planes (Ali), Balones (Ali), Cocentaina (Ali), Murla (Ali) 1-15 November 11| Catí, 14| Alfondeguilla (Cast), 14 & 15| Benidorm (Ali)

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Holidays and parties

Halloween traditions Carving lanterns from turnips stems from the Irish and Scottish way of remembering the souls held in purgatory.

It's more common to use pumpkins now, for easier carving.

Ducking for apples (apples float in a bucket of water and people use their teeth to remove one), or eating sticky apples hung from string: popular as the date is during apple season.

Trick-or-treating, which comes from 'souling', an activity where poor folk would exchange prayers for the dead for money or food on Hallowmas (November 1), Single people used to carve an apple into one long strip, and throw over their shoulder. The peel would land in the shape of a letter, which was the first letter of the future spouse's name.

Unmarried women used to sit in a dark room, and looked in a mirror. The face of the future husband would 'appear' in the mirror. Or a skull, if they wouldn't marry.

All information correct at time of print. Check with the local tourist information when making plans.

20/10/1977. Three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd die when their plane crashes just outside Gillsburg, Mississippi. The 'Free Bird' & 'Sweet Home Alabama' band chartered the plane after Aerosmith had turned it down for safety reasons.

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Valencia community | Moraira

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his area is really made up of two towns, pretty Moraira which sits on the coastline, and Teulada which lies just inland. Initially fishers from Teulada moved to Moraira to fish, but now the tourists and expats have found the spot, and have settled in. However, fish is, as it always was, at the core of this town. The fishermen leave early in the morning, returning later to sell their products at the auction.

On arrival it's possible to see that while there is an international group of holidaymakers and expats, it still has a feel of a Spanish village, which is where its charm lies. Moraira has a reputation for being friendly, welcoming, with a real community spirit, which can be seen in the smiles, the charity shops and the Community based activities.

The area isn't just known for its fish, but also for the growing of the deliciously sweet Moscatel grapes, which are used in the local wine, which is always worth searching out and sampling.

The town itself has quaint shops selling items which aren't just the run of the mill tourist tat. An afternoon can easily be spent cruising from shop to shop to look at beautiful jewellery, ornamental glass, and our top spot was the special Belgium chocolate shop run by a delightful man from York. For those that want to look without stretching their legs, there's a little train which does a tour of the town for €3.50. On Fridays there is an openair market in the centre, selling products including some delicious local fruit and vegetables, interesting clothes, shoes and bags. There is also a small fairground which runs though the Summer which brings everyone together and adds to the atmosphere.

The Castillo de Moraira is unavoidable, situated on the sea front at L'Ampolla beach. It is an 18th Century building, known as an ox hoof (pezuña de buey) due to its shape. It was built to protect the locals from pirates, and has been recently restored. It's nice to head over to it for a small walk along the sea front.

For those feeling inspired to submerge themselves, next to the castle is the scuba dive centre or simply take a snorkel and paddle out.

The coast has both sandy beaches and rocky inlets, which make for some very enjoyable walks in nonsunbathing season. On one side is the beach Portet, which, due to its location closer to the centre, felt more for tourists, with a relaxed family feel and a number of restaurants. On the other side of the castle is a secluded beach called L'Ampolla. With fewer tourists, this was a beach worth visiting to sit on the sand and enjoy the peace. There are restaurants and bars along the beach here too, but fewer than at Portet.

The port is key to Moraira, and a stroll down will show you how a pretty penny can be spent on some incredibly stunning boats. Behind the port is a path through a nature reserve, which protects the local fauna, and where you can sit and enjoy the view of the impressive port. If you want to see a bit more of nature, there are some very picturesque walks, which aren't too tiring, and take a couple of hours to do.

By the port is the fish market with fish auctions every morning, there is a bidding system – anyone is free to go in and buy, and this is highly recommended to ensure you get some of the freshest fish there is.

The tourist influence has brought with it a selection of different styles of restaurants, ranging from traditional Spanish to English fry-ups. We found a wonderful deli called The Olive Tree with excellent food and staff, which has two branches, and is often busy. However, our Moraira fact file Population | 1.845 (2009) Patron | La Virgen de los Desamparados Km to Valencia | 100km Places of interest | The Port El Castillo de Moraira Fiestas | Around 20 August Moscatel fiesta 2nd/3rd week June Moors & Christians Useful info | Tourist info | 965 74 51 68 www.teulada-moraira.es Market day | Friday

21/10/1966. Aberfan in Wales sees one of the worst mining disasters in history when 148 people are killed (including 116 children) when a landslide of coal ash, mud and rocks buries the local school.

favourite spot to eat has to be The Bistro which has great quality, Spanish, a la carte food. I would recommend the leg of lamb but they also make the most of the freshest of fish to produce some wonderful dishes. It's on the plaza just opposite the sea front.

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Car | AP7. Takes 1hr 30 mins Bus | Alsa bus to Teulada.

Takes 3 hours, 3 x daily. www.alsa.es. €11 single Train | No direct train.

For the evenings there is a Cafe del Mar, a few kilometres down the beach, where you can sit out and enjoy the view, or on the L'Ampolla beach there is a cafe which does live jazz at night making for a pleasant evening.

This town is really a place for families and the restful, however there are discos for night time activities if you do fancy hanging out on a dance floor. There are also some open air clubs down by the castle which often have bands playing and it's got a great atmosphere. The Lions Club is an international group that get together with the aim of raising money for local projects and helping those in need. They sometimes arrange events, such as live music, so it's worth checking www.teuladamorairalions.org.

Check with the tourist information for prices and times of local places of interest.

22/10/1962. JFK announces to a terrified US public that Soviet nuclear weapon sites had been found nearing completion on Cuban soil. The threat level was raised to DEFCON 2 - the highest level ever reached in a non-war situation.

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Valencia community | Moraira

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Restaurant | Refugio

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t's a delight this month to finally write about my favourite restaurant in the city. I first visited this freshly decorated restaurant in El Carmen last Spring, a decision based entirely on the Che inspired sign outside.

The restaurant is interesting without being overwhelming, with chunky furniture, clean walls, and a rotation of artists' pieces adorning the walls; we've seen some twisted Mickey Mouses, and the last delight was Djinn by Ana Miralles (until November).

As we were with British family members we arrived early to a quiet restaurant, giving us undivided attention, although on subsequent visits when there have been other patrons, we have always been pleased with the level of friendly service. As the world's most difficult customer, they made sure that whatever I ordered would be within the limits of the allergies and the chefs kept to this promise, for which I am grateful.

We've now tried both the evening menu (starter, main, desert, coffee, wine and a cheeky digestif came to €130 for 3 people) and the lunchtime menu (starter, main, desert/coffee for €10 each or €13 at weekends). Unlike other places, the lunchtime menu was the same excellent standard as the dinner menu, with well-thought out menus and interesting flavour combinations that not only suited each other, but really worked on exciting and stimulating the taste buds as well.

The menu changes to keep it fresh, with special menus for special calendar events to keep you coming back to try out the new sensations. And if the evening menu of Presa de ibérico – Shoulder of Pork with teriyaki flavoured licorice and salted arnadí (€16) ever returns, I will camp outside the doors on opening night; I have never, with any exaggeration, ever, tasted a meal as delicious as this one. I had it twice just to check.

And we've just heard that until 15 November, the owners Rocío & Paco, will donate €1 to Acción contra el Hambre for every person who visits Sunday-Thursday evenings and orders the menú solidario. The amount raised will go to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood acute malnutrition in the poorest countries in the world.

If you ask for a Bono menú revolutionary card, and get it stamped on every visit, they also offer the 10th menu for free (or a discount on your dinner), for every ten you have.

The advert says Cooking revolution. And it really is.

The food arrived in good time – not so quick as to hear the pings of any microwave, but not so slow that we were left eating our own arms. The desert took the longest, as we would have hoped, given that it was freshly made Tatín de papaya with maracuyá sorbet (€7) - heaven – and well worth the wait.

Calle Alta, 42, El Carmen.

Mon-Sun 2pm-4pm, 9pm-midnight +34 96 391 77 54 www.refugiorestaurante.com refugio.restaurante@gmail.com 23/10/2002. A siege in a Moscow theatre by Chechen rebels leads to 700 people being taken hostage. With typically understated might, the Russian troops stormed the building and killed all 50 guerrillas and 120 of the hostages.

This is me | Travis Rabenberg

His choice has led to broken bones, being robbed in Barcelona (well it is traditional) and also partying with supermodels and the Crown Prince of Dubai.

So why have we chosen to focus on Travis? Well he's part of a new generation of Americans that are fearless when it comes to taking on the world. He set himself a goal of 30 countries in 300 days travelling over 30,000 miles in the process. He's now almost at the end of his travels and his website has become so popular that he has publishers chasing him for a book deal. He is also now involved in Writers for Health which donates motorbikes to outlying African villages and is also becoming involved with internet discussions with American Schools and Colleges after being asked by students and professors alike what a gap year can achieve and to encourage others to do the same.

"I've always been into bikes, Enduro motorbiking has been a passion for my whole family and when I was made redundant I tried to think about ways I could incorporate that into seeing the world and also helping those less fortunate. Too many Americans are locked into the career ladder after leaving college and I want to show them that you can do things differently and actually improve your chances of gaining employment in the longer term.

For too long Americans have just looked to the relative safety of the American lifestyle and we should be getting out more and seeing the world and seeing it from another point of view."

So what is Enduro motorbiking? "It's a form of racing where you have 6 hours to traverse 160kms through difficult conditions be it desert, jungle or thick woods. I got to become quite good at it, finishing third in the US Championships. Now I want to show people less fortunate how to use bikes safely in extreme conditions such as Africa and South America, places where bikes are going but the locals are not being shown how to use them or look after them properly."

His website is receiving over 60,000 hits a month and he has been interviewed and given riding lessons all over the world. It just goes to show what can be achieved after a fearless change of direction and seeing what skills you have can change others' lives for the better, if you just give it a chance. Not to mention the amazing story you'll have to tell at the end of it.

"we should be getting out more and seeing the world and seeing it from another point of view."

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-year-old Travis Rabenberg is from Michigan, a qualified mechanical engineer and likes motorbikes. Nothing too astonishing about that. But when you peel back the layers you realise that this is one American citizen who is determined to live life his own way. After a series of small events culminating in being made redundant last year he decided that he was going to travel and importantly, to try to make a difference.

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For more information, to donate, to read about his exploits so far or just to ask him questions on how he's done it - log onto www.trekkingwithtrav.com or go to his facebook site 'Trekking with trav'.

24/10/1901. On this day in 1901, a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor becomes the first person to take the plunge over Niagara Falls in a cushion-lined old wooden pickle barrel.

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Expat life | Social Theatre

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irini Delaki, a native of Crete, first came to Valencia in 2005. It’s a common story in the expat world, she came with a short stay in mind and has been unable to break free since.

Eirini runs social theatre workshops here in the capital, which provide for creative expression and social intervention for marginalised people. She works with victims of domestic abuse, addicts, immigrants and people from conflict zones to name just a few.

Eirini’s passion for the project is obvious. She says, "Theatre is not elitist, it’s accessible to everyone. It aims to discover the artist and child inside everyone." She believes the perception that theatre may be seen as a luxury and lower down on the hierarchy of needs for marginalised people needs to be countered and that the concrete results show its true value. "The objective is to get in touch with psychological necessities so that people can discover how to break down barriers for themselves." possible to keep them going for those who can’t afford to Eirini has spent a lot of time in India and Nepal using pay. With this in mind collaboration is vital and this is where social theatre in marginalised communities with enormous Eirini sees the future. She would like to success. In one area alcoholism was see, "the creation of a multi-disciplined reduced by 60% over a number of years "The objective community, where different artists or following the introduction of social is to get in touch professionals, that use art, get together, theatre workshops. with psychological not just to express themselves, but to cocreate and share the benefits of creative There is also an additional benefit to necessities so that expression with an audience. The good social theatre that other forms of therapy people can discover news is that it has started already, art is don’t have. Because it can step beyond the how to break initial workshop and become a spectacle it taking over!" has an impact on the audience as well as down barriers for the participants and this can go a long way As for Eirini herself, her professional themselves." to changing attitudes in the community. and personal life, are intertwined. Her job feeds into the way she lives her life and Eirini calls it, "something that comes from her life informs her work. "A so-called, easy job, would make the heart and goes straight to the heart." my life more difficult, since it wouldn’t be the right way to channel my passion. I’ve been living an international life Recently she has started to develop a style of social from a very early age. I’ve always had friends from different theatre which, combines yoga as a way to supplement the creative experience and develop the expressive potential of countries and curiosity to get to know other cultures. I look for the magical common element in all people, no matter the participants. what their background. That is what I want to do here in Valencia and wherever I go."

Like most social projects there is a constant struggle to Eoghan Ryan keep it self-sustaining and so Eirini runs workshops at the university and for other paying groups in order to make it

25/10/1885. Pablo Picasso is born in Malaga, Spain. In his lifetime's work he is estimated to have produced over 50,000 pieces including paintings, ceramics, sculptures and engravings. Not that you or I will ever afford one.

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ounded by traveller Blake Mycoskie after a trip to Argentina in 2006, Toms have gone from strength to strength since his return to Argentine streets not long afterwards. This time he was bearing boxes full of free footwear.

After a trip to Argentina in 2006, Mycoskie befriended I came across Toms a year or so ago when a friend of some street children and realized that they did not have mine explained to me the basic concept behind his new any shoes to protect their feet. Upon returning home to the shoes, which had begun to appear in shops everywhere I US, he thought that it would be a great idea to set up his went. It’s quite simple: for every pair of Toms that you buy, own shoe company, which would give away a pair of shoes a pair is donated to a child in a third world country. It really for every pair of shoes sold. He returned to Argentina with is that simple and this company/charity has come along friends and staff with 10,000 pairs of shoes to give away to way from its humble beginnings. these children so that they would no longer have to walk the streets barefoot.

Kiera Knightley, Sophia Bush, Scarlett Johannsen, and Kristen Stewart are amongst the many celebrities who Mycoskie soon realized that the demand for shoes have been seen sporting a pair and thus raising awareness stretched further than merely Argentina and swiftly moved about Toms and their cause. Their website boasts the his project to other countries such as China, South Africa, results – as of 2010, 1 million pairs of Toms have been Cambodia, Haiti, Mali, Armenia, Uganda and many more, donated to children in 3rd world countries and the number providing children with a pair of shoes for every pair looks set to continue to rise. The company itself has bought. The company now works in conjunction with expanded with many different styles of shoes available to humanitarian and health organisations around the world. buy and a recent expansion into eyewear.

Why shoes? Most children grow up without shoes and go about their daily business eg. go to school, do their chores, play without any shoes on their feet. The risks for children are: one No shoes means exposure to soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the bare skin of their feet. These diseases can cause long-term physical and cognitive harm. Diseases include hookworm, podoconiosis, jiggers and tetanus, to name a few.

two Shoes are a status symbol (in Ethiopia).

"Children dream of having their first pair."- Dr. Larry Thomas (Chairman of Tropical Health Alliance Foundation). Something that many of us take for granted can provide a major boost in confidence for people in 3rd world countries.

three No shoes means cuts and sores, which are dangerous once infection sets in. Some children have to walk miles to school, to get water or to receive medical attention without shoes.

four No shoes means no school. Shoes are often a required part of school uniform. With no shoes, they can't go to school to receive an education.

So, get involved! For more information you can visit the website at www.toms.com.

FACT 1| TOM is not a person, merely an abbreviation for ‘Shoes for a better TOMorrow.

FACT 2| Once a shoe is bought, it takes several months for TOMS’ Giving Partners so order the shoes and get them onto children’s feet.

FACT 3| Kids don’t make the shoes. Toms factories in Argentina, Ethiopia and China are all third-party audited to ensure no child labour is used.

Fact 4| They currently give shoes to 23 countries.

26/10/1881. The famous shootout at the OK Corral. The Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday faced off against the Clanton/ McLaury gang for control of the town of Tombstone, Arizona. It lasted 30 seconds and 30 shots were fired.

Intermediate

Charity | Toms

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1 La Galeria, C/ Baja, 38 2 KandABooks, C/ Tapineria, 18 3 Dhaba, Pl. de Don Juan de Vilarrasa, 6b 4 La Botifarra, C/ Pinz贸n, 12 5 Lenguas Vivas, C/ Palleter, 43 6 Sopranos, San Francisco de Borja,6 7 La Gnocca de la Tia, C/ Verger, 1 8 Portland Ale House, C/ Salamanca, 10 9 Blue Moon, C/ Ercilla, 1 10 British Foods.es, Central Market 11 Gusto Nuovo, Av/ Reino de Valencia, 9 12 Orange Language Academy, C/ Santo Domingo Savio, 68 (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA www.openstreetmap.org/

Talking Teaching with Orange Language Academy

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eturning back to work after summer is always a mixed bag of emotions; the students are all brown and smiley, enthusiastic (in most cases) about studying English and maybe a little bit nervous. You’re probably feeling the same if you have some new faces in your class, some new challenges or, possibly, exactly the same ones that you had last year and will have every year to come.

It’s the perfect time of year for you to set writings for homework. Nearly all of your students will hand it in the following week, enthusiastically, some of them may even have done the title in different colours or tidily written it out again without any scribbling on it. This year I was saddened to find that two of my ten students hadn’t done the writing, which came as a bit of a shock to me (remember that part about being kept on your toes). I’m hoping that they’ll hand in two this Friday, but maybe that’s wishful thinking (it is a FCE intensive course, by the way, I’m not that demanding).

This kind of enthusiasm rarely lasts throughout the year. Students studying a full, nine month course get their second wind after Christmas/ January exam results, but then we’ve got Fallas, Easter, and, soon enough, we’re back on to end of term exams and into summer mode again. I know, I know, I’m wishing my life away.

So, where does all of the enthusiasm go? More importantly, what can we do as teachers to try to keep it at a steady level throughout the course? It is, unfortunately, something that we have to deal with, even with adult classes.

Once children hit secondary school there is a marked drop in enthusiasm compared to when they are studying at primary school. You remember them from last year, arriving with a big smile on their faces with their books and pencil cases. Why all of a sudden are they looking at you like they want your head on a stake?

I find that a lot of the problem is that they can’t really see any progress throughout the course even though they will be miles better by Christmas than they were at the beginning of the year. Think of how much more they understand even if they still struggle to speak. A good way to monitor progress is normally provided by the people who actually write the books. They include a nice little checklist that can be completed by the students themselves as you

progress through the course. If it’s a little too wordy for them, maybe you could simplify them yourself or even write them in Spanish if needs be.

I’ve seen progress charts on walls before, but I’m not sure how good or bad they are for the morale of the weaker students, who can simply look up at the blank spaces on the chart next to their name, confirming what they already thought about how terrible their English is. Sometimes this is not the way forward, even if it introduces a competitive element into the classroom that wasn’t there before. It can be especially embarrassing for adults and can be humiliating for shy or weaker students.

They can glue it to the front of their books or keep it in the front of their folders. You should make sure to check it from time to time. Any student you suspect is merely giving themselves an ‘excellent’ for everything can be asked to demonstrate so during a activity when they are required to work on their own.

Make it very clear from the beginning that it is something between you and them individually, tell children they don’t have to show it to their parents if they don’t want to (let them keep it in the classroom if they’re afraid of this). You can punish students who try to look at other progress charts by making them tell a story or joke in English.

You’ll be surprised at just how much better they’ll feel about themselves when they can see what they have learnt rather than the things that they haven’t.

Orange Language Academy has been an American run language school for the city of Valencia and its provinces since 2005 offering all types of language related services.

They run the Mon language exchange at The Bohemian Café and the Tues and Weds nights at the Portland Ale House. Find out more at www.orangeidiomas.com

For those of you who really want to get down to learning the language, we'll be bringing you an expression each month.

This is our job. Your job? Get out there and use it! Then tell us how you get on... el quinto pino – the middle of nowhere e.g. No lo pasamos muy bien porque el hotel estaba en el quinto pino.

We didn’t have a good time because the hotel was in the middle of nowhere.

27/10/1904. The New York underground opens for the first time. While not the oldest (London), not even in the US (Boston), it soon became the biggest. On it's opening day, 100,000 paid a nickel to travel under the Big Apple.

Music

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very month we review the best new music out there and try to keep you up-to-date with those important goings on in the music world. Chris Kellet and Sean kick us off with their album reviews.

Album to chill out to | A Creature I Don't Know – Laura Marling Despite her mere 21 years of age, folky favourite Laura Marling is already on her 3rd release.

Two years, that is, before Dylan managed the same feat. Her latest offering picks up where its much-revered predecessor left off. Intimate, acoustic driven songs form the basis, while 'The Beast', a six-minute epic which pits Marling's soft, delicate vocals against a backdrop of fierce electric guitars, is an unexpected treat. The album ends superbly, as they all do, with the delightfully sunny 'Flicker and Fail', which seems to purge all the dark elements that brood beneath the surface throughout.

Standout Tracks| Salinas, All my Rage, Flicker and Fail Album to muse to | Metals - Feist Feist was propelled to fame a few years back when '1234' was selected for use on an iPod advertisement. The success of this even granted her an appearance on Sesame Street, where the song was revised with the backing of a bunch of monsters to teach numbers.

This is her first full-length album since then and there is little trace of anything that the Muppets could sing along to. In fact, unlike some of her old material, there isn't a single song with a catchy lyric. Instead, 'Metals' is raw, intimate and serious in tone. Its pace is at times ridiculously slow, meandering as it does from track to track, with barely a change in tone. This record shows what a great songwriting talent she still is and just how much she's matured as an artist.

Standout Tracks| The bad in each other, How come you never go there, The undiscovered first Album to swagger to | Velociraptor – Kasabian The fourth studio album for the Leicester rockers and a band that everyone’s had their eye on since their self-titled debut album in 2004. The album has a menacing feel to it from the opening track as though it were the soundtrack to a futuristic showdown in the Midlands. Production comes courtesy of Dan The Automator, who manages to work magic with guitar, drum and bass loops combined with Ennio Morricone style vocals, strings and Tom Meighan’s rasping vocals. We’ve almost got traces of Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir on tracks like ‘Acid Turkish Bath,’ Kraftwerk on ‘I Hear Voices’ and The Kinks on ‘Man Of Simple Pleasures’ as though this were a homage to their heroes.

Standout Tracks | Let’s Roll Just Like We Used To, Goodbye Kiss, Velociraptor Other releases | DJ Shadow, Julian Lennon, Roots Manuva, Coldplay, Marilyn Manson, Kelly Clarkson, Florence and the Machine, Korn, Lou Reed, Miranda Lambert and many more….

Music news| Arctic Monkeys have confirmed gigs in Barcelona (27/01) and Madrid (28/01).

Tickets are available from Miles Away and Ticketmaster and will cost €35 if you get them before the gig.

The first 1,000 tickets €99 for Primavera Sound 2012 have sold out! It attracted highprofile acts last year, including Mercury Prize winning singer PJ Harvey, Fleet Foxes, Nick Cave, Pulp and more. 30/5-03/6 www.primaverasound.es

Early-bird tickets for Benicassim 2012, are now on sale, €125 for the weekend. This includes camping from 9-13, 15 & 16/07. The festival takes place 1215/07. Subscribe at www.benicassim.org.uk

She’s the girl with the big voice and probably our best since the tragic passing of Ms. Winehouse. Rumours of Adele being chosen to sing the next Bond theme tune are everywhere at the moment.

As if there wasn’t enough porn on the internet already!

Recent rumours of a Tupac Shakur sex tape have surfaced nearly 15 years after the rapper was gunned down in Las Vegas at the age of 25.

28/10/1919. Over-ruling President Woodrow Wilson's power of veto, the Volstead Act is passed into law and Prohibition begins. Liquor is banned and America goes dry for 14 years until it is repealed in 1933.

Live events

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very month we pick out the best live music in and around the Valencia Community for those of you who want to enjoy the live music on offer. If we hear of anything else coming up, we'll Facebook it.

Cut Copy| 28/10 (21:30) Off the back of the European summer festival circuit, these Aussie electro boppers will be paying us a visit before heading home for a well earned break (one would imagine!). www.discomirror.es

Excuse me| C/Tomasos 14 (VLC) Always an eclectic taste from Northern Soul, rock, pop and indie.

29/10 Discobiscuits 31/10 Son of a witch On Facebook.

El Palau de la Musica| (VLC) Season

Rock City| A new venue has opened up in Tavernes Blancas to the north of the city. This 500 people capacity venue with 100m2 private terrace looks to have a varied music policy. Don't miss the 20th Anniversary evening of U2s Achtung Baby 12/11. www.valenciarockcity.com

Sala Mirror| San Vicente Martir, Sala El Loco| C/ Erudito Orellana, 200 (VLC) A popular place for dance music lovers with an excellent venue and a wide variety of DJs. Also, during the week, it’s a magnet for big acts passing through.

16/10 The Mission with frontman Wayne Hussey are bringing their goth rock show to town. €30.

18/10 Babasónicos + Love of Lesbian €22.

26/10 Bonny Prince Billy with his unique sound of americana, punk, folk, roots, country, indie rock. €22.

4/11 Jorge Ilegal y Los Magníficos €16. www.discomirror.es

Sala Wah Wah| C/ Campoamor, 58 (VLC) It's a big day for this great venue as they celebrate their 11th Anniversary on 11+12/11 with Arizona Baby and Los Coronas. €16.

21/10 Canal Blues €5.

5/11 Fountains of Wayne €5.

11/11 Los Coronas 1991 Mardid Spanish surf band - one not to miss €tbc On Facebook.

Sala Matisse| C/ Campoamor, 60 (VLC) 21/10 Cool autumnal tunes The Bright and Moonflower €12/15. www.salamatisse.es Jimmy Glass| C/ Baja, 28 (VLC) Some laid back smokin' tunes offered for your delectation at the jazz bar.

18/10 Sergi Sirvent, Horacio Fumero and David Xirgu €12. Every Friday sees a piano/guitar session. €4. www.jimmyglassjazz.net

12 (VLC) Another varied programme for this month with something for everyone. Highlights include: 21/10 Airbag & Los Brackets €12/16, 25/10 Alela Diane will be warming up for supporting Fleet Foxes €tbc A heads up for something happening next month - A Tribute to Queen and Freddie Mercury by Momo (apparently the best Freddie tribute band around according to Brian May). €12/€15. www.lococlub.org

tickets (abonos) are on sale also get one quick to get great discounts. A huge amount of Valencian themed events on this month including the Valencian Orchestra and Valencia Philharmonic Societys. Other highlights include the Cleveland Orchestra 23/10, The finale of the International Piano Contest 26/10 and the Glenn Miller Orchestra 01/11. www.palaudevalencia.com

Durango| C/ Llanterners 35, Poligono La Closa (Meliana) 15/10 Tribute - Ramons, Cult to Cult 21/10 The Steepwater Band, Keysar Soze 29/10 Supergroup & Barrabas Hookers 31/10 A huge Halloween night including a Misfits tribute band. www.durangoclub.es La Caverna| C/ Cuenca, 70 (VLC) A very cosy venue which you would

Pop Club Deluxe| C/ Poeta Mas y normally just dismiss as another bar, Ros, 42 (VLC) Always a safe bet for a bit of music. www.deluxepopclub.com

Café Mercedes| C/ Sueca, 27 (VLC) A nice, cheap jazz venue in the heart of Ruzafa with free jam sessions on Sundays from 20:30. No acts for this month announced as yet, but keep an eye on www.cafemercedes.es

but step inside and you’ll often find a mad gig going on. Keep an eye on their blog (lacavernaclub.blogspot.com) as news is normally word of mouth.

Café del Duende| C/ Turia, 62 (VLC) A great place to catch decent flamenco dancing, music and tales from ThursSun from 23:30.

23/10 A storytellers evening: Trencaclosques (tales and music) 30/10 Solera de Salero (fusion music) 5/11 Manuela 'La Jara' (dance) www.cafedelduende.com

Music Box| C/ Pintor Zariñera, 16 (VLC) & Radio City| C/ Santa Teresa 19 (VLC) Open daily with visiting DJs and Tuesdays offer live flamenco music at Radio City (23:00, €7 with free drink). www.myspace.com/themusicboxclub and www.radiocityvalencia.com

Festival Musical Urbano de Valencia| 29/10-29/11 More info at

www.festivalurbano.org 29/10/1618. Three trips to the Americas and being a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I is not enough to save Sir Walter Raleigh from a beheading after falling foul of her when she finds out he has married another woman in secret.

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Sport

Intermediate

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ilence please| 29/10-06/11 - The Agora building at the City of Arts and Sciences once again plays host to some of the world's top tennis players when the Valencia Open 500 returns between 29 October and 6 November.

Big names such as Martín del Potro, Nikolay Davydenko and former World number 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero will all be on show and if you buy your tickets online or at one of their affiliated tourist offices you will receive a free tube of tennis balls. www.turisvalencia.es

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et your engines ready| Moto Grand Prix| Fans of fast bikes are in for a real treat over at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Cheste when the last race of the Moto GP season takes place there on 6 November. Stars like Casey Stoner, Daniel Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo looking to wrap their year up in style on their 500cc bikes.

Buying your tickets before the 2nd November will also entitle you to an early bird discount. www.circuitvalencia.com

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n your marks| XXI Valencia Half Marathon| 23 October. For all you runners the half marathon (21097.5 m) will take place between Avenido del Puerto and the F1 circuit down at the port.

The organisers say they think this year's circuit will allow for faster times for those wishing to set a personal best. If you want to register it will cost only €25. www.mediomaratonvalencia.com

© Valencia Basket

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alencia Basketball Club| 16/10 - 12:30 Valencia Basket - Lucentum Alicante 23/10 - 12:30 Caja Laboral - Valencia Basket 29-30/10 Valencia Basket - Unicaja 05-06/11 Lagun Aro Gbc- Valencia Basket 12-13/11 Valencia Basket - FC Barcelona Regal www.valenciabasket.com

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ootball| Valencia fixtures| 15/10 RCD Mallorca - Valencia CF 19/10 19:45 Bayer Leverkusen - Valencia CF 22/10 Valencia CF - Athletic Bilbao 25/10 Real Zaragoza - Valencia CF 29/10 Valencia CF - Getafe CF 1/11 19:45 Valencia CF - Bayer Leverkusen 5/11 Levante UD - Valencia CF

Levante fixtures| 16/10 Levante - Málaga 22/10 Villarreal - Levante 25/10 Levante - Real Sociedad 29/10 Osasuna - Levante 05/11 Levante - Valencia 30/10/1975. 83-year-old Francisco Franco finally relinquishes his grip on Spain and Prince Juan Carlos assumes command.

Juan Carlos' grandfather was Alfonso XIII, the last ruling monarch of Spain who was exiled in 1931.

Cinema

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Naader and Simin: A Separation| (Asghar Farhadi, 2011) Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat In a rare Farsi spoken cinema treat and something for those of you who fancy something a bit more intellectually challenging when you go to the cinema, we’ve got this awardwinning film on at Babel.

The story traces the lives of a young Iranian couple Naader (Moaadi) and Simin (Hatami) who have to make a choice between leaving Iran for a better life for their child or staying behind to take care of Naader’s father.

The first ever movie to win 3 Bears from the Berlin Film Festival.

Babel: For more info see www.cinesalbatrossbabel.com

Advanced

very month inVLC brings you the best that cinema has to offer in and around the Valencia Community.

This month we’ve got a variety of Original Version films for you to enjoy.

Larry Crowne| (Tom Hanks, 2011) Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Sarah Mahoney Middle-aged man Larry (Hanks) goes back to college after being let go from his high-paying job in the city.

He soon falls in with a bunch of misfits with no direction in their lives and a penchant for booting it around town on scooters.

In a public-speaking class he ‘unexpectedly’ falls in love with his teacher Mercedes (Roberts), who is equally disenchanted with her life and husband.

I won’t give away the ending, but I’m fairly sure you’ll be able to read between the lines.

Yelmo Cines: 18:05, 20:15, 22:20, 00:30

Intruders| (Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 2011) Clive Owen, Clarice van Houten, Daniel Bruhl, Ella Purnell Fresnadillo’s credentials for films like 28 Weeks Later (2007) and Spanish thriller Intacto (2001) show that he has already cut his teeth in the horror/ thriller genre.

With a strong lead in the form of Coventry-born Clive Owen playing John, who is the concerned father of Mia (Purnell) – an 11-year-old with a vivid imagination.

When Mia has a graphic nightmare, John is forced to fight off an intruder who he manages to chase off.

After filming a second ‘break in’ he goes to the police, who play back the footage to reveal that there was nothing there.

Yelmo Cines: 15:30, 17:35, 19:45, 21:55, 00:05

The Three Musketeers| (Paul W.S. Anderson, 2011) Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Waltz Incredibly director Anderson’s name didn’t ring a bell at a glance, but looking into his back catalogue he’s got a string of horror/ thriller movies under his belt.

In addition to the Resident Evil series, he did Event Horizon (1997) and Alien vs. Predator (2004).

Now D’Artagnan and co. will get the Anderson treatment.

The legendary D’Artagnan (Lerman) joins the three down-on-their-luck musketeers to fight against the evil Cardinal Richelieu (Waltz), equally duplicitous Lord Buckingham (Orlando Bloom) and the ‘deadliest assassin that the world has ever seen' – M’lady De Winter (Jovovich). Think League of Extraordinary Gentleman (2003) against Sherlock Holmes (2009).

Yelmo: 17:50, 19:30, 21:50, 00:10

Babel, C/ Vicente Sancho Tello, 10, www.cinesalbatrosbabel.com Yelmo Cines, Avda Tirso de Molina, 16, www.yelmocines.es Filmoteca, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 17 www.gva.es

31/10/1984. Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, is gunned down and killed by two of her own bodyguards after she had personally vouched for them. The death sparked more than 1,000 Sikh deaths in reprisal for this act.

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Read me | Richard Askwith

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F

eet in the Clouds -A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession - Having been quite a good crosscountry runner as a young man and not a bad middle distance track runner, I rediscovered my taste for such things as sport only recently. After spending my twenties and thirties in far too many bars and nightclubs I decided (with my fortieth birthday fast approaching) to try to get myself fit again and even try my hand at running a marathon – which I duly did last year in the fair city of Valencia. So I know a little about distance running and considered myself to be quite a fit half-decent long distance runner. That is until I read Richard Askwith’s ‘Feet in the Clouds’, an entertaining, astounding, totally factual and quite insane account of a very different sort of sport.

Cumbria is in the north of England – a very beautiful area of mountains, lakes, rivers and sheep. Imagine a smaller version of Galicia or the Pyrenees. A ‘Fell’ is a Cumbrian word for a mountain – and ‘Fell-Running’ is a traditional sport in Cumbria, literally running up and then back down one or more mountains. Obviously you need to be extraordinarily fit as well as just a little bit crazy, to choose to do this in your free-time. Watch a film?

Relax with a good book?

See you down the pub? No. I think I will go out and run to the top of that mountain...

Now, as you will be aware the weather in the north of England is notoriously bad – endless rain, wind and cold – and it is ten times worse on the top of mountains in the north of England, with the added problems of blinding mist and terrain which is incredibly difficult to navigate (so getting lost in the freezing cold is highly likely). This is sport as pain, suffering and...more pain – it also makes for a great read (at least we can read about it and not try it right)?

(simply less famous). To give you one example, Billy Bland still holds the record for the ‘Bob Graham Round’ – an almost impossible race around Cumbria taking in 42 mountain tops (all to be completed within 24 hours) – Bland did it in 13 hours. He is the long distance equivalent of Usain Bolt – yet virtually unheard of outside Cumbria.

The ‘Bob Graham Round’ is in fact the centrepiece of this wonderful book. Askwith describes his obsession with trying to prepare himself to complete the ‘Bob Graham’, his numerous failures and eventual painful success – after a monumental amount of training involving running on mountains every day for months and eventually years.

As well as the pleasure of meeting some fantastically eccentric people, the amazement of learning about their incredible sporting achievements and the fascinating culture of a very beautiful part of the world, this book is also a testament to just what is possible if we put our minds to it and refuse to give up.

No matter how difficult or impossible something might seem we are all of us capable of far more than we think. Askwith won several ‘Best New Sports Writer’ awards in 2005 with this book – and deservedly so.

Highly recommended.

Iain Armstrong

‘Feet in the clouds’ is Richard Askwith’s account of the history and culture of this fascinating sport and the unique people who put themselves through it. So we learn about the lives of some incredible athletes – such as Bill Teasdale, Kenny Stuart, Joss Naylor and Billy Bland – athletes who are in fact just as amazing in their achievements as more illustrious Olympian figures Bikes| The monthly bike meeting of VLC will take place as usual on the first Friday of the month. This aims to promote bikes and bike safety in VLC. Place| Plaza de la Virgin, VLC Time| 7.30pm

01/11/1512. The Sistine Chapel opens its doors to the public for the very first time to allow them to see Michaelangelo's masterpiece. It had taken 4 years and is probably best known for The Creation of Adam fresco.

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ach month we’ll give you a topic for the following edition. Email us 1 high-resolution image with a sentence describing the photo by 31st of the month. We’ll choose a few entries to print and the editor's favourite wins a prize. This month's favourite is by James!

Steve Horler | A tea shop in the Islamic area in Granada

Nitu Didi |Home-made butter chicken

James Arendell |Sharp

Calvin Carson | Fiesta del Diablo in Salou Please send 1 photo per person & only send your own photo for copyright reasons. There are other terms and conditions - email us for them.

Next month’s topic is ‘looking up’.

Look forward to seeing your pictures. invlceditor@gmail.com

02/11/1986. Norwegian superwoman Grete Waitz wins her 8th New York marathon. The night before her first win she is said to have dined on filet mignon, shrimp cocktails, ice-cream and lots of red wine.

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Green living | cool, clear, water

Advanced

T

o state the obvious, water is fundamental for life.

It comes second in importance after air, we need regular quantities of clean, healthy, water to live a normal life. Two important aspects regarding water are the supply of water and the quality of the water.

They are both linked, we need both, quality without quantity or quantity without quality are of no use to us, but this month I am concentrating on quantity and what we can do about it in our daily lives.

Our water supply is once again becoming precarious in Spain, we have just had the driest September since 1987 and it doesn't look like it is going to rain anytime soon.

Although, even if it does rain and we have plenty of water, the cost and energy to get it to our homes is a big drain (no pun intended) on the natural resources of the planet. So it is important to play our part by reducing our water consumption as much as possible.

The following are some simple things that we do in our own homes which will not only save water but also save us some money as well.

Washing machine/Dish washer| Wait until it's full before using, if there are only a few plates/clothes, wash them by hand.

Toilet| Put a bottle (glass) full of water in the cistern.

Every time you flush it will save you that quantity of water.

Bath/Shower| Have a shower instead of a bath. When we are putting on the gel/shampoo turn off tap (saves water and electricity).

When warming the water for the shower, fill a bowl with water and use in the toilet.

Washing-up| Use a bowl of water to wash-up and rinse under the tap. Turn off the tap when not rinsing.

Brushing teeth/Washing hair/Shaving| Put a bowl in bathroom sink and use the water collected for the toilet.

A little goes a long way What| Make air freshener from a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle of water.

Why| Choose your own great smell.

There were two pieces of sad and interesting news that caught my attention this week.

The first was in an article in El País. It said that on 27 September planet Earth entered into an "ecological deficit". What exactly does that mean? It seems that the planet produces a certain quantity of resources every year.

We, the human race use up these resources each year, and what we need is a balance that we use only the resources which are available to us, or to use less, which allows the planet to regenerate. However on 27 September we used up all the resources that the planet was going to produce for the whole of this year!!

Ecologically speaking we are living way beyond our means. According to Aniol, spokesperson for the 'New Economic Foundation', this is because our economic system is based on infinite growth of consumption in a finite planet. In a previous report he said, "In the last decades the consumption of natural resources has increased, reducing the planet's capacity to provide goods and services and thereby endangering the foundations of our economic and social system. This increased consumption has not made us happier, not dramatically increased life expectancy."

The second piece of news was about Wangari Maathai, also known as the tree woman. Sadly she died at the age of 71 on 25 September. She was a Kenyan biologist and was the first black African woman to win the Nobel Peace prize (2004) and of course she celebrated by planting a tree!

The project of her life was to create a green belt of trees in Africa from the Indian ocean to the Atlantic ocean which would give local populations, especially African women, the wherewithal to improve their lives.

It is claimed that she is responsible for having promoted the planting of roughly 47 million trees. Wangari, may you continue your work from the other side and we'll take up your mantle on this side.

Declan Lehane

Why not| You enjoy breathing in formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, p- dichlorobenzene, & aerosol propellants.

Benefits| Nicer smells with less toxins at a low cost!

04/11/1922. Archaeologist Howard Carter and his team find the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Among the amazing treasures found was the mummy of the boy King himself.

Try with Cancha - fried Andean popcorn which you should be able to find at your local market.

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©Ledelboy Luis Delboy

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here are disputes, as with all objects of great importance, as to who actually invented Ceviche (Cebiche, Seviche). One hypothesis, supported by the Royal Spanish Academy, is that the name might derive from the Spanish-Arabic word . This word derives from the Arabic word (( ), meaning: meat cooked in vinegar).

It's exceedingly popular in South and Central America.

However, either the Spanish or the Moors themselves travelling from Granada may have been the catalyst for the dish, with the introduction of citric fruits.

All said and done, we don't really mind who takes claim to this. What is of major importance is its creation. With only a few ingredients, it’s very easy to make, but its freshness is of key importance. As the fish isn't cooked, but rather pickled (denatured) in the lime, this dish must be made freshly in order to prevent any reaction. It's possible to denature the fish for up to 3 hours, but this recipe needs only 20 minutes if it’s to be served as it is in Peru. In addition, the more cautious tend to cook the fish – it's not needed, but an option for the wary (this is no longer ceviche really, but actually escabeche.

There are as many variations as there are fish in the sea and the dish varies from country to country. We have chosen Sole – Lenguado - a white fish, which is low in toxins and not on the endangered fish list.

We have provided crisp flavours that we think best contrast with the sharpness in the forms of avocado, pepper and lettuce.

Pregnant women are recommended to avoid raw fish.

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What to buy| (Serves 2) 800g (2 lbs) sole cut up into bite size cubes 1 tsp of diced ají limon or jalapeños Juice of 20 limes 1 cup of red Spanish onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup fish broth (optional) 2 teaspoons ginger 1 clove of garlic Pinch of coriander Lettuce/avocado/red pepper

Wow factor| Exotic and exciting.

Effort| Simple, clean and quick!

How to make it| one Soak onions in water for 10 minutes. two Place the fish in a cold glass bowl.(Leave the bowl in the freezer for a couple minutes to get cold.) three Season with salt and pepper, and add the ají limon/ jalapeños. Mix well. four Add the lime juice, and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Stir regularly to ensure all fish is covered. five Drain juice, blend with garlic and ginger. Pour back on fish. six Add the onion and (optional) fish broth. Mix well. seven Let this sit refrigerated for up to 15 minutes. eight Serve with lettuce, avocado and red pepper. nine Garnish with coriander.

The year in the 1900s when now deceased Peruvian-Japanese chef Dario Matsufuji, 'created' Ceviche.

03/11/1998. Former bad-boy WWF wrestler Jake 'The Body' Ventura becomes Governor of Minnesota after a campaign in which he raised his $250,000 running fund by selling $22 t-shirts to his fans.

First certificate

Recipe | Ceviche

Artist of the month| Jaine Thorne

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W

e want to support new and up-and-coming artistic talent in the Valencian Community. Each month we'll choose one artist at random and devote a page to that artist.

name| Jaine Thorne location| Tavernes de la Valldigna web| www.beadedchains.moonfruit.com

what's available| Handmade beaded chains.

Each come with detachable endings so that they can be made into a pendant or with a ring in which to hang glasses.

history| Jaines Chains began because of a need to keep spectacles safe in a fashionable way and a desire to do something with an abundance of beautiful decorations. These included broken dress jewellery, beaded T-shirts, bags, etc. which although way out of date could not be disposed of.

prices| â‚Ź5-7.50 chartitable donation| â‚Ź1 from every sale is donated to P.E.P.A.

phone| 647 368 322 email| jaineinspain@msn.com

Apologies to last month's artist Hampton Terry for the name error, and including the website from the previous month.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to feature in our art pages, contact us at invlceditor@gmail.com

Art to see

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olitical art can be beautiful too." (Rose Moon)

Advanced

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The Art of Politics (Until October 30)| When I think of ‘propaganda’, my mind’s eye in usually focused on the subject of war. This exhibition, however, follows a different kind of conflict; that of the political war and each party’s accompanying campaigns. Although less of a political animal these days, I have, nonetheless, been a long-time fan of the machine that drives this battleground. Consequently, Tu Voz es Tu Voto certainly doesn’t disappoint with its evolutionary array of posters, photographs, exhibits and other devices and gizmos. Each component employed by the shrewdest of propagandist – promises everything from labour, housing, education, safe and pollution-free communities, all forms of social and sexual equality and, indeed, every other aspect of life deemed necessary to transport us from all that is evil or wrong in society to all things good and true.

So, what exactly does the frontline of an assent-seeking crusade consist of? Well, certainly in relation to this exhibition, a myriad of policy sound bites and inventive, daring and, on some levels, amusing graphic imagery. Smiling female candidates and their male counterparts (some angry and determined-looking, some not so) adorn many of the more traditionally styled publicity posters, while badges, Rubik cubes, clothes pegs and corks emblazoned with party acronyms and slick slogans bring up the rear. Scenes of verdant hilltops, working factories and factory workers, ploughed fields and rainbows and the ever present image of wholesome, smiling children add to both the carnival atmosphere and the intriguing campaign arsenals. Anything, in fact, with emotional appeal, and which draws a logical thinking, propaganda-conscious public’s attention away from any suggestion of deceit, corruption or broken promises has been called up.

On the whole, a fascinating visual account of more than 30 years of political campaigning in Spain; some of which - I can only imagine – may well have been successful... Here’s to the next 30 years. Let battle commence!

MuVim, Calle Quevedo, 10/Guillem de Castro 8 | 963 883 730 | Tues-Fri: 10am - 2pm, 4pm - 8pm, Sunday :10am-2pm www.muvim.es| Free!

05/11/1994. 20 years after the epic Rumble in the Jungle with Muhammed Ali and 10 years after quitting the sport, George Foreman returns and knocks out Michael Moorer to become boxing's oldest Heavyweight Champ.

Spectator cocktails

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he temperatures have dropped, but it's going to be sweaty business watching the balls fly, the tempers rise, and the tension break on the courts. As tennis is still a gentlemen's game, we really need some classic drinks to view it with.

Here are some tasty treats for great fun:

one The Tom Collins Sweet and bubbly.

4cl Gin 1 1/2cl Simple syrup* Juice of 1/2 lemon Soda water Orange for garnish Shake Gin, simple syrup and lemon Juice over ice.

Fill glass with ice and strain drink into glass.

Top with soda water and stir.

Garnish with a slice of Valencian orange.

Serves 1

two Bellini Heaven.

3cl Pureed white peaches 1/4 Teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Spanish Cava Peach slice for garnish Pour pureed white peaches and lemon juice in bottom of a champagne flute.

Carefully top off with Cava.

Stir.

Garnish with peach slice.

Add a dash of peach schnapps for a kick.

Serve in Collins glasses.

three Mary Bloody. or not.

6cl Vodka 12cl Tomato juice 1 1/2cl Fresh lemon juice 1/4 Teaspoon of horseradish 2-3 Dashes of Tabasco 2-3 Dashes of Worcestershire Lemon wedge Celery (exclude the vodka for a Virgin Mary)

Serves 1

Shake all liquids together Pour into glass filled with ice.

Squeeze lemon wedge & drop in.

Garnish with celery.

Serve in Champagne flutes.

Serves 1 Serve in Highball glasses.

*Tip| For sugar syrup, boil 1 part water, add 2 parts sugar to dissolve, cool to thicken.

Demerara is the best!

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The number in centimetres of the diametre of the world's largest hailstone, which landed in Vivian South Dakota on 23 July 2010.

A day in the life in VLC| Heather

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L

iving in Valencia and the Community is surprising, varied and exciting and everyone sees something dierent. We thought it would be fun to see what other people see. For one day, a reader will take a photo of what they can see on the hour, every hour for 9 hours. This month, Heather shows us her Wednesday.

Contact us if you want to have a go. invlceditor@gmail.com

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06/11/1528. Spanish conquistador Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca is shipwrecked and unwittingly becomes the ďŹ rst European to set foot in what is now Texas. He became a skilled medicine man before returning to Spain.

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Animals| P.E.P.A fun day Foster/ permanent homes URGENTLY required Name| Greta Age| 14 months Size| Large Personality| Affectionate and calm Health| Fully vaccinated & micro-chipped Info| P.E.P.A - 650 304 746

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ast month, local animal charity, P.E.P.A, ran a fun day, in order to raise monies for the animals they rescue. The day was filled with activities, and of course, being an animal charity, the dogs were the special guests, with competitions and prizes for well-loved pets in the Valencian Community. So many people worked so very hard to make this day the success it was and P.E.P.A would like to extend its thanks to everyone involved, and everyone who came and joined in on the day.

The day was spent at the Benicolet Aerodrome where they received a magnificent welcome from Pepe and his family, and service was most definitely with a smile from all the staff. The turnout was very respectable, many visitors came and visited the various stalls.

Children were in their element with pony rides courtesy of El Mas De Xeta Riding School, sack races, fun and games in the Kiddies Korner. And the adults had fun too! Laurie Rapier of Aladdin’s Pedregeur, did a grand job with the auction and many went home with some bargains!!

There was a very talented hairdresser who kindly donated all her takings to P.E.P.A, and the opportunity to take a microlight flight, which by all accounts was a fantastic experience. Freddie Kool entertained superbly and some of his Karaoke singers were particularly talented.

But the dogs were certainly the champions of the day!

So many took part in the events, and there were admirable winners in all, but as always, it’s not the winning that

www.pepaspain.com

counts, the participation is the best bit, and the dogs certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves, with many tails wagging furiously all day. And as for the winners – champions of the Petanca competition were the La Drova B Team, so well done to them.

Thank you to everyone who supported this event, the grand total was €1790.32! It was a great success!

Keep a look out for more P.E.P.A. Events. One planned will be 'an Evening with a Medium' - details to be announced soon, and guaranteed to be something really special. Tickets will be limited!

Bryher, winner of the Best in Show 2011

07/11/1913. Future Nobel Prize winner Albert Camus is born. In his books he argued that man must seek his own meaning to life given the inevitability of death. He died in a car crash after accepting a lift from (ironically) a stranger.

Events & Classifieds

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f you’ve got an event coming up or you are buying, selling or donating anything, drop us an email and we’ll try to give it a mention.

Markets | Mon-Montroy, Tues-Monserrat & Turis, Weds-L’Eliana Piccassent & Villamarchante, Thurs-Alaquas & Lliria, Fri-Moraira, Turis, Torrente & Chiva, Sat-Real de Montroy & Torrente, Sun-Alborache

Rastros | Montroy | Sun 6 Nov (1st Sun of month)| Calle La Pau, Cindy or Nicolas, 960 80 25 13 or 695 100 540.

Olocau | Sun 30 Oct (last Sun of month)| Social Club Centre, Urb. La Lloma Olocau, 10am-2pm. Spaces free, Tables €1 Carolyn 962555819 or 664809608.

Masia | 16 Oct, 20 Nov (every 3rd Sun) | Mas Pavia Restaurante, Masia Pavia Urba, nr Monserrat. Free Pitches (2m max), Stallholders from 9am. Amanda 625819734, sparklesinsunshine@gmail.com for directions.

Lliria | 12 Nov (every 2nd Sat) | Bellamy's Bar, 18 Avienda Polideportivo, Domeño, Tables free. 962728708, Lyn 625217777 magpiesbar@yahoo.com IWC| Monthly coffee mornings. An independent organisation run on an voluntary basis. They offer: Support, Friendship, Business networking, Fund raising, Activities. 3 November & 1 December. HIPERCOR - C.Comercial Ademuz, Av. Pio XII, 51 Valencia, top floor restaurant. www.iwc-valencia.ning.com Internations events| A monthly meet up of international people. Sign up or simply check the website for more information at www.internations.org Spiritual - Healing - Mystical event| November. Contact Jaine Thorne for more information. jaineinspain@msn.com Halloween party| Bellamy's, 18 Avienda Polideportivo, Domeño - Halloween Saturday 29 October - a fancy dress with prizes for the best dressed and festive food menus.

Movember fakie| So you can't grow a moustache for Movember? No problem! inVLC has got a solution. www.movember.com instructions for use: cut along dotted line*, apply with double sided sticky tape and enjoy! *adult supervision may be required

In the number puzzle, e, each letter is represented by a number 1-26. Crack the code! 3 letters are already in place.

In Sudoku, every row & column of 9 numbers & 3x3 box must include all digits 1-9 in any order.

Finished with your inVLC ? Pass it on to a friend..!

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