A Life in Spain – Edition 13 October 2017

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Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 Race Report

NORTH TOWN

Denia, Costa Blanca

Our 1st year anniversary

AGENT PROFILE

Prime Property Murcia

Wine: Spanish Cava

cover image: Private sale, page 23

find your dream property at

www.alifeinspain.com

PAGES 11

issue 13 OCT 2017

free

#Edition13 • October 2017

Spanish recipe

The Tesla battery: the final solution for a greener home?

(Part 3)

25

Tortilla...

6

CAVA: The Spanish Champagne

8&9

30 & WEB TV 31 A life on the course...

LA MANGA GOLF

13

. . . e l fi o r P t n e g A

34

Scuba Diving in Spain: Cartagena

33

It was a year ago that ALIS was launched and the first copies hit the streets.

Since then there has been numerous hurdles, challenges and changes. These include distribution being significantly increased and a totally new graphics department.

None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for our advertisers. Without them it would not be possible to produce such an informative magazine month in, month out. So a heart felt thank you has to go out to them/ you all.

So, what’s in this issue?

18 The E-Bike Era is here

contact ALIS:

enquiries@alifeinspain.com peter.clarke@alifeinspain.com

To continue the celebration theme, the wine article this month features Cava, the Spanish champagne. Juan, the architect brings us the final part of the Tesla battery, whilst Rebecca writes the next part of her informative blog.

The north town feature is on Denia and the south town is Aledo Remember – all of our articles and over 4,000 properties for sale and rent are available online at:

www.alifeinspain.com ALIS is not responsible for the accuracy or content of any articles published in the magazine or online and proffessional advice is reccomended. ALIS does not endorse any company advert or article herein. We try to make sure the content is accurate but cannot be held responsible for inaccuracy.

TEL: 660 170 355 deposito legal: MU 1390-2016

www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 2017

05

The Tesla battery: the final solution for a greener home? (Part 3)

As a continuation of last month’s article where we were analysing ways to “cut the wires off” from the main electrical companies, we discovered that the main problem is the storage of the energy produced by solar panels, being this the main predicament in a sunny country such as Spain.

Jeff Evanson statements also seem to go in that direction: The “Tesla Home Battery” would be the same as the ones already assembled in the Tesla cars but with a special stand that would allow it to fixed onto a wall. This battery will have much more capacity but would also be much more expensive.

If we take it into perspective, the whole process makes sense. SolarCity is responsible for installation and production of solar panels for homes, Tesla is responsible for providing a product that serves a car or to store the surplus produced by the solar panels at home. Bingo.

They are trying to figure out how to fit something that would be a flat battery, similar to the ones used on the cars Model S, with a thickness of about 5 inches to be fitted on a wall inside our homes without been offensive to the eye. A good design problem, I must say.

We also came to the conclusion that the main problem is the low capacity of the standards batteries available in the market. As the capacities of storage for most current batteries are about 3 days. Tesla could supply the demands of an average home for about a week. Sufficient time to allow the sun to reappear and charge our depleted batteries. Believe it or Another option, however, also remains likely. Tesla factory not these circumstances do occur in the sunny Spain. in Fremont, California, already produces high-capacity batteries for specific customers on demand. It would be a relatively high price ($ 3000), but low enough to make Li-ion or hydrogen batteries? long-term valid investment in conjunction with a renewWe then scrutinized the characteristics of Li-ion or able energy source. hydrogen batteries.

Hydrogen, although they have more autonomy than Another idea that they are thinking is to offer their customlithium-ion, its production and distribution are more ers to pay an initial fee of 1500$ to the company followed expensive. by small payments during the next 10 years. The total On the other hand, there are already lithium-ion bat- amount would be around $ 3300 US dollars. teries which have allowed Tesla to position itself as a real threat to the traditional car taking into account its That would leave the initial payment to the level of a medium / high electronics product let’s say the price of a autonomy level.

MacBook Retina, without going any further, while the rest is paid in quite affordable instalments. In return, Tesla can What about using the new Tesla Battery?

The so called Gigafactory is the key part of this gigan- monitor the usage and consumption systems, analyze tic project that is Tesla, but for the year 2020 will only them internally as they should be able to claim them after a decade. It would be therefore be a system of transfer or be able to supply approximately a total of 500,000 leasing similar to that already exists with some car manuTesla batteries to the market. facturers. There will be two options: 10 or 15 kWh, both Therefore, if the company wants to produce more bat- more than enough to power an average household. teries not intended for their cars there are two options: either build more factories or to delegate production to a third party.

Right now the Tesla battery cells are manufactured

by Panasonic, although it is the Musk Company who handles the process and turn them into batteries. The equation could be repeated here, a third party could manufacture the cells for Tesla to convert them in individual and installable home products.

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www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 2017

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Wine Focus...

Cava Because ALIS is celebrating its first anniversary, we thought it apt that this month’s wine focus should be on Spanish sparkling wine, or rather cava.

Champagne was the first sparkling wine and it is arguably the most famous in the world. However, only wines made in the Champagne region of France may be called Champagne nowadays. Spain produces many fine sparkling wines, called cava after the cellars in which the wine is produced. Many Spaniards may call this wine champĂĄn colloquially, but they are not allowed to officially label the wines this way-despite the fact that these wines are made using the same method as Champagne.

BACKGROUND

JosepRaventósFatjó of the Codorníu estate is said to have been the first to produce wine made in this method in Sant Sadurníd’Anoia, (Cataluña,) Spain in 1872. He was so happy with the wine he made, that he ordered a cool cellar or cava dug in order to produce more sparkling wine. In a few short years, the family introduced their first bottles of cava to the public. It was an instant success, particularly with high society. Soon, sparkling wines from the Codorníu estate were being sent to the Spanish royal family. Today, thousands of visitors tour the Codorníu winery and cellars in Sant Sadurníd’Anoia in Cataluña.

Besides Codorníu, there are hundreds of cava wine producers in the area south of Barcelona called Penedés. The other major sparkling wine producer which comes to mind immediately is Freixenet, pronounced “fresh-eh-net.” It’s famous for its “cordon negro” product, a cava in a matte black bottle with gold writing.

How Cava is Produced High-quality sparkling wines, including cava and French champagne contain bubbles of carbon dioxide. How do the bubbles get there?

Buying Cava It is easy to find Cava in almost any grocery store in Spain and the UK. Prices of high-quality Spanish cava are very favourable, in comparison to French Champagne.

First, the grapes are harvested and a white wine is produced. Several types of wine may be blended.

Three grape varieties native to Spain are Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada.

In general, the more expensive, the drier the cava. The less expensive cava is much sweeter. If you read the label on the less expensive bottles, you’ll see that it is probably Semi-Seco.

Tirajo is the second step - The bottle is filled with the blended wine, then a syrupy mixture of yeast and sugars is added, called licor de tirajo. The yeast will cause the secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle. At this stage, the bottled wine is then transferred to the cellar with a temporary stopper.

Enjoying Cava Spanish drink lots of cava during the holidays, especially at Christmas Eve Dinner, La Noche Buena and New Year’s Eve, La NocheVieja. It is generally drunk after dinner and paired with Spanish sweets, such as turrón.

The Second Fermentation is next – The yeasts convert the sugar to carbon dioxide. This second fermentation and bottle aging occurs in the bottle and lasts for nine months at a temperature between 55 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit.

During the second fermentation/ aging, the bottles are turned occasionally. This process is called remuage and in some wineries, this is still done by hand. This turning of the bottles causes the residue from the yeast to collect in the neck of the wine bottle. The neck of the bottle is then frozen, which forces the sediment out and the bottle is re-corked immediately.

We recommend that you put the bottle of cava in the freezer or an ice chest filled with ice and bring out each bottle only when you are ready to drink it. (If you put bottles in the freezer, make sure not to forget about them or they will explode and you will have a sticky mess to clean up!) Cava should be served very cold to really enjoy it – about 46 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve in chilled flute champagne glasses so that the bubbles last longer, since they must travel farther before they break the surface. Place the glasses in the freezer for at least a half-hour before you will use them. Chilled glasses help to keep the cava cold.

As you are sipping your Spanish Cava this New Year, make a toast as the Spanish do with a resounding… ¡PrósperoAño Nuevo!, to a Prosperous New Year!

www.alifeinspain.com - SEPT 2017 0709

. . . e s r u o c e h t n o e A lif

LA MANGA GOLF A choice of 3 superb, 18-hole championship courses

This month we are looking at the La Manga Club Resort. Its a choice of three superb, 18-hole championship courses, each with its own unique style and terrain, a Par 47 course and first-rate practice facilities, there is something to challenge you, whatever your age and whatever your level.

If you want to learn how to play golf or improve your skills, La Manga Club is just the right place as well.

The golf academy provides group and private tuition of the highest standards for all levels, from complete beginners to the most experienced players, as well as special junior golf academy courses for children and teens.

Year Built 1971 Designer/s Robert D. Putman (Sur y Norte), Dave Thomas (La Princesa) Manager Pedro Batista President JordiRobinat Greenkeeper CosmeBergareche Golf Professional Mark Hook - Juan Lorente Layout difficulty3(1 easy to 5 hard) Approx. tee interval9 min.

Buggy recommendedNot necessary Buggy allowed in fairwayNo Maximum HandicapsGents: 28 Ladies: 36

Over its almost 40 years of history, the resort has hosted many top-level international golf tournaments and tour qualifying schools including five Spanish Opens; the European Ladies Team ChamGreen Fee, from 68€. pionship; Spanish PGA, Seniors’, Ladies’ and Junior Championships; Ladies European Tour Q-School; and the World Corporate Golf Challenge, as well as countless corporate, celebrity and charity golf events.

North Town...

DENIA

Lying just north of Javea, this is where you pick up your high-speed catamaran ferry for a night of rock’n’roll in Ibiza or, if you fancy a more leisurely ride, you can take a panoramic trip down the coast as far as Altea.

Denia is also a large holiday resort, along with Javea, the place where wealthy folk from Valencia had their summer homes. It is more Spanish than either of the two southern resorts and has suffered less from property development, at least immediately around the town, although this is set for a big change.

The original design can be traced back to the Islamic era (11th-12th centuries) with additions in most centuries up to the 17th. In the narrow streets descending to the modern town the houses are built onto the castle walls themselves. Take away the satellite dishes and you can vaguely imagine life long ago.

Nestling at the foot of the Montgó, the name of the mountain and national park, Denia has twenty kilometres of beaches, ranging from soft and sandy to the north to rough and rugged in the south. Les Deveses is popular with windsurfers, while for those who prefer life under the waves there are plenty of rocky coves south of the Port at MarinetaCassiana, El Trampoli and Punta Negra.

The tree-lined Carrer Marques de Campo that leads up from the port is the main shopping street of the town, although Denia has no shortage of places to shop or dine. The prawns here are said to be the best in the world (although no-one knows who actually said it!) and to sample them you could try one of the fish restaurants that overlook the beach at Punta Raset, a ten-minute walk north from the Port.

Most tourist offices provide way-marked walks, but Denia must be the only resort in the Costa Blanca that provides way-marked dives – two of them in the Cap de San-Antonio Marine Reserve. If you fancy a bit of skinny-dipping, the tiny La Cala cove next to the Reserve is the place for an all-over tan.

Denia’s biggest tourist draw is the Castillo, situated in the heart of the town.

Like most tourist towns Denia has it’s fair share of museums, but one worth a quick look is the newly opened toy museum. Before the disastrous phylloxera epidemic in 1904 that destroyed millions of vines throughout Europe, Denia’s main moneyearner had been the exportation of raisins. (The Co-operative Wholesale Society even had its own warehouse in the town from where it despatched raisins to the ports of Liverpool and London.)

When the town appeared to be on the edge of bankruptcy after the infestation two enterprising German brothers called Ferchen, exporters of dried fruits, began to bring lithographed sheets of tinplate from Germany to be made into tin toys in Denia. They were the saviours of the town and Denia became one of the most important toy producers in Spain. On display are examples of toys produced there, with plenty of the ‘I had one of those’ to bring a smile to the lips of those of a certain age.

Visit www.alifeinspain.com and watch a video of this and other towns to get a real feel of the life here.

www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 2017

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26th Edition Miguel Indurain Sportif 2017 In the Tour de France, equipping your bike with a small electric motor is called mechanical doping and is considered cheating. The Electric bike ( E-bike ) has seen it’s fair share of humiliation over the years, stigmatised by Lycra-clad sceptics across the nation who see it as a form of cheating. Recently however following the lead of countries like Germany and the Netherlands thousands of people across Europe and the UK have been peeling away from the peleton of e-bike haters and purchasing a pedelec themselves.

So why the change in attitude? Electric bikes have numerous benefits, their speedier than a regular bike, much more eco-friendlier than a car and, less effort required, less impact on your knees and joints, easier on hills, great for carrying the shopping, although originally thought of as a cure for the lazy they actually provide a good level of exercise. EBikes are particularly beneficial for those over 50 or for people who have or have had health and medical conditions which would normally prevent them from cycling. While you still have to turn the pedals yourself if you require an extra push to get up a hill or keep riding when you’re tired out, you can just switch the motor on and off whenever you like.

Potentially electric bikes could address these problems. They can be used instead of the car on short or medium length journeys. Even with the added assistance of a motor people who have not been exercising much would still get a meaningful workout. Electric bikes are simply bicycles with a battery added.

Exercise is necessary in our lives, as we all know.

People who are physically active are much less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, depression, disabilities in old age or to die prematurely. Despite these benefits many people still do not exercise and they always have the same excuses, they don’t have time or they aren’t fit enough to exercise.

Most of them are around 22-25kg in weight and have 36volt lithium batteries which can travel for around 80-100kms at speeds of between 20 and 25km per hour. If you are thinking about getting an E-Bike but not sure or never tried one just call in and speak with Lynn or myself and we will advise you and let you try one.

We had 2 members of our Hybrid groups 1 male and 1 female change onto e-bikes in the past few weeks as they are 70 years old now and were both struggling to keep up with the rest of the groups especially on the return trip now the groups struggle to keep up with them the change is amazing especially as they were both considering packing in cycling. So don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Gary and Lynn are available at “Cyclogical” in Quesada, Monday to Friday from 9.30am – 5.30pm and from 10.00am – 2.00pm on a Saturday to assist and advise you on all your cycling requirements including their Route Map books.

www.alifeinspain.com - SEPT 2017 19

Since 1973, the Volvo Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test of a team and a human adventure like no other. Over four decades it has kept an almost mythical hold over some of the greatest ever sailors – and the 2017-18 edition will take the teams 45,000 nautical miles around the world, across four oceans, touching six continents and 12 landmark Host Cities.

The route the fleet will take for the 13th edition in 2017-18 will, at nearly 45,000 nautical miles, be the longest course ever in the 43-year history of the race. It will be tough, intense and feature almost three times as much Southern Ocean Sailing as the previous editions. It will cross four oceans and take in 12 major cities on six continenents. Alicante, Lisbon, Cape Town, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Auckland, Itajaí, Newport R.I., Cardiff, Gothenburg and The Hague.

The 43-year-old race around the world – the ultimate ocean marathon, pitting the sport’s best sailors, against each other across the world’s toughest oceans – will start from Alicante in late 2017 with a 700nm sprint to Lisbon, Portugal that will provide the first test of the form guide.

From the Portuguese capital, the fleet will plunge south towards Cape Town, South Africa, before an epic few weeks racing through the Southern Ocean with a short stop in Melbourne, Australia, before heading back north across the equator to Hong Kong SAR, China in what will be one of the longest legs in Race history.

After a non-scoring transition to Guangzhou, China where an in-port race and full set of stopover activities will be held, the ocean racing will resume to Auckland, New Zealand.

The fleet will then head back through the Southern Ocean, around the most famous landmark of them all, Cape Horn, and up through the Atlantic Ocean to the southern Brazilian city of ItajaĂ­.

From there, as in the last edition, the boats will head back in to the northern hemisphere to the Eastern Seaboard of the USA, Newport, Rhode Island, before a blast across the North Atlantic on the blue riband transatlantic leg, which will see them make a first return to British shores in 12 years.

The fleet will arrive in Cardiff, capital city of Wales, in May 2018, before beating its way around the top of the British Isles on a short but potentially brutal leg to the penultimate stopover in Gothenburg, Sweden. The 201718 race will end with a grand finale into The Hague, Netherlands.

At nearly 45,000 nm, the total distance of the racetrack is longer than in any of the 12 previous editions of an event which was born as The Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973.

But while the teams will sail more nautical miles than ever before, the race itself is scheduled to be one month shorter than in most of the last 12 editions.

Around 12,500 nm of the race will take place in the Southern Ocean, the fast-moving, ice cold waters around the Antarctic where, unhindered by land, some of the deepest weather depressions circle the bottom of the global, generating giant waves and punishing, heavy winds that can peak at over 70 knots (130 km/h). In the previous edition, the teams spent around 4,500 nm racing in the Southern Ocean.

The Southern Ocean has played an huge role in the history of the Race. In the early years of The Whitbread, the fleet would head as deep into the Southern Ocean as possible, braving the icebergs and ferocious winds of the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties in order to shave as much distance off the route as they could.

In more recent editions, the boats have raced north through the Indian Ocean, towards the Middle East and have only returned to the south and its more extreme weather for the shorter leg across to Cape Horn.

The race starts in Alicante on 22 October.

In port race: 14 October For more details visit www.volvooceanrace.com

Private Sale

3 BEDROOMS, 2 BATHROOMS, GARAGE, JACUZZI, SET IN FENCED 3,300 sq m2 APPROX. A spectacular detached property refurbished and decorated set within 3.300 m2 of fruit trees and ornate gardens including a summer house with jacuzzi. The plot is fully fenced with two gates providing separate entrances, there is a large plot inside with many fruiting olive trees plus apple, pear, almond and pomegranate. To the rear of the property you can find a summer house with jacuzzi with a pergola for shade and outdoor entertaining.

The main entrance leads to a bright hall and through to a living room with wood burning fire for the winter months and air-conditioning for the summer.

Three double bedrooms including one en suite and a separate bathroom with bath and shower.

The kitchen is light with an additional utility room and separate dining room.

The property comes fully furnished including white goods and it is all tiled. Water, electricity and internet are all connected, it also benefits from double glazing throughout, ceiling fans, air-conditioning.

It also has a separate garage within the grounds.

Access is via a small dirt track from the main road and within 5 minutes´ drive to the village of Cuevas de Reyllo and 10 minutes to the large town of Fuente Alamo with its many amenities. Only 25 minutes´ drive to Cartagena and the many beaches of Mazarrón

Tel: 968 151 089

Reduce d to: 180.000 €

Spanish recipe

Tortilla...

Chorizo, potato and pepper

. . . s t n e i d e r g n I 1.

2.

3.

1/2 tbsp olive oil, for greasing 2 tsp dried oregano 1 x 480g jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped, plus 1 tbsp liquid reserved

. . . t i k o o c o t How

Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Grease a 20-22cm (8-9in) square baking tin.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the oregano and some seasoning; beat until combined.

Add most of the peppers, chorizo and potato to the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, until set.

4.

5.

6.

7.

6 eggs 1 x 80g pack spicy sliced chorizo 400g (13oz) cooked new potatoes, sliced tzatziki, to serve (optional)

Meanwhile, prepare the salad. In a small jug, mix the reserved pepper liquid with the vinegar.

Put the salad leaves in a bowl and pour over the dressing; toss to coat.

Scatter the remaining pepper over the tortilla.

Cut into 4 squares and serve with the salad and tzatziki, if you like.

www.alifeinspain.com -OCT 2017

25

South Town...

ALEDO The medieval town of Aledo has a population census of about 1,000 inhabitants, and can be found within the region of Bajo GuadalentĂ­n. This municipality is located at the foot of the southern slope of Sierra EspuĂąa, at a height of more than 650 meters. to the north, south and east of Aledo isTotana, and to the west with is Lorca. The easiest way to get to Aledo is via Totana. Head to Totana off the A7 and follow the signs

The first records about Aledo dates back to the tenth century, and is of Muslim domination, who used Aledo as a fortified position. The main villa becomes a fortress around the 11th century when it was dominated by Christian population. Aledo, its castle, aljama, villages and dependencies were given by Alfonso X El Sabio, (who is believed to have written some of his Partidas in that castle) to the Master of the Order of Santiago, Palay Perez Correa, as a reward for his victories Against the Muslims.

Aledo’s first settlers gained the right to carry the motto ‘of Very Noble and Loyal’ within its shields for their courageous interventions in different military campaigns, included between the stages of Felipe III, in the defense of Cartagena, Passing through Felipe V, in the War of Succession and the War of Independence.

Aledo is next to several hills and mountains. The highest of them are located to the north and south within the slopes of Sierra Espuña, as well as the Mountain range of Tercia. It is worth noting that it is surrounded by idyllic natural landscapes, such as the natural park of Sierra Espuña and the canyon excavated on rock “Strait of Arboleja”, located in the Rambla de Lebor, as well as the Cave of the Mauta, which can be found in the Head of the Rambla de los Molinos.

There are some quaint little gift shops, and fantastic views where on a clear day you can see the Mediterranean.

Combine your trip with a drive into the Sierra Espuña for even more breathtaking views.

Sierra Espuña contains Murcia’s largest extensions of forest, as well as being one of its most emblematic areas of outstanding natural beauty. Its modern verdure is due in large part to reforestation campaigns carried out towards the end of the 19th Century by Murcian philanthropist Ricardo Codorníu, known by the nickname the Tree Apostle.

The districts bordering the area are Río Mula (Mula and Pliego) and Sierra Espuña (Alhama de Murcia, Totana, and Aledo). Mula and Pliego nestle between the Espuña and Ricote ranges and are places steeped in local tradition and culture, which, along with the area’s scenery make them an ideal stopping place on inland routes in the region.

Alhama de Murcia, Totana, and Aledo are all within easy reach of these wooded uplands, which naturally form part of the identity of the towns themselves.

www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 2017

27

WEB T Since early 2016 the company has been busy filming the towns of the Costa Blanca North where 10 documentary films have been made.

Coming to a town near you…..

As announced last month , ALIS has partnered with UP NOW Costa Blanca to make TV Documentaries of our great towns in south Costa Blanca and Costa Calida.

UP NOW Costa Blanca is a film production company specialized in making documentary style films.

It was founded by Natalia Hansson and Torben Thoger and with Torben’s 40 years of experience in making documentary style film and Natalia’s media background, a series called: “Costa Blanca – the place to live and visit” was created in early 2016.

The purpose is to promote the towns as the place to enjoy and visit to the International Community living and interested in the area.

September saw the filming of Cuidad Quesada and surrounding areas. This film was produced with the help from several sponsors including, but not only: Homes 4 U, Spa Superstore, and Active Surfaces. The premier of this film will take place this month and will be broadcast on social media, Scan sat and various other media sources.

October will see filming in Torrevieja as this great series of films moves down the coast to Mazarron. If you have a business and want to be featured in one of these documentaries please contact us ASAP to reserve your slot.

The documentaries are also shown to hundreds of thousands of viewers worldwide via online channels.

If you would like your town to be next, email: peter@upnowcostablanca.com

B TV

www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 201731 www.alifeinspain.com - AUG 2017 31

WE HELP PEOPLE THROUGHOUT SPAIN EVERY DAY

The Avalon team explain how diǀerent the complex funeral system is here in Spain to both non-residents and those that live here all year round.

This aǀects everybody so we are committed to helping all UK, Irish and European citizens make informed choices.

• We also check all types of insurance to ensure each person is covered for everything they need to be.

• We oǀer a tailor made funeral plan to suit every client which is fixed at today’s cost.

Avalon Team Avalon has onjces throughout Spain

671 935 072

All our members are covered in Spain and the UK. You will automatically be covered immediately regardless of health issues or age.

Scuba diving in Spain: Cartagena

The ancient city of cartagena dates back some 2,000 years and the sea has always been used during the Venetian and roman times for trading many different goods by boat.

The Arqua museum on the port has many of these ancient artefacts which occasionally get unearthed by scuba divers or the weather when the sea moves the sandy bottom around exposing some treasures.

Cartagena is a great place to dive, its generally protected from the prevailing “levante” wind or east winds as it is facing southward which means it rarely gets a rough sea and only on the “leveche” and current are not as strong here due to the protection of the land which makes it a great place for un experienced divers but has some good dive sites for even the experienced diver.

Isla de escombreras , this is a great place for protection due to it having a sea wall built around half of the island which does not look as nice but underwater is full of shoals of many different type of fish such as, gold line, barracuda, jacks, hundreds of damsel fish, ornate wrasse and at the moment there has been sightings of 2 pale yellow sea horses which makes any divers day a special one, Sun fish and large scorpion fish can also be found here.

Wreck of the CBA : this is a area used by the army for training on wrecks and navigation, here you can find 2 ship wrecks at 15-22m deep and even a harrier jet fuselage which makes a cool photo and several other wreckages.

The Cueva de la virgen ( virgens cave) this is a very special dive 30 minutes by boat west of the port. Entering the cave there is a big wide entrance and swim inside after 50 meters you can come up into a huge air chamber, here you can see the light coming in from a hole in the roof but also find stalactites and stalagmites and a big crystal formation inside a smaller underwater chamber.

There are also several other sites you can dive like “espeque reef” which is a big reef system close to port with a beacon sunk at 25 m deep, cala cortina beach which is a beautiful little cove and great for beginner dives or shallow dives.

There is a restaurant in the cove serving many tasty dishes.

. . . e l fi o r P t n e g A Prime Property Murcia is a family owned estate agents and property finding business based in Mazarron, Murcia with an office situated in the beautiful coastal village of Bolnuevo opposite the Farmacia.

The business specialises in the unspoilt areas of Bolnuevo, Mazarron Country Club, Puerto de Mazarron and all the surrounding areas on the sunny Costa Calida, Spain.

Having sold properties in the area for many years Sue & Chris Tickner together with Becky Long will guide you through the buying process offering a complete service from start to finish and with a high level of personal service at all times.

As a property seller you can be confident you will receive an honest valuation and that your property will be marketed effectively until a sale is achieved.

With competitive sales fees only payable when your property sale completes in the notary you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Don’t take their word for it though contact them today and experience the Prime Property Murcia way!

See our ad on page 12.

Prime Property Murcia info@primepropertymurcia.com +34 868 58 03 20 +34 666 81 96 97

www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 2017

35

Music in Spain In the last issue we looked at three regions in Spain, fairly adjacent to our own region. We can now go to two Spanish outposts where things are very different.

The Canary Islands, have, as you might expect, many influences including Latin American and Cuban and a great local band “Trio Hermanos Lores” exemplify this perfectly. To get any recordings you may have to visit the islands themselves although You Tube does provide some of their performances to have a look at.

The folk music of the islands themselves flourishes with a unique mix of instruments including the charango (a kind of guitar), the timple (which resembles a ukelele) the tabor pipe with, usually, five holes and the fife (from the German pfeife for pipe or whistle) with seven or more holes. Known as “Isa” music, it is a form of “Jota” folk music and dance which is popular across Spain but may have it’s roots in southern Aragon.

2 t r a P

The Balaeric Islands may nowadays be more famous for disco music and drunken singing but away from that there is their own traditional folk music. A Xeremier is an ensemble that consists of a flaviol (a five hole tabor pipe) and xeremies (bagpipes) and much percussion.

There is a perfect example of such a band on You Tube. Enter “Xeremiers de Mallorca...

Jota de Muro II”. Apart from the very Celtic feel of the music, they are dancing what looks exactly like a Scottish reel. We could get into a discussion about the origins of the bagpipes, but not now. Either way, it all looked like lots of fun! Other well known artist from the Islands include Maria del mar Bonet who is known for her political lyrics and is well worth a bit of research on You Tube. Enjoy!

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Are you living comfortably?

Anyone that reads my blogs knows how I’m always saying about de-cluttering the home, before you list your property for sale. But there are occasions when people can take this to the extreme, and remove every last piece of “life” inside the property. Just because your house is on the market for sale, doesn’t mean to say you can’t still live comfortably.

I once saw a home that the owner had cleared away every sign of existence, and to say the lounge furniture looked like they were sitting on tea chests, is mild compared to how it really looked. It gave the impression of living in a warehouse, not a home. So imagine what a buyer would think.

You need to make sure the property remains homely. It’s ok to think that the buyer will want to put their own stamp on it later, but you’ve got to tempt them first, and presentation will do it. Buyers are willing to pay more if they feel emotionally connected to a house – on average staged homes sell for a 5-10% higher price.

It’s not just about the inside of the home, you need to focus your attention on the outside too.

Make sure the pathways are cleaned, maybe they need pressure washing. Sweep away any fallen leaves, and trim back any overgrown plants.

Buyers – if you’re looking at empty houses, you need to bring your imagination with you on the viewing appointment, as this could be your future home you’ll be looking at. It can be difficult to imagine where furniture could be placed, and if you can even fit all of your favourite furnishings in the room. All valid questions, but with a little planning, you can easily work everything out.

Did you know that Ikea have a “design your room” programme online, that allows you to place your furniture within a “virtual room?” All you need are the room sizes!

So just be open minded when viewing an empty property, it may not just be a contender, it could be YOUR next home!

It’s always harder to sell a home that is empty, but I do understand that sometimes this just can’t be helped. So under these circumstances, you need to make sure that everything is up to scratch, like freshly painted walls and cleaned thoroughly. Buyers won’t have any furnishings to fix their eyes on, so they will automatically be looking for any defects in the home. Make sure the house is bright and if you’re leaving curtains, they must be clean. If at all possible, ask a few friends if they have any extra pieces of furniture, that you could borrow, just to help stage the home. Pictures, flowers in vases on tables, a clean rug on the floor, always makes a warm welcome.

www.alifeinspain.com - OCT 2017

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