Soltimes Almeria – Issue 641

ISSUE 641 • 15th - 21st June 2018

THE woman accused of killing eight-yearold Gabriel Cruz Ramirez earlier this year is to make a third court appearance next Monday.

It comes in the wake of an announcement by Rafael Soriano, the judge leading the probe, who recently extended a media blackout over the details of her testimony.

The 44-year-old suspect, originally from the Dominican Republic, has spoken in front of the official on two previous occasions and is believed to have confessed to bur ying the victim’s body near a farm in Nijar after strangling him to death.

She was remanded in custody after being charged with his murder but has had to be separated from other inmates after being threatened.

Thing of wonder

On the run Photo credit Policia Nacional/Shutterstock

Gabriel murder probe goes on

EST 2005

BEHIND BARS: The fugitives were held in San Isidro de Nijar and Almeria City.

By Jimmy Grayling TWO international fugitives have been held on European Arrest Warrants in Almeria.

They are reportedly wanted on suspicion of committing two separate strings of robberies in their home countries.

The first arrest saw armed officers swoop on a property in San Isidro de Nijar following a covert surveillance operation, capturing a 39-year-old Lithuanian man with initials MK.

AN Almerian politician has been chosen as Spain’s new Minister of Culture and Sports.

Jose Guirao, 59, will leave his position as chair man of the Montemadrid social and cultural foundation and be sworn into government

He faces a six-year jail term for a €200,000 heist during which he and an accomplice held up a lorry at gun point, tying the driver to a tree before making off in the vehicle.

Less than 72 hours later a Romanian man named as VVG, 27, was detained in Almeria City for allegedly committing a break-in two years ago.

Both men have been remanded in custody and are set to appear before Spain’s National Court ahead of their extradition, police said in a statement.

Yes, minister

by King Felipe VI. Born in Pulpi, the socialist official has previously held both provin-

cial and regional cultural roles.

His appointment comes after television journalist Maxim Huerta handed in his resignation over a tax fine a week after being named as new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s culture minister.

ALMERIA City’s Moorish Alcazaba is set to hit the big screen.

It comes after producers for the second Wonder Woman movie, based on the DC Comics character, toured the fortified complex ahead of shooting. Other confirmed Spanish locations, which will again star former Miss Israel Gal Gadot, 33, in the lead role, include Tenerife and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.

WHAT A GAL! Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

Photo credit Warner Bros

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15th - 21st June 2018

News

Almeria cycle warning

By Francis Peach MORE than 11 per cent of those seriously injured in traffic accidents in Almeria are cyclists, significantly higher than the national average at 7.5 per cent.

Cycling deaths are shooting up nationally, according to 2016 data from Foremaster, the Professional Association of Road Safety Training Companies.

There has been a 36.7 per cent increase in bike users dying on the country’s roads in the last five years.

Some 67 people died in 2016, accounting for 3.7 per cent of all Spanish deaths.

With summer holidays rapidly approaching, bicycle use is set to peak and the number of incidents is likely to follow suit.

In Spain as a whole, 7.5 per cent of all road traffic accidents involve cyclists, considerably lower than in Almeria Province.

In addition, 2.5 per cent of all those killed in collisions are bicycle users, a worryingly high figure, Foremaster said.

Foremaster has published some tips to help cyclists keep safe on the roads ahead of summer’s peak season.

For cyclists 1. Always wear a helmet 2. Use the cycling lane if there is one, or otherwise use the far right hand side of the road or the hard shoulder 3. Always respect the signs. Do not skip stops or traffic lights in town even with good visibility 4. Use lights and reflectors both during the day and the night 5. Signal all your turns with a hand and never place yourself in a vehicle’s blind spot 6. Do not use your phone or listen to music while riding 7. Stay below a 45 km/h maximum speed

For drivers 1. Slow down and keep a safe distance from bike users 2. Do not use the horn unless in an emergency 3. Overtake with care. Slow down beforehand and leave more than a metre and a half between your vehicle and the bike 4. Do not drive in cycle lanes or park on one 5. Drivers do not have priority over cyclists when they are in a cycle lane 6. The cyclist has priority when in a group of other cyclists. On roundabouts or crossings, the driver must wait until the last cyclist in a group has completed the manoeuvre 7. When leaving your car in a bicycle lane, check there is no cyclist coming before you open your door.

The most common cycling crash is a side-on or frontside on collision accounting for 24 per cent of all biking incidents.

Some 11 per cent of injuries are caused by the car not slowing down in time or failing to keep a safe distance and smashing into the cyclist from behind.

But cyclists are often to blame too.

The most common cause is not keeping the required distance from vehicles, at 4.6 per cent of accidents, followed by disrespecting vehicles with priority on crossings accounting for 2.5 per cent of incidents.

The third most frequent reason is cutting into the oncoming traffic’s lane.

Helmet use is increasing on interurban routes, a legal requirement, with 82 per cent protecting their heads.

But, the digits flip for urban cyclists who only cover up top 28 per cent of the time.

The low rate is partly because of the increasing number of rental bikes used in urban centres, which do not come with helmets.

News

15th - 21st June 2018

Photo credits CCOO Andalucia

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Farm heist raid TWO men have been held on suspicion of at least seven burglaries in El Ejido and Vicar.

Named locally as MA, 33, and SH, 45, the pair were arrested in the wake of a Guardia Civil probe launched after a concerned resident tipped investigators off.

The informant told officers that a group of “suspicious people” had gathered near an abandoned farmhouse after unloading a series of large packages from two cars they arrived in.

But after police swooped on the proper ty, two men managed to escape before a third was cuffed.

Detectives found agricultural machinery and tools inside the bundles, including a series of engines, while a moped with its licence plates ripped off was found hidden under a mattress in the building.

MONEY TALKS: CCOO’s Almeria chief Antonio Valdivieso (inset) during a march.

Wage war goes on A RECENT study uncovered two out of three people earn less than €1,000 per month in Almeria, despite the provincial economy growing 3.2 per cent in 2017.

A total of 182,939 of the province’s 288,514 workers, or 63 per cent, do not reach the €1,000 monthly income mark.

The report was compiled by C C O O o r Wo r k e r s ’ C o m m i s i o n s , Spain’s largest trade union.

And 78,912 of employees rec e i v e €3 2 7 p e r m o n t h , l e s s t h a n half the minimum wage.

A n t o n i o Va l d i v i e s o , C C O O ’s provincial secretar y, said Almerian’s salaries were “miserable.”

He also highlighted two key figures which are obscured by socalled ‘macro-data,’ like the 3.2 per cent economic growth rate.

The first is an ‘unstoppable’ rise in fraudulent employment con-

tracts.

Labour market inspectors are currently picking up 26 per cent of all contracts due to their irregularities.

And the second key figure is the ‘soaring’ proportion of temporar y contracts currently standing at 94 per cent.

In addition, 10,000 of the 40,000 jobs lost during the crisis in 2007 have yet to be replaced.

A n d w o m e n ’s s a l a r y d a t a s h o w they earn on average €2,000 less than men per year.

“The figures are devasting,” CCOO’s Valdivieso said.

And he demanded “urgent measures” to tackle current working conditions.

The study used data from the nat i o n a l g o v e r n m e n t ’s 2 0 1 6 Ta x Agency declared by workers and businesses in the province.

News

15th - 21st June 2018

Danes in Spain

By Francis Peach MAERSK, the world’s largest maritime container firm, has announced new operations at Almeria port which could open the international market to other Spanish firms.

The move comes after an agreement made with Cosentino Group, a multinational architecture and design company from Almeria.

And the Danish shipping giant is well placed to offer international reach to products from other Almeria and Andalucia firms.

“Thanks to our innovative international solutions we can contribute to the global expansion of Almeria’s products,” Marcos Hansen, general director of Maersk in Spain, said.

SEA CHANGE: Maersk will ship weekly from Almeria.

The bid meets Cosetino’s objective to optimise product distribution, according to the firm’s vice-president of logistics, Jose Antonio Fernandez.

Until now, Cosentino had been transporting its goods from ports in Algeciras, Valencia and to a lesser extent, Cartagena.

Fernandez, described

the new deal as a “qualitative and quantitative jump” and the fruit of several years of intense paperwork, negotiations and planning.

And the Danish firm’s first shipping of Cosentino goods is set for Monday and will run on a weekly basis from then onwards.

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NEWS BITES

One dead in smash A 27-YEAR-OLD man has died after his car careered off the N-341 road near Carboneras and plummeted down a three-metre embankment.

Sheer class CUEVAS DE ALMANZORA Council has been ranked the second-most transparent in Almeria, ahead of the provincial capital and other larger towns.

News

15th - 21st June 2018

Pay freeze protest

By Francis Peach SPAIN’S largest trade union has protested the growing gender inequality stemming from temporary employment contracts for teaching assistants, 90 per cent of whom are women.

The demonstration was held outside Almeria’s education department on Tuesday and demanded authorities employ assistants on full time contracts.

The majority of assistants are employed on part-time

Photo credits Twitter @ FE CCOO Andalucia

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PAY RAP: Teaching assistants have demanded fair pay. and flexible contracts leaving them to struggle on ‘sustenance-level’ unemployment benefits during the summer months, according to the CCOO union.

Teaching assistants work directly with students, especially those who need extra support, to help them keep up with classwork the teacher sets.

In addition, assistants often have to travel considerable distances from their homes, covering the transport costs themselves.

The union blames the Andalucia government’s hiring policy for reportedly increasing the gender wage gap in the public administration sector and education in particular.

Protesters demanded the

government stop the ‘punishment’ of teaching assistants by providing contracts which secure not only their present, but their future.

Ex-president Mariano Rajoy’s government made continuous cuts to education as part of ‘excellence in education’ strategy.

The only schools to receive an increase in funding were the so-called ‘con-

certados.’

These fee-paying schools - which have more administrational freedoms than public schools - saw a 6.5 per cent increase during the worst period of the crisis, media reports.

Prioritising the top-students at the expense of the masses is a narrow strategy, according to top Murcia student, Francisco Tomas y Valiente.

He demanded “less excellence and more educational quality” and said students who overcome hardship like family problems or learning difficulties are especially excellent.

A total of 20 per cent of Spanish students do not complete secondary school, the second worst rate in Europe, Francisco highlighted.

NEWS AUAN, the association that campaigns for sense in Andalucian planning, continues its struggle to provide agile solutions to the planning issues that many people suffer in the Almanzora Valley.

Its president, Maura Hillen, had an exhausting schedule this week and it is certain that when she came to Spain she never thought that she would have to go through all this.

The week began with a motion in the provincial council led by the Partido Popular (PP) in support of an amendment to the Planning Laws (LOUA) submitted

by AUAN to all the political parties and taken up by the PP. After the attack made on the amendment by the PSOE opposition party during the debate on the motion, and after two years without any advances to solve the problems, Ms Hillen recently felt forced to resign as an independent PSOE councillor in Albox.

During the week, the AUAN president, accompanied by spokesperson and lawyer Gerardo Vazquez, met with local rep-

15th - 21st June 2018

Fighting for justice

BUSY WEEK: Clockwise from top left, Maura Hillen, the AUAN team with Tim Hemmings, with the PSOE representatives, and at the Andalucian parliament.

resentatives of the PSOE to speak about what had happened and Mr Vazquez said: “I am not a politician and I think that by talking people understand each oth-

er’s point of view and the only things that those affected deserve are solutions as soon as possible.

“We understand that the reform that we are asking for will

help many people and any help that the political parties can give us will be most welcome.”

After the commotion the pair met with the British vice-ambas-

7 sador, Tim Hemmings, accompanied by the Consul for Andalucia, Charmaine Arbouin, and Vice Consul Rosslyn Crotty.

They were accompanied by Mr and Mrs Payne, a British couple in their 70s, who live under the threat of demolition in spite of have obtained planning permission and a first occupation licence and the rest of the necessary paperwork.

The Paynes’ case is practically the same as that of the well-publicised Mr and Mrs Prior, except that they have not yet suffered the demolition of their home and hope to never do so.

The Paynes do not understand why they are in this situation when they did everything right and those that did everything wrong, that is to say built without a licence, are not suffering.

Hillen and Vazquez also visited the Andalucian regional parliament and took the opportunity to meet with the leader of the PP in Andalucia, Juan Manuel Moreno, explaining certain aspects of the issue to him.

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News

15th - 21st June 2018

Seven bikes, seven days, 700 miles Bikers growing old disgracefully, part 4

By Mark Porter ALL was forgotten when we finally got on to the coastal road between Carboneras and Mojacar.

I defy anyone not to be impressed with the spectacular view.

It’s been called Spain’s answer to the USA’s Pacific Highway. The AL-5107 hugs and winds its way along the coastal mountain like overcooked spaghetti stuck to the wall, clinging for all its worth.

Sometimes you can see remnants of the old coastal road and these would have been scary to travel on since some of them were literally carved out of rocks right on the very edge and only a few metres wide.

Good job they only had little Seat 500s and Renault 4s in those days, otherwise Señor Francisco in his BMW X6 would have been blocking the road.

The only blot to that spectacular road and the landscape is that monstrosity widely known as the illegal hotel in Carboneras or to give it its true moniker, Hotel Algarrobico.

How something so planetary in size can be illegally built for so long and not questioned is beyond me and my simple existence.

On to Mojacar, Spain’s

SPECTACULAR: The coast road from Carboneras to Mojacar. equivalent of Brighton. It appears that every grandparent in the UK has this desire to go there.

All we could see were retirees and their bucket-andspade-toting grandchildren happily ambling along the road. Maybe it’s just the time of the year. Or maybe we were just jealous because we didn’t have our own buckets.

By this time we were busting for another coffee break, well, more like peepee break at our age, but a coffee or drink would be welcome as well.

After passing row upon row of either closed up or uninviting eateries, we finally decided on one, only because we had somewhere to park opposite.

As a habit, I usually walk in first and do the ordering in the local tongue but this

time, lo and behold, I didn’t have to! Of course perfect English was spoken, much to the delight of the others.

This meant they decided to eat and proceeded to bombard the waiter with orders like coke zero no ice, coffee with skimmed milk, chips and brown sauce with no salt and such other nonsense that I had had to try and explain to flustered waiters and waitresses up until now.

This was where we noticed the difference in service from previous stops.

When we first walked in and asked for seven cokes, we were bluntly told the establishment was closing in 25 minutes and we had to leave by then. When we asked about quick and easy food, the expression of the waiter said it all.

However, in the end we had sandwiches and some fries with our drinks, and to be fair, they tasted great and hit the spot.

But if this is the face of Brit establishments along tourist resorts on the eastern coast of Almeria, then they need a make-over or be handed back to the locals.

NEWS

15th - 21st June 2018

‘I’ll never forget’ JUAN IGNACIO ZOIDO, the interior minister officially concluded his duties this week, and mentioned Gabriel Cruz, the eight-year-old Almerian boy who was allegedly murdered in February.

He led Spain’s national security bodies during the boy’s case, regularly featuring on national media throughout the ordeal which captured Spaniards’ hearts.

‘I will never forget the lesson that Angel and Patricia (Gabriel’s parents) taught me,’ Zoido posted on his personal Twitter account.

In the messages he also thanked ex-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, as well as interior ministry staff who ‘helped him on a daily basis.’

He wrote of the ‘really difficult moments’ during his posting like the Cataluña terrorist at-

tacks in 2017.

“The worst moments make you grow as a person and encounter marvellous examples of humanity, generosity and dedication of others,” he wrote.

The post came with a picture of himself hugging Gabriel’s mum, Patricia.

Zoido was visibly emotional when he attended Gabriel’s funeral in Almeria cathedral carrying a blue scarf in his hand.

Gabriel’s mother gave Zoido the item in a gesture to thank the Guardia Civil officers deployed when her son disappeared on February 27 in Las Hortichuelas de Nijar, in Almeria.

Photo credits Twitter @ZoidoJI

TOUGH TIMES: Zoido embraces Gabriel’s mum, Patricia Ramirez.

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News

15th - 21st June 2018

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It’s show time!

tive fiesta and will remain open all summer.

It includes a wide selection of photos, posters and costumes used by the different participating groups of kabilas and cuarteles over the years, with some set to be rotated to allow a Photo credit The Silhouette Show/Facebook

Ed. 641

MOJACAR’S Moors and Christians Association in collaboration with the town council has mounted a semipermanent exhibition entitled Encuentro de Culturas at the Centro de Arte Mirador del Castillo. The free of charge installation marks the 30th anniversary of the town’s distinc-

THE Royal British Legion Mojacar branch is holding an Armed Forces Day dinner A FINE VINTAGE: The Silhouette and entertainment at Bistro at Show vocal trio. the Colosseum, Los Gallardos on Saturday June 30 from 7pm.

It will include a 1940’s-themed three-course dinner with the spectacular Silhouette Show flown over from the UK. Tickets are €25, including a donation to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Call 615 387 947 or email bistrocolosseum@gmail.com.

wider variety to be shown.

At the moment, 17 Moors and Christians costumes are on display showing the gradual year-on-year progress that has taken place.

There are also over 100 high quality photos of the parades since 1988, including the winning images of last year’s first Moors and Christians Photography Competition.

Another attraction of the exhibition is the wonderful collection of posters, including several by noted design and advertising artists, which have been used to publicise the fiestas throughout its 30 years, showing the changes in tastes and artistic styles over the eras.

Encuentro de Culturas is in short, a walk down memory lane, showing the efforts and enthusiasm the entire town puts in to enjoying their most important annual event which has achieved the great distinction of being officially recognised as of Touristic Interest in Andalucía.

Weekender 15th -21st June 2018

Rewild yourself

Pages 20 - 21

Get it right

â‚Ź3.2m island

Page 14

Page 16

Prawn recipes

Great music

Page 18 - 19

Page 26

12

Feature

15th - 21st June 2018

Pause for Direction BEFORE moving to Spain, each June I used to really enjoy joining one of the Morecambe Bay Walks under the leadership of Cedric Robinson MBE, who since 1963 has been the Queen’s Official Guide to this incredible area. The walk usually sets off from Arnside in Cumbria as low tide approaches and crosses Morecambe Bay to an area close to Grange-over-Sands, with much time spent wading through, if not actually walking on, water. Not particularly arduous, this eight-mile, necessarily fairly level walk tends to be a great family day out, with amazing views as you trek across sand bars some distance out to sea.

But definitely not a walk for taking liberties or exploring alone, for the sands and gullies of Morecambe Bay can be quite treacherous for the unwary, so the safe route across is decidedly tortuous, often at times appearing to be headed in a completely wrong direction. So I’ve often heard folk questioning the chosen route; and sometimes on such occasions Cedric will

turn aside a few steps to follow the suggested direction to demonstrate the folly of deviating from his chosen route.

For in the sands of Morecambe Bay things often are not what they seem. Small ‘puddles’ can prove to be several metres deep and what looks to be solid ground can actually be quicksand that could bury the unwary in seconds. So, on this walk it’s vital to forget our own instinctive ideas of direction and follow the instructions of the guide without question.

And what a lesson this walk can be for life! How often we instinctively want to go the wrong way, to choose a route in life that looks attractive - the easy option, the short cut or the one that fits our ambitions?

And these can so often lead us out of our depth or into the quicksand of corruption.

And as on Morecambe Bay, we have the ultimate guide readily available.

Not perhaps Cedric Robinson, but the Bible gives pretty good direction, and prayer can be so helpful in confirming or questioning our chosen path.

Duncan Burr is Licensed Lay Reader for the Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Cálida (further details available at www.mojacarchurch.org) and may be contacted at djburr@avired.com

Simplicity sought

By Jos Biggs

THE microwaves sat in a long row, silent and inscrutable, and all looking pretty much the same apart from the price tags.

Due to the demise of The Empress I would have to buy one - but which one?

The Empress, in all her magnificence, had always somewhat overawed me - her Book of Rules was the size of the New Testament, and offered advice in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and a squiggly language that might have been Ancient Egyptian for all I knew.

However, I needed a microwave, and buy one I must, come hell or high water. I had prepared myself for making a judgement of Solomon - I had measured the dimensions of my dinner plate and the height of the potato

boiling bowl, and more than that, I had a tape measure in my bag.

All I wanted was a microwave that heated things, so I star ted at the cheap end, but they were tiny - not suitable for cooking anything larger than a hamster! I moved up the line and price range and took out my trusty tape measure. My plate would fit, but the further along I went the more complicated and expensive they got, and the less I felt that I would be able to cope with their complexities.

I gazed at the shining ranks glumly.

I would have to make a decision. I turned over the price tags, and suddenly the decision became easy - A hundred and something euros? I’m not paying that!

I bought the second simplest and cheapest!

josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk

FEATURE

15th - 21st June 2018

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Advertising Feature

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When the worst does come to pass, then the company will be there to help you through the difficult time and to arrange for the ceremony to take place, in accordance with your wishes

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Weekender

Lifestyle

15th - 21st June 2018

Mistakes to avoid

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IF you’re thinking of painting and want to get it right, avoid making these common mistakes when choosing colours for your home.

- Separating open areas Two badly matched colours to separate areas with an open room can be a big mistake. Experts generally stick to the same colour or two subtle tones combined in a logical fashion.

- Ignoring natural light People tend to think dark colours are more elegant, but they forget to consider the amount of natural light in the room. What should be a dramatic touch can become depressing if it’s all too dark.

- Choosing bright colours People often go for the bright colours they see in

magazines. However, especially in small rooms, they can be overwhelming.

- Trusting tiny samples Most people forget how important it is to try and see the colour on the wall, just not on a colour chart. However it is almost impossible to imagine what it will really look like without trying at least a brushstroke in situ.

- Matching everything Choosing exactly the same colour for the walls and the furniture is frankly boring and the eye will have trouble distinguishing one from the other. A darker or lighter tone should be chosen for furniture and accessories.

- White for small spaces Although white gives a spacious feel in bright

HOME TRUTHS: Plan before painting. rooms, it can look dirty and be depressing in small dark ones.

- Fashion is everything Although the latest fashions are great to provide ideas, trust your taste too.

Summer chic WITH summer just around the corner now is the time to start those interior decorations to be sure that you bring a sense of summer sensation into your home.

Although we all need to keep out the light and heat during those important hours of siesta, for the remainder of the day, it’s important that your home feels open and light.

So take down those heavy winter curtains and replace them with something light and breezy. This will allow natural light into your spaces and let you take advantage of solar energy.

It’s important that cool air can circulate around your home. So, if you don’t have the air-con on, then leave your windows open. Placing scented flowers or plants around your home will ensure that pleasant aromas invade your spaces. The best flowers to decorate your home in summer include roses, daisies, petunia, sunflowers, lavender and geraniums.

In fact, if you have the space, create an internal garden. This gives you a great opportunity to breathe fresh air into a select area of your home. Paint the flower pots different colours to introduce some colour.

An additional advantage of creating such a space is it can offer you a novel space to retreat to when you need some ’me-time.’ Finally, place some fruit bowls around your home and always have them filled with fresh colourful fruits.

Weekender

Property

15th - 21st June 2018

Zoopla reveals hot top 10 PROPERTY website Zoopla has compiled a list of the most viewed homes for sale overseas, and Spain is the most popular destination.

Buyers are clearly still keen on a place in the sun within easy reach of Britain, and that formula is likely to see Spain be a permanent favourite.

The list also includes properties in France, Italy, Montenegro and the US, but with the value of the homes differing significantly.

A two-bedroom detached house in Valencia is on the market for a mere €37,600, while an eight-bedroom property in Ibiza is going for a cool €25 million.

Among the homes is one in Mallorca that featured in a previous season of TV’s Love Island, and the latest series of the Bafta award-winning show began last week.

Called ‘Casa Amor,’ the Mallorcan villa has a modern design, a swimming pool and several terraces, all included in the asking price of €2.85 million.

Top of the list is a 10-bedroom house in Ibiza, going for €18 million.

The renovated property is a perfect holiday home for entertaining guests with a BBQ, swimming pool, tennis court and Jacuzzi on the rooftop.

American tycoon lands €3.2 million island AN American-Cuban entrepreneur has bought the Illa d’en Colom islet, off the coast of Menorca in Spain’s Balaeric Islands, for €3.2 million.

The purchase was made through the company Meruelo Investments, and the new owner, Alex Meruelo, had to negotiate with the 16 heirs to the property to secure the deal.

Meruelo, a businessman born in New York to Cuban parents who had left the Caribbean island in the 1960s, also had to outbid a French businessman who made offers up to the last minute.

Credit: Minorca.com/Facebook

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IDYLLIC ISLAND: The islet is part of the Albufera des Grau natural park.

The 16 heirs and their family members will be allowed to use the islet until October.

This 58-hectare islet has spent three decades on the market, and in 2010 was on sale for as much as €6 million.

In the mid-1980s, Alex Meruelo started his business ventures, acquiring a pizza chain before expanding into the construction and property sector in southern California.

Meruelo’s holding company currently encom-

passes electricity companies, television and hotel chains like SLS Las Vegas and the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

He is also the first American of Hispanic origin to acquire an NBA team with a majority shareholding: the Atlanta Hawks. The islet is located 200 metres from the northeastern coast of Menorca, and features a beautiful landscape with two beaches.

There is a countr y house running on solar power, as well as a summer home and wooden cabin.

Not just a pretty place THE transformation of Palma de Mallorca in recent years has been dramatic.

In the days before the likes of easyJet, most tourists would bypass the city on their way to one of the many coastal resorts.

Its revival began with the first wave of investment by the local council to tackle petty crime and clean

up the streets. Over the past five years a group of ver y successful Swedish entrepreneurs have turned ancient buildings, with their lofty terraces, into spacious city centre apartments.

In their wake, lifestyle stores like Rialto Living have opened, art galleries have expanded and numerous restaurants

COMMIS SSIO

ONLY 1.5%

N

and boutique hotels have launched.

Property prices have now shot past the peak of 2007, with average prices in the O l d To w n r e a c h i n g €3.8 million.

Local government figures show that the number of properties being sold to foreigners has increased from 23 per cent in 2007 to 44 per cent last year.

Even more expensive real estate can be found heading west down the coast to Puerto Andratx, as well as a string of resorts that are investing millions trying to shake off their reputation as teenage party destinations.

18

Weekender

Perfect med-icine OVER millennia the Mediterranean people have brought to their tables recognisable dishes through their distinct cultures. Iberian, Celtic, Greek, Roman, Barbarian and Arabian contributed to establish the actual ‘Mediterranean trilogy’: bread, olive oil and wine.

From the Middle East arrived cereals, legumes, carrots, onion, garlic, plum, peach, cherry, apple, pear and several nuts.

From Europe came beetroot, chicor y, cabbage and asparagus;

Food & Drink

15th - 21st June 2018

from the Far East arrived chickpeas, sesame, cucumber, aubergine, mustard, basil and citrus.

From Southeast Asia and Oceania arrived the rice, rosemary, pepper, ginger, cucumber and cider; from Africa arrived melon and watermelon and from America arrived the corn, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, courgette and pumpkin.

Modern science revealed in the second half of the 20th centur y the exceptional nature of the Mediterranean lifestyle

and its influence on the health of the population.

The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet were initially described in the years 1950-1960 by Dr Ancel Keys and colleagues in the ‘Study of the seven countries’ which recounted the role of this diet in coronary heart disease.

They obser ved that in Mediterranean countries the rate of coronary heart disease was significantly lower than in other countries in northern Europe due to dietary habits.

Seafood – EVER since we moved to Spain, prawns have been a favourite here at Olive Tree Farm. It was something we might have treated ourselves to in the UK, perhaps once or twice a year. Back then the treat was usually just a prawn cocktail using ready cooked prawns.

In Spain however, we find the fish counters fascinating, and the range of shell fish is quite incredible. I more often than not buy prawns raw (crudo).

They are a blue grey in colour prior to cooking and quite slipper y. Once cooked they turn the familiar pink colour. Small ones are fabulous for stir fries,

Gambas al Pil Pil Ingredients 300g raw prawns completely peeled, head off 4 – 5 tablespoons of olive oil 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped Salt and ground black pepper A good pinch of chilli flakes or 2 or 3 dried chillies crumbled Half a teaspoon of paprika Parsley for garnish (optional) Method Taking just minutes to cook, warm the olive oil, and the garlic in a small cazuela on the hob.

Add a twist of black pepper, a pinch of salt, the chilli flakes and paprika and stir it all through. Now add the prawns and let them sizzle for about 4 or 5 minutes until pink and cooked through.

Serve immediately whilst still sizzling in the cazuela on

GAME OF PRAWNS: Three great recipes.

a wooden board.

I tend to go a bit overboard with the olive oil, so we have lots of it to mop up with crusty bread.

Another favourite is Salt And Pepper Prawns Ingredients 4 or 5 prawns per per-

son peeled but leave the tail end on 50g corn flour 2 tablespoons of ground or cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon flaked sea salt Chopped coriander to garnish (optional) Vegetable oil Method Pour enough oil into a small saucepan or wok and to enable you to deep fry the prawns.

Remove the head and the shell from the body leaving on the tail and butterfly the prawns, removing the dark vein at the same time,

Food & Drink

15th - 21st June 2018

– Part 2 whereas the larger ones we prefer griddled, or BBQ’d.

Some dishes are better if the shells and head are completely removed. Other dishes work well by leaving the tail on, which gives you something to hold, and then there are some dishes where all the shell and head are left on.

The shame of it is, when they have been marinated, unfortunately, most of the flavour is on the shell… That’s where the phrase ‘finger licking good’ comes in!

So on that note here are three different recipe ideas using all three shell on or off options.

der if using. Ser ve with wedges of lemon.

Griddled Prawns

OLIVE TREE FARM was set up about four years ago with the intention of achieving a level of self sufficiency.

We have poultry for meat and eggs, goats for milk, rabbits and small pigs for meat and harvest our 70 olive trees each year for oil. We also grow a variety of fruits and vegetables.

which can sometimes be gritty.

Mix the salt and one and a half tablespoons of the pepper into the corn flour.

Turn the heat up high for the pan, once hot enough start coating the prawns.

Coat 4 or 5 prawns at a time in the flour mix and fry them in batches. If you put too many in at a time they can take a little too long to fry and end up rubbery.

Once they are all cooked ser ve immediately along with the rest of the black pepper sprinkled on plus an extra sprinkle of salt and chopped fresh corian-

Ingredients 2 – 3 large raw prawns per person – Shell and head left on For the marinade A thumb sized piece, of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated One finely chopped piece of lemon grass or a sprinkle of dried lemon grass A splash of fish sauce (I used Worcestershire sauce) Salt and black pepper

1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil A pinch of chilli flakes or course ground cayenne pepper Method Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Using either a plastic container with a lid, or a freezer bag, tip the prawns and marinade all in together and move ever ything around until coated. Leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours before cooking.

To fr y on the hob in a griddle pan, heat the pan and then brush with olive oil and fry the prawns for about 2-3 minutes each side until pink.

Weekender 19

20

Weekender

Health & beauty

15th - 21st June 2018

On the right foot WITH temperatures heating up, the season to ditch your socks and boots for sandals and flip-flops is here.

However, experts say thousands of women could face crippling problems by wearing the wrong shoe size during the summer months.

Many women have no idea that their summer shoes should be at least half a size bigger than their winter ones to cope with hot, swollen feet and to prevent blisters. Consultant Podiatrist Emma Supple says “Throughout winter we ignore our feet, we never look at them and we neglect them badly. So when

we finally take our socks off, our feet are really prone to debilitating blisters when we wear sandals and flip-flops.

When we then wear the wrong size shoes it is a recipe for a foot disaster.”

While anyone can have a mishap when it comes to foot pain, it’s important to take extra care if you have certain foot health conditions. Plantar fasciitis, bunions, and various complications related to diabetes can all feel worse in the sweltering heat. By protecting your feet with the right summer shoes, many foot health problems can be avoided or at least lessened.

EGG-TASTIC: Recent findings come as welcome news for the egg industry.

BURNING PAIN: Important to take care of your feet.

Clucking great IT appears that eating too many eggs a day is an old wives tale after all.

Recent research in China has debunked the myth and studies instead suggest that eating at least one egg a day may reduce the risk of heart

disease and strokes.

Of course, it is widely known that eggs are an impor tant aspect of a healthy diet. They are one of nature’s most nutritious foods containing Vitamins A, D, B and B12, and high levels of protein.

Eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin that can help prevent eye damage in old age.

This is welcome news for the egg industry after years of bad press in which eggs have been linked to salmonella as well as cholesterol levels.

However, concerns about cholesterol levels in eggs have also been widely dispelled, with findings suggesting that this has more to do with how the eggs are cooked (fried in oil, for example) than the actual egg itself.

Water SEVENTY-FIVE per cent of people in Spain drink less water than is recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a new survey has revealed.

The EFSA guidelines recommend men drink 2.5 litres of water a day and women two litres, yet the average amount con-

Health & beauty

15th - 21st June 2018

Feeling low?

Rewild yourself

WILD AND FREE: People are losing touch with nature.

news Dr Frankie Phillips, of the British Dietetic Association said that “people shouldn’t be frightened of eating too many eggs.”

The only concern with eating too many, is that too much protein is being digested and this can put a strain on people’s kidneys.

However, don’t think that you can keep yourself in tiptop shape simply by downing some eggs.

Exper ts in the study stressed that egg consumption needs to be par t of a healthy lifestyle if any benefit is to be reaped.

r joke sumed by those questioned for the survey by the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN) was 1.7 litres for men and 1.6 litres for women.

The survey included people aged nine to 75 who were questioned about their eating and drinking habits.

MOST of us are aware that our health and well-being are intrinsically affiliated to the environment in which we live, but in this increasingly urbanised world, degraded cities, lifestyle changes, and the pressure of work means that we are living more sedentary lives.

When the murky origins of food and energy are factored in, it might be fair to assume that many residents of urban environments are becoming increasingly disconnected

from the natural world, and the simple pleasures of being outdoors.

This shift has especially affected children’s lifestyles and key factors influencing childhood development, such as enjoyable experiences and play has been largely reduced to private activities centered on ‘technological toys.’

Even in a world where most ecosystems have been devastated and wild animals are a rarity, there are many things we can

do to reconnect with nature, find purpose and feel more alive, so if you feel lost, apathetic or unhappy, try to rewild yourself a little.

Weekender 21

22

Weekender

Leisure

15th - 21st June 2018

SO, the 2018 World Cup has started and I’m sure fans of the beautiful game will already have their viewing schedules planned over the next month.

England kick off their campaign on Monday against Tunisia and Spain take on Portugal tomorrow (Friday), followed by Iran on Wednesday and Morocco on June 25. I think those Eurovision flags might put in an appearance over the next couple of weeks.

BBC and ITV are sharing the coverage from Russia, the BBC have the first English and Spanish games.

As promised last week, I’ve been catching up on Versailles, which is back for a third, and has rumour has it, final series on BBC2 on Mondays.

This isn’t a show for historical buffs or for anyone who doesn’t like an obscene amount of nudity and frolicking in their dramas. They can’t keep their clothes on for goodness sake and I’m sure the Sun King’s palace would have been chilly, Versailles isn’t on the Costas after all.

But this is a lavish production with plot turns, sweeping hair, tights and frock coats, and that’s just the men. When the women can keep their clothes on, it’s all big hair, heaving bosoms and beauty spots.

Have I sold it to you yet? Series three sees the King’s brother Philippe return to court with ill-gotten treasure, in this case less Spanish gold and more the defeated Emperor Leopold.

Louis eventually finishes building the

CREDIT: IMDB

TV Critic How about a month of football, Louis XIV or a box set binge?

DASHING: Matthew McNulty plays a soldier in Versailles.

Palace, but there is revolt in the air from the local peasants. The peasants keep their clothes on and don’t have to heave anything. They are simply there to revolt and be revolting. Look out for Matthew McNulty playing a soldier

who mends shoes (I’ve no idea either) and whose family seem to be from a suburb of Paris somewhere in North Yorkshire!

You can’t have missed that ITV2 are showing Love Island every day for what

looks like the longest run in the history of the show. There are very few reasons to watch, although the villa where all the action happens is in Mallorca, just outside Sant Llorenc des Cardassar. The beautiful young participants wear less clothing than anyone in Versailles, but I have to say don’t look in the least bit cold, that’s the Spanish sun for you.

Caroline Flack is your host, whilst Iain Stirling narrates the action. You don’t need to watch to keep up with what’s going on, just picture a hot tub, sunshine and pretty boys and girls running about with very little on, bitching about each other. OK, you guessed, I’m a fan.

Only kidding, well...

If you need to get away from the football or clothing optional shows, there are lots to pick from, with most of my favourites currently on Netflix. If you can ignore his head being too big for his body and the ill-fitting trousers, Designated Survivor sees Kiefer Sutherland playing a politician propelled to the US Presidency when most of the American government are killed. It’s a gritty, political drama and worth a binge session.

If you get a cloudy week (unlikely, I know) Suits is also one to seek out. We all know a certain new Duchess is one of the stars, but this legal drama is so much more than Meghan. And finally, bit of a cur ve ball, You Me Her is an American/Canadian comedy about a suburban couple who, well, you get the picture, three isn’t a crowd.

PETS

15th - 21st June 2018

Enter the Funny Pet Photo Competition

Weekender 23

Show your support!

It’s Competition Time!

JOIN us in our fun Summer Competition to find the funniest pet photo competition.

Every year at HouseSit Match.com we invite our followers and members (you don’t have to be a member to join in!) to send us their funny photos of amusing pets.

Now we know it’s hard to catch them doing that thing they do on camera that makes you laugh out loud. Give it a go - why not! You never know what you might capture.

Rules of the Competition One entry per contestant.

Theme must be pet related.

The photo must be legal, decent, honest and true!

Send your entries by email to Ad min@housesitmatch.com Deadline for Entries - Monday September 14, 2018 Winner - to be selected by democratic vote through our newsletter readership To sign up for our free weekly newsletter go to https://www.housesitmatch.com/ newsletter- signup/ Not familiar with HouseSit Match.com yet?

What our members say about us At HousesitMatch.com we use Trustpilot to manage and authenticate our customer reviews.

Here is a recent review from a

DONKEY WORK: The sanctuary needs YOUR help.

FUNNY PHOTO: You never know what you might capture.

Spanish pet owner: Housesit Match Rocks! The Best Pet Sitting Platform I have had nothing but great experiences with Lamia and Housesit Match. I shout their praises from the rooftops whenever l can.

After a couple of bad experiences on two other platforms, I have used HousesitMatch exclusively. Lamia is so proactive and helpful with listings and checks. We have been able to find absolutely fantastic sitters and repeat sitters through the site.

We travel often and it’s always nice to know that it’s one less thing to worry about. Thanks Lamia for your personal touch.

By Kemkem Casinelli, dog owner Valencia How you benefit as a home and pet owner

Our membership offers a secure network to help you find suitable sitters. We don’t reveal your contact details, or your address. You post an advert ahead of your travel dates, we publish the advert then housesitters apply.

You can view their profiles and chat with them before you accept your choice of applicant. If you join as a Premium member we can also help you at each stage of the process to get you started and to manage your account.

How you do join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch.com • Choose a membership plan • Standard (DIY option) = £49 pa • Premium (with support at each step) = £79 pa

Do you need a house or pet-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation!

Register as either house-sitter or homeowner with a 20 per cent discount using coupon code P2020 – an exclusive offer for readers. To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

ANIMAL lovers have the chance to help the Henrietta Foundation Animal and Donkey Sanctuary at a charity event in Arboleas.

Taking place tomorrow (Saturday) at Legends Bar, the Stars In Your Eyes show will see hopefuls take to the stage before belting out their favourite songs.

A trophy will be presented to the winner,

there will be a hot and cold buffet and a group is even travelling up from Murcia to offer support.

Tickets cost just €5 and are on sale at Legends, Girasol Health Shop, and Cutting Edge Hair Salon, plus Harrison, Sol Mar and The Corner Shop supermarkets.

The show gets underway at 8pm sharp so please be seated by 7.30pm.

24

Weekender

Puzzles

15th - 21th June 2018

Wordsearch Mr Men Characters

Boggled How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules?

The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms. No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice. No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.

TARGET:

RUDE

GRUMBLE

CHEERFUL

CLEVER

BRAVE

BOUNCE

UPPITY

FUSSY

MESSY

JELLY

CLUMSY

GREEDY

LAZY

NOSEY

BUSY

BUMP

PERFECT

SILLY

CHATTERBOX

MUDDLE

Quick

Across 1 Small songbird (5) 4 Suffering from irrational fears (6) 9 Farm vehicle (7) 10 Hospital worker (5) 11 Summit (4) 12 Building (7) 13 See 18 14 Seize suddenly (4) 16 Unit of area (4) 18/13 Defraud (3,3) 20 Small flute (7) 21 Accumulate money for future use (4) 24 Gradually wear away (5) 25 Tread on and crush (7) 26 Delay one's departure (6) 27 Perhaps (5)

Down 1 Ceremonial act (6) 2 Courageous (5) 3 Brief written record (4) 5 Put at a disadvantage (8) 6 Structure that impedes free movement (7) 7 Intelligent (6) 8 Concise (5) 13 No longer in use (8) 15 Small, striped American carnivore (7) 17 Earnest or urgent request (6) 18 Established line of travel (5) 19 Go back (6) 22 Be pertinent or relevant (5) 23 Not agitated (4)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

• Average: 15

• Very good: 29

• Good: 20

• Excellent: 38

hooves hoes hove hose hosed hies ivies ivied evil evict evicted eves ices iced vies coil cote civil cite cited cede cedes eked bused busk busked beeves bees devil devoice device desk deco deceive deceives deceit ekes fees feed

SCORING: • 4 letters: 1 point • 5 letters: 2 points • 6 letters: 3 points • 7 letters: 4 points • 8 or more letters: 11 points

Cryptic

Across 7 Remember to ‘phone again (6) 8 Regulate a race to a French quarter (6) 9 Done in the shape of a lump (4) 10 Only change one ten with bank (8) 11 Choose not to vote for a sailor with a stigma (7) 13 Lack of fighting sounds like a scrap (5) 15 Lively British hazard (5) 17 Winning or getting a hammering (7) 20 Buckingham Palace ratepayer takes in hack (8) 21 Rowan’s first to exploit a cunning plan (4) 23 Take back Greene novel (6) 24 Beetle hiding in a Madagascar abbey (6)

Down 1 Emperor is part of the more urbane Romans (4) 2 Moan about a morning in Lent (6) 3 Regalia ordered from African country (7) 4 Stick or stone of little value (5) 5 Withhold food from popstar vegetarian’s diet (6) 6 Church gin a clan drunk (8) 12 They obstruct gunners in boats (8) 14 Misfortune for the other side (7) 16 Points to paradise in Scandinavia (6) 18 Prisoners of rising star, Zane Grey’s jungle character (6) 19 Weary Judge’s dead weird (5) 22 Revolutionary naps in vault (4)

Puzzles

15th - 21th June 2018

IRREGULAR SUDOKU

SOLTIMES STAR QUIZ : UK WORD OF THE YEAR Every year Oxford Dictionaries selects a word or expression that has attracted a great deal of interest during the year. They shortlist several words and chose a winner that is judged to reflect the ethos, mood or preoccupations of that particular year and to have lasting potential as a word of cultural significance.

1. Amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organisation, or community (two words - 2007) 2. Inhale and exhale the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device (2014) 3. Photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media (2013) 4. Puzzle in which players insert the numbers one to nine into a grid consisting of nine squares subdivided into a further nine smaller

squares in such a way that every number appears once in each horizontal line, vertical line, and square. (2005) 5. Situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterised by a string of blunders and miscalculations (2012) 6. Small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication (2015) 7. Sudden sharp reduction in the availability of money or credit from banks and other lenders (two words - 2008) 8. Term for the potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union (2016) 9. Used to convey that something is very straightforward (2009) 10. Young lower-class person typified by brash and loutish behaviour (2004)

Kakuro

Answers 1. CARBON FOOTPRINT, 2. VAPE, 3. SELFIE, 4. SUDOKU, 5. OMNISHAMBLES, 6. EMOJI, 7. CREDIT CRUNCH, 8. BREXIT, 9. SIMPLES, 10. CHAV

SUDOKU

Weekender 25

Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

CrosswordSolutions from last week Quick

Cryptic

Sudoku

Irregular Sudoku

26

Weekender

Feature

15th - 21st June 2018

Heaven: why wait?

by Sandy Shore WHEN recently my wife and I completed a 10-city excursion of Spain we were delighted at every turn of the road and the bed sheets.

Leaving aside a Burgos pension that was past its sell-by date the nation’s hotels and their hard-working staff tick every box.

Much the same can be said of city restaurants in such places as Santiago and Oviedo. For elegance, atmosphere and attention to detail diners enjoy a cultural and culinary experience. The Costas could learn much by copying their counterparts in northern Spain.

A departure I know, but the city of Porto in Portugal presented the most amazing panoramic tableau. A great fan of the poignancy of Portuguese soul music known as Fado we were enchanted by three restaurante artistes who would earn kudos from the greatest Fado chanteuse of all time, Amalia Rodrigues.

Burgos has been crossed off our bucket list of destinations. This is a pity because one in-

ELEGANT AND ATMOSPHERIC: Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. different B&B and a dumb waiter in a cathedral plaza restaurant are hardly enough to judge a city on. But, it was a great lesson for a person like me who is tuned in to business success and failure.

Businesses, especially restaurants do a fair bit of advertising and rightly so; ‘if you don’t

yell you don’t sell.’ However, let no business owner ever forget that the best salesperson of all is the satisfied client.

Advertising is most successful when it promotes a new product or premises, a discount, special offer or a unique feature. Instead of following this golden rule many

businesses advertise only to replace clients needlessly lost because of poorly trained staff or bad staff attitude.

On an earlier occasion our visitors decided a ‘nearly eatery’ ticked all the boxes.

Having been disappointed by the restaurant’s apathetic staff on earlier occasions we forewarned our friends.

Disregarding our advice our companions soon afterwards caught up with us. As predicted, the waiting on staff had their Brylcream heads up their backsides; in a word the employees were supercilious (pronounced super silly ass).

During our recent excursion my culture vulture wife happily trotted in and around cathedrals, ancient churches and museums.

But, rather than see how people once lived by studying medieval architecture and old artworks my preference is to see tomorrow’s paintings simply by people watching today.

At my most content when enjoying café society al fresco my real life tapestry unfolded before my eyes as I sipped quality wine and made notes in my notebook.

Behind THE MUSIC Alright our kid V L James vljamesinfo@gmail.com Facebook: @vljamesinfo BY 1994 I was 27 years old and I’d had it with what was going on in pop music.

To me much of what was SEMINAL: Oasis’ Defintely Maybe. on offer was over produced rubbish for people who didn’t actually like music.

Then one day I was sitting in traffic on duction was raw, letting the guitars do the M25 and I switched on Radio 1 (a the work. rare occurrence by then!). I heard a song Of course the follow up, ‘What’s The with beautiful raw guitars, a passionate Story Morning Glory,’ would go on to be vocal delivery and a proper rock ‘n’ roll a bigger commercial success, but it’s the feel to it. That song was Live forever by Manchester band’s debut that remains, Oasis and it genuinely reignited my inter- to many people, the most important of est in loud guitars and rock music. the Band’s catalogue.

I had to buy the album it came from.

In 2018 listeners to Radio X voted Live Definitely Maybe definitely didn’t disap- Forever The Best British Song Of All point! Every song was great. The pro- Time. It’s definitely up there for me!

28

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CARS WANTED CARS WANTED for Cash. Classic Cars & Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Defenders & Discoveries. Please call: 659 685 133 (253556)

CHARITIES/CHURCHES GIRASOL COMMUNITY CENTRE. Mosaic Classes, Art Classes, Karate, Yoga, Thai Chi, Pilates, Health Screening every 6 weeks. For Hire 5.00€ per hour.

Tel 639 089 170 THE SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, Benijofar meets at Hamilton´s Bake House, 62 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 03178. We

BUILDERS

Classifieds

15th - 21st June 2018

hold a Sunday Service at 11.30 a.m., a Tuesday Evening of Mediumship at 7 p.m.

Spiritual healing is available every Sunday and Tuesday after the service. The Divine Service, with Mediumship on Sunday 17th June will be taken by Gail Ross (UK Medium). The Evening of Mediumship on Tuesday 19th June, will also be taken by Gail Ross. THE CHURCH WILL NOW BE CLOSED UNTIL SUNDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER FOR THE SUMMER. THE MEDIUM WILL BE LINDA SHEPPARD. Contact Wendy on 965323028. www.spiri tualistcentrebenijofar.com New email is phoenixchurch23@g mail.com or info@spiri tualistcentrebenijofar.com Identific acion Fiscal G54713789.

DRAINAGE

INSURANCE ALBOX/MOJACAR INSURANCE, Award winning Agent for ALL your insurance needs.

ALBOX OFFICE: 950 121 943. Mojacar office: 634 323 399

HEALTH & BEAUTY GIRASOL HEALTH FOOD SHOP, Calle Malaga, Albox. For all your dietary needs, health foods, organic foods, supplements, super food powders, organic eggs and veggie box scheme.

Est 2006.

Tel 639 089 170

HOME MAINTENANCE MARKS Home Maintenance services.

Painting General Maintenance. Kitchen Unit Renovation.

References available.

634 908 475 (259695)

CHURCH SERVICES

MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 309, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now!

(200726)

See Your Advert Here!!

Next Week

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Applications by email with full CV should be sent to recruitment@eurowee klynews.com.

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Locked Out? Locks fitted/upgraded, house safes. Arboleas and surrounding.

Special Weekend Rate.

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MOTORING WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

SOLAR ENERGY/POWER SOLAR WIND POWER SOLUTIONS. Over 20 years installation experience.

Established 17 years in Spain. Call Phil for competitive prices on 636 261 240 or email info@sunergyalmeria.c om (276705)

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DRAINAGE

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29

15th - 21st June 2018

PAINTERS

BUILDERS

REMOVALS/STORAGE

30

Sport

15th - 21st June 2018

Cup fever!

By Tony Matthews THE 2018 World Cup is underway, with 32 participating countries split into eight groups of four as follows: Photo credit FIFA

Group A

Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay

IN IT TO WIN IT: The World Cup is underway.

Group B

Iran, Morocco, Portugal, Spain

Group C

Australia, Denmark, France, Peru

Group D

Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria

Group E

Brazil, Costa Rica, Serbia, Switzerland

Group F

Germany, Korea Republic, Mexico, Sweden

Group G

Belgium, England, Panama, Tunisia

Group H

Columbia, Japan, Poland, Senegal

THE matches will be played at 12 venues, spread over 1,800 miles, the largest being the Luzhniki Stadium, followed by the Krestovsky Stadium in St Petersburg (68,134). The smallest is the Kaliningrad Stadium (35,212).

Those in Novograd, Kazan, Sochi and Samara will stage the four quarter-finals on July 6 and 7… St Petersburg and Moscow will host the two semi-finals on July 10 and 11… the third/fourth place game will also be in St Petersburg on July 14… with the fi-

19th Hole Golf Society THE 19th played their Monthly Medal on an Aguilon course which has never looked as good as it does now, and probably never been as difficult as it is now.

Some found it less demanding than others, which was the case for Dave Wadey, who won the Men’s Medal scoring an impressive 68. His winning score was only two better than Tommy Seed (70), and four less than Terry Ayling (72). The Ladies competition was more clear cut, with Karyn Esposito well out in front with a score of 73. The difficulty of the course was mirrored by the fact there were only two two’s on the day, by Mike Esposito 14th and Keith Henderson 17th.

Nearest the pins: 3rd 8th 12th 14th 15th in 2 17th

Ralph Hunter.

Bernie Obrien.

Steve Newberry.

Terry Ayling.

Ted Vietch.

Willie Ellis.

The 19th Hole Golf Society play every week on local courses.

Contact mikeesposito54@yahoo.com.

nal taking place in the Luzhniki Stadium on July 15 (5pm).

WC Facts: • 64 matches will be completed including the final on Sunday, July 15.

• 736 players, 23 from each country, including 115 from English Premiership clubs, will be in Russia.

• Holders Germany and Brazil are 4-1 joint favourites with the bookies to win the trophy, but Spain and France (both at 7-1), Belgium (quoted at 10-1 with their array of

Premiership stars) and England (12-1) all have a chance.

• Germany - who have surprisingly left PFA Young Player of the Year, Leroy Sane out of their squad, are seeking to become the first country to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

• Brazil, with five final victories behind them, are the only country to participate in all 19 World Cup tournaments and the last to appear in successive finals (1998 and 2002).

Aguilon Golf THE fairways are reasonably quiet at the moment with the ‘snowbird’ having returned to their homelands and the influx of holidaymakers yet to start, so we can all enjoy the beauty of the course with views of mountains on one side and the sparkling sea on the other side.

Individual Stableford It was not ‘unlucky 13th’ for most of the field as some very good scores were returned and handicaps tumbled on a warm day with a blustery wind.

For some reason the 12th seemed very profitable providing six two’s for the players.

Wednesday June 6 Monthly Medal The ‘medal’ round did not seem to hold its normal terrors this month as a large percentage of the field returned good or respectable scores, with countbacks deciding first and third placings.

1st Bernie O’ Brien 40 pts 2nd Mark Newall 39 pts 3rd Dave Wilson 37 pts Two’s: Norman Whibley x two 3rd and 17th, Chris Baker, Peter Death, Dave Simpson, Derrick Stephenson, Eddie Vaughan, Dave Wilson 12th, Paul Mailly, Mark Newall 17th

MEDAL WINNER: Norman Ridgeway.

1st Norman Ridgway 8213 = 69 on a card play off 2nd Roy Bishop 81-12 = 69 3rd Eddie Vaughan

82-12 = 70 on a card play off Two’s: Roy Bishop 8th, Bernie O’Brien 12th,

Mike Esposito, Roy Lewis 14th, Les Raufer, Dave Sharp 17th Wednesday June 13 -

For further information see the website at aguilon membersclub.com.

Motoring Treasure trove of classic car parts found

A revolutionary ride with Yamaha YAMAHA has decided that this is the time to introduce the public to the next quantum leap in motorcycle technology.

The three-wheeled NIKEN boasts unique leaning technology to make it drive and feel like no other machine on the road.

The NIKEN demo tour is the first chance for the public to experience the revolution first-hand.

Yamaha LMW (Leaning Multi Wheel) technology was first presented at the Tokyo Motorshow in 2013 and was immediately met with wide interest.

Thanks to the added stability of the innovative chassis, the NIKEN gives the rider unmatched control over his motorcycle.

Combine the design revolution with a customised Yamaha 847cc CP3 engine and you get a machine that’s not only incredibly responsive, but that delivers pure power.

Engineers have tried to find the perfect driving line for the NIKEN, and from the very first concept it was designed for winding roads and tight turns.

That is why the NIKEN demo tour will go all over

ha ama it: Y Cred

AN amazing collection of rare classic car par ts, valued at well over €1 million, has been discovered in shipping containers.

The treasure trove of parts includes many valuable spares and items from the great Italian brands like Ferrari, Maserati and Abarth.

Incredibly, many of the par ts are still in their original wooden packing cases dating from the 1960s, or in their original boxes and wrapped in oiled paper.

Chris Routledge, managing director of Coys, the auctioneer which unear thed the intriguing find, said: “Something of this scale, and with the importance and rarity of the cars they are related to, is unprecedented.

“It’s an Aladdin’s cave which is going to excite people all over the world.

I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In amidst the treasure trove is a hoard of wire wheels, carburettors, exhaust pipes, radiator grilles and dashboards.

“I feel a bit like Howard Car ter uncovering Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922,” added Routledge.

“Every time we remove one box or item, there is something else of huge interest hiding behind.”

The items were part of a private collection, the owner of which passed away many years ago.

They will be auctioned

by Coys on June 29 at Blenheim Palace, and will all be offered without a reser ve price, meaning that there could be some real bargains.

15th - 21st June 2018

BEAST BIKE: The NIKEN’s three wheels make it cruise over any terrain.

Europe and to the most challenging locations, to show the public what makes this machine so unique.

From mountain trails to tight bends through valleys, this tour will showcase everything that is possible with the threewheeled marvel.

The NIKEN demo tour will take place from June to October 2018, and Spain and Great Britain will be among the countries visited.

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