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SolTimes issue 258

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

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Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent of political parties, private investment and government.

Our policy is to provide readers with a news and information service that is fair, accurate and balanced. Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent publications. Published weekly and produced exclusively in Murcia & Blanca. Sol Times News Group cannot be held responsible for claims made by advertisers, nor can it be held responsible for errors in advertisements caused by poor quality text, photographs or layout instructions.

Furthermore, no responsibility can be accepted for any loss or damage resulting caused by any error, inaccuracy or non-appearance of an advertisement. Deposito Legal Sol Times Calida AL 851-2010. Sol Times Blanca AL 852-2010

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Costa Blanca

The tragic death of local reporter Louise Clarke has brought about an outpouring of grief from all those that knew her.

Louise had been in hospital for around a month after collapsing; she had not been ill and the shock of her condition and the tragic outcome when Louise passed away has been difficult for her family to come to terms with.

Louise was so active and full of vitality; she fought on behalf of the local community on a number of issues from dodgy housing developers, poor sewerage systems to the provision of a Coastal Nursery school. In a year-long sabbatical Louise worked at Playa Flamenca Town Hall, under Monica Lorente, and continued to champion causes for foreign residents.

Now the community has an opportunity to give something back to Louise and her family by attending the ‘Christmas Glitter Ball’. This event will be held at The Emerald Isle, La Florida, on Wednesday 12th December from 7.30pm and has been organised by media friends and colleagues as a way of remembering Louise and all of her great work and contribution to the local community. Tickets are now on sale priced at just 3 euros and can be bought at: The Emerald Isle, Fit-4-All, Maria Wilson and the Pink Ladies, The CoastRider Office or by calling 637 456 781. This number can also be used by anyone wishing to make a donation or provide a raffle prize for the evening.

Cádiz

33 illegal immigrants had a terrifying experience as they attempted to cross the Strait of Gibraltar in two inflatable dinghies.

They were spotted almost simultaneously by Spanish and Moroccan patrol boats. In an effort to evade capture by the Moroccan vessel they jumped into the water and attempted to swim to the Spanish boat.

27 of them, in a state of exhaustion and hypothermia, were rescued by the Spanish vessel, and taken to the port of Cádiz, where they received medical treatment.

The other 6 were picked up by the Moroccan boat, and returned to Tangier.

Denia

The centre of Denia was the setting for a rally by disabled groups, protesting against cuts to the aid and social programmes. The cuts will affect day care and carers’ allowances, and will impact on the quality of life, both social and financial, of many carers, groups and individuals in the area.

A declaration was read out on behalf of Aprosdeco, which represents disabled people in the area, claiming that the cuts discriminated against disabled people.

The protest was organised to coincide with the International Day of People with Disability, which was set up in 1992 by the United Nations to promote an understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities and to bring attention to the rights, dignity and well-being of such people.

San Javier

The quiet residential area of Santiago de la Ribera has been rocked by the murder of two of its residents.

83 year old José Antonio Ríos and his 82 year old wife Josefina Medrin, who had mobility problems, and very seldom left the house, have been found brutally murdered.

Their bodies were found by the home help, who calls on them twice a day. She confirmed that in the morning they were both well and in a usual state of mind.

Josefina’s body was found in her bed, while her husband’s body was found in the kitchen.

During the afternoon neighbours saw José talking to an unknown man on a bicycle, who went

into the house with him. The man left a short time later.

Homicide experts from Madrid have been called in. The Government Delegate, Joaquín Bascuñana, said that the Guardia Civil believed that the motive for the murder was not robbery, being that the couple were old and frail, and would have been unable to offer resistance. It seemed more likely that they were murdered to conceal the identity of their assailant. However, the motive remains unclear.

Members of the family have been asked to thoroughly examine the house, to verify whether or not anything has been taken.

The Ayuntamiento has declared 2 days of official mourning, during which time official functions will be suspended, and flags flown at half mast.

Alicante

The austerity move by the Ayuntamiento of Alicante , whereby the street lighting was drastically reduced in a bid to save money has had a temporary reprieve.

This week the lights have been re-instated. Portavoz for the Ayuntamiento, Andrés Llorens, said that a 40,000€ investment, in part funded by local shopkeepers, will ‘cheer up the shoppers, who have had to put up with the austerity for far too long.’

‘We are living in difficult times, but we believe that a little light in the city will boost sales at Christmas.’ It seems that the lifting of the embargo is working, so far shopkeepers have reported increased sales.

The streets are due to remain bright up until the Feast of the Three Kings.

Mazarrón

A 46 year old man has gone missing from the El Alamillo beach. He went wind surfing in the morning of 9th December, but when he failed to return to his home by the afternoon the 112 services were called. His car was still parked by the beach, but of him or his equipment there was no sign. 2 boats from the Salvamento Marítimo were called out, as well as a spotter plane and a Guardia Civil helicopter. The search was recommenced the next morning, but at that time he had still not been located. Although the beach is generally regarded as safe, conditions can be difficult if there are off-shore winds.

Lorca

A novel way of collecting for charity has been introduced in Lorca’s libraries. It is ‘Biblioteca Quitapenas: Nosotros te quitamos las penas si tu se las quita a otros’(the library which takes away troubles: We take away your troubles if you take away the troubles of others) It is a form of amnesty for those who have library books outstanding, and which would normally incur a fine.

It was put into operation on 28 November, and will run until 28 February. Anyone can bring in their overdue library book, and ‘pay’ their fine with a donation of food to the charity Cáritas.

The Consejal for Educación, Francisco Montiel, said ‘We wish to support the charity, and at the same time recover some of our overdue books, some of which have been outstanding for many months. All we ask is a donation of non-perishable food, which is in date, and not in a glass container.’

Totana – Alhama de Murcia

The Mediterranean Corridor High Speed Train Link has moved a little closer to reality with the completion of the Totana – Alhama de Murcia stretch, according to a press statement by Adif.

This stretch has 3 lines, 2 for high speed trains, while the third line is for conventional traffic and freight.

The Murcia to Almería stretch is 186 kilometres in length, with 108k in Almería province, and the remaining 76k in Murcia. Although Murcia anticipates the arrival of its first high speed train from Madrid in 2014, the rest of the line down to Almería is some way off completion!

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Constitution Day: “Healthcare Should Be A Basic Right,” Says Rubalcaba

As Spain took a day off work today to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, opposition leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba said he wants to see this amended to ensure free healthcare is a basic right for all residents in Spain, irrespective of whether they pay social security or have a valid visa if they are non-EU citizens.

The socialist head says healthcare should be on a par with education, as in it should be a right and not a privilege.

At present, the Constitution mentions medical attention as being a right of all residents in an ‘advisory’ manner only.

In answer to president Mariano Rajoy’s comments about how the number of people paying social security in Spain has plummeted, Rubalcaba reminded him that the total figure is at least 20 million workers.

But he warned that for every single person claiming a Spanish State retirement pension, there are only two workers.

Paradoxically, in 1996 the total number of residents in Spain who were working was 12.5 million, compared to 17 million today – although the population has rapidly increased in the last 16 or 17 years.

All other socialist members said they fully supported

Sport

Rubalcaba’s idea, and some – such as the regional president of Andalucía, a PSOE member – have even suggested that the current government is using the recession as an excuse to cut funding in the areas that most affect the country’s population, such as healthcare, education and social services.

They say these and the labour reform, together with other measures brought in by the PP central government, are effectively going against the Spanish Constitution, which was drawn up to ensure the rights of everyone living in Spain were protected.

Overall, however, they believe that the Constitution works well if it is adhered to, but does need a few ‘tweaks’ to bring it up to date - as was the case in 2005 when the text was altered to allow any first-born, irrespective of gender, to be directly in succession to the throne.

This was effected when Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia gave birth to their first child, Leonor, to ensure that she would be next in line for the throne after her father even if she later got a baby brother.

But the amendment turned out to be even more relevant when, in 2007, her sister Sofía was born.

Suspected Murder In Santiago de la Ribera

The bodies of a man and a woman in their 80s have been found in a house in Santiago de la Ribera, near San Javier (Murcia).

Their carer apparently called out the emergency services at around 19.00hrs on Thursday after she found their bodies in the ground-floor apartment on C/ Gabriel Pastor when she went round to see to them that day.

They were said to be lying in pools of blood and with clear signs of violence.

Local Police and the Guardia Civil attended the scene, along with medics to certify the two people’s death.

It has not been revealed whether they are a couple, nor whether they lived in the apartment they were discovered in.

Relatives of the victims have already attended the property,, including their son who works as a painter in the town.

As yet the cause of death is unknown, but police are treating the incident as a murder.

stage lock-in at Cardiology Madrid lights up for Christmas Doctors Institute to prevent its closure

Madrid’s Christmas lights have been switched on – albeita week later than usual due to the city holding an official period of mourning for the fifth victim of the Hallowe’en tragedy, María Teresa Alonso, who passed away in hospital last week after suffering serious brain damage due to lack of oxygen from being crushed in the stampede.

The lights will only be on in the main commercial areas of the city, to draw attention to those and boost business, and also to save money on electricity.

City council sources say they expect to spend nearly 28 per cent less this Christmas on lights

– an expense which will fall to 1.9 million – by using energy-saving lightbulbs and switching them off earlier in the evening.

The traditional nativity scene, or belén – the Spanish translation of ‘Bethlehem’, which is also used to describe an ornamental Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in the stable – has been set up in Cibeles Palace and is open to the public free of charge.

It measures an impressive 100 square metres – the size of a large apartment or half the size of an average villa – and has 600 figurines, human and animal in equal numbers.

moncayo market CHRISTMAS FAIR and MARKET on

At least 60 junior doctors and 120 permanent staff members have spent the last month staging a lock-in at the Cardiology Institute in Madrid where they work in protest over its pending closure.

This is one of numerous lock-ins that have taken place over the course of this year to prevent closures and cutbacks.

In March, several supply teachers facing job loss finally let themselves out of Sevilla Cathedral after shutting themselves inside for five months in protest, and in June, around 20 people locked themselves inside the primary school in Puente de Vadillos (Cuenca province) to stop it from being closed down.

The Cardiology Institute has been practising for 65 years in Madrid; the capital’s only hospital which specialises entirely in heart complaints, particularly complex ones, will be axed to save money.

All the junior doctors will be made redundant and the fixed employees are waiting to be transferred to another hospital.

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Sick Valencia boy who wrote to the King gets a reply King Juan Carlos has read the letter sent to him by a six-yearold Valencia boy asking for an operation for Christmas, and says he has asked for help to ensure he gets it.

Edu Pinto suffers from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which has a life-expectancy of just three years – he has already had it since age four – and which affects the nerves and muscle functions as well as leading to curvature of the spine.

The child, who is wheelchair-bound, has also just got over leukaemia.

Medics at Valencia’s La Fe hospital do not want to operate, because of the very limited probability of Edu’s survival, but the family are convinced that their only hope is surgery.

A week ago, Edu wrote to the King of Spain, who has just come out of hospital himself following a hip replacement.

He said, “If you think I have been a good boy this year and behaved myself, I don’t want toys or games for Christmas, just an operation.”

The boy said his only wish is to live, and that he hoped the King would understand, having just been in hospital himself.

Having read the letter, the Monarch has written back to Edu, praising him for his ‘admirable strength’.

He said he has written to the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and to the regional health authorities to ask for their help!

Strikes are set to hit the tourism industry hard over this festive season with workers from rail board RENFE, airline Iberia and public sectorowned hotels known as paradores downing tools.

Iberia has already announced a continuous strike starting this Friday, December 14 for a whole week, with services resuming only for the first weekend.

Pickets were due to take place this Monday and, this week, on national rail lines run by RENFE, Adif and FEVE strikes have been called off but rescheduled for Thursday and Friday instead.

Strikes are currently plaguing the metro line in Valencia, with only 40 to 50 per cent of trains running, although the line from the city centre to the airport appears to be functioning normally.

In Madrid, 12 days of partial strikes on the metro between this coming Thursday and New Year’s Eve will take place, and Barcelona’s bus service employees will down tools for the whole of next week from Monday, December 17 through to Friday, December 21.

Already, paradores have staged a strike for the bank holiday weekend – Thursday, December 6 and Saturday, December 8 were public holidays, meaning many people would also take the Friday off work to go away for a few days – and they will do so again over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. These strikes relate to restructure plans and redundancies in all the above-cited sectors, and will coincide in many cases with protest marches over government funding cuts in education and healthcare and closures of pharmacies due to non-payment by regional governments of the costs of medication they have to

incur.

Iberia recently announced that 4,500 jobs would go as part of the company restructure, and salaries of remaining staff would be cut due to the airline reducing its operations by 15 per cent in the coming year.

Spain’s government is complaining that the strikes will create a ‘poor image’ of the country outside its borders, and could mean millions of people planning to go away for Christmas or the New Year, or who have to travel to be with their families, will be left stranded.

Extensive delays and cancellations of flights and trains could result, and anyone due to travel is advised to contact their transport company for further information.

During the previous parador strike over the October bank holiday period, the sector lost millions of euros as guests cancelled their bookings, fearing that there would be nobody to attend to them and basic services such as cleaning or catering unavailable.

With the loss of profits likely to arise from the strikes, the government says staff are creating even more financial difficulties for their employers and that their actions could therefore be counterproductive, putting even more jobs in jeopardy.

photo: http://s1.reutersmedia.net

Transport, airline and hotel strikes could blight Christmas and New Year for travellers

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Degrees Offered Entirely In English At Five Universities In Valencia Region

University degrees taught, assessed and examined entirely in English are due to be introduced gradually in the Comunidad Valenciana from the start of the next academic year.

Regional education authorities say it is the ‘ideal opportunity’ for students to become fluent in English, both in terms of speaking and written expression, and technical knowledge of their chosen subject matter.

The move is aimed at making graduates more employable.

Members of the regional government’s education department are currently examining each syllabus for all degrees offered by universities in the Comunidad Valenciana in order to adapt them to suit

Sport

their plans.

These include the Jaume I University in Castellón; Valencia University; Alicante University; Valencia Polytechnic College and the Miguel Hernández University in Elche (Alicante).

For the academic year 2010-2011, students considered to be high achievers were selected to complete part or all of their degrees in English.

They had to have a level of the language equivalent to the European B2 stage, or intermediate level.

A total of 23 degree subjects in the five universities in the region are offered in English to these high achievers.

EU collects Nobel Peace Prize

The presidents of the EU’s three main institutions have collected the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway’s capital Oslo. The EU was awarded the prize for its role in uniting the continent after two world wars.

According to a report by the BBC, at the ceremony there was applause when the leaders of France and Germany stood up, holding hands.

Critics say the award is inappropriate. They point out that the eurozone crisis has exposed deep divisions in the 27-nation bloc.

Most of Europe’s national leaders were at the event, but not the UK’s David Cameron.The British prime minister’s deputy, Nick Clegg - a longstanding advocate of the European project - represented the UK at the ceremony.

Nobel committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland told the audience that in the current economic crisis “the political framework in which the union is rooted is more important than ever”.

“We must stand together, we have collective

responsibility,” he said, warning of a risk of new nationalism in Europe.

The prize was received jointly by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament President Martin Schulz. In his acceptance speech, Mr Van Rompuy paid tribute to the post-war leaders of France and Germany who had forged the EU by uniting their economic interests. He praised “the EU’s secret weapon - an unrivalled way of binding our interests so tightly that war becomes impossible”.

“It is better to fight around the table than on a battlefield,” he said, quoting Jean Monnet, one of the EU’s founders.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat next to French President Francois Hollande at the ceremony in Oslo City Hall.

Mr Van Rompuy said the economic crisis was fuelling “the return of longforgotten faultlines and stereotypes”, but added: “Even such tensions don’t take us back to the darkness of the past.” He ended by adapting the famous “Ich

bin ein Berliner” quote from the late US President John F Kennedy during the Cold War. He said he hoped future generations would “say with pride ‘Ich bin ein Europaer’, ‘Je suis fier d’etre Europeen’, ‘I’m proud to be European’”.

Four young Europeans, selected through an open EU competition, were in the delegation with equal status alongside the politicians.

The European Commission, which drafts EU laws, says the Nobel Prize money - about 930,000 euros (£755,000; $1.2m) - “will be allocated to children that are most in need”.

The BBC’s Europe correspondent Chris Morris says there has been a barrage of criticism from Eurosceptics, peace activists and former winners of the prize.

Many of them question whether the EU should be given such an honour at a time when record unemployment and tough austerity policies, supported by European institutions, are causing serious social tensions in several member states.

Expanish passports:

The Latest National Protest Group

Passports bearing the nationality Expañola (‘Expanish’) being part of the ‘Exuropean Union’ have been issued by the national protest group 15-M, named after the day they first occupied the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid on May 15 last year.

The declaration on their website says: “If Spain is Rajoy, Ana Botella [mayoress of Madrid], Julián Muñoz and Isabel Pantoja [two of the main suspects in the Marbella-based corruption case uncovered in 2007], then stop the country because we want to get off.

“If Spain is a country where there is no respect for or value placed on education, where they stop immigrants getting healthcare, where bank managers get reprieved and ordinary citizens are persecuted, either we will swallow our national identity cards or we’ll die of shame.”

They have set up a website called exlandia.net, where anyone can ‘apply’ for an ‘Expanish’ passport and immediately become a ‘citizen of Expain’.

According to the website, “Expain is a country where ordinary citizens stop people’s homes being repossessed, help immigrants, inform themselves personally by internet and lose their fear.”

They say other European countries have set up an eXgreece, eXportugal and within Spain itself, an eXgalicia, eXandalucía, an eXcatalunya, an eXfuenlabrada and an eXgijón, as well as, further afield an United eXtates.

This is the latest in a series of national protest groups and slogans which include the indignados (‘indignants’), the 15-M movement and Occupy the Congress.

Five In Custody Over Motorway Service Station ‘Distraction’ Thefts Guardia Civil officers have arrested three men and two women said to be behind at least 17 robberies from drivers in motorway service stations along the east coast.

The accused parties, all from Eastern Europe, are believed to haveuseddeceptiontechniques such as asking directions, puncturing tyres and stealing bags when the occupant of the cars were distracted checking their wheels, and at times even employed force and violence.

Some of them would patrol the A-7 in the provinces of Murcia, Alicante, Valencia and Castellón looking for potential victims, who were normally

tourists in hire cars or foreignregistered vehicles.

Investigations started some months ago and revealed that the suspects had links to other, similar gangs and carried out enough regular thefts that they were able to maintain a high standard of living off the proceeds.

Police raided a flat in the city of Alicante and confiscated numerous stolen goods such as suitcases, keys, mobile telephones, credit cards and various documents including passports and driving licences.

They believe more arrests could be in the pipeline.

SabadellCAM takeover finalised

Over 300 branches of the SabadellCAM have been closed down this week in order to meet with ‘consolidation’ requirements of the European Union.

Offices of the Sabadell Atlántico will undergo a change of image in the next few days in the Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia Region.

Additionally, at the end of the year, the CAM bank will pass details of all its customers to the Sabadell, which will finalise the full merger of the two financial entities. Account numbers will remain the same but customers have been sent new cards for internet banking – although they will not be able to update their bank books in cashpoints until after this weekend.Withdrawing cash from ATM machines will operate as normal, say sources from the group.

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

torrevieja Christmas Carol Concert costa lions

Coro Pilar. Pilar De La Horadada, December 9th., 2012.

The first flutter of snow flakes in December, are, for many, a herald that Christmas is close, with preparations for the great day, about to get underway.

Here in the small town of Pilar De la Horadada, the annual concert of carols and readings, is now taken as a sure sign that December 25th., is not too far away.

The congregation on Sunday last, were treated to carols familiar and not quite so familiar. Under the baton of Musical Director Zinoviy Harvat, the professionalism of this talented choir, singing in both English and German, was plain to see.

Musical accompaniment on this special Sunday evening was provided by keyboard, flute and piano accordion.

Christmas favourite”Felix Navidad” bought the evening to a close, with Sunday’s gathering making their way back home, through the streets of a chilly but festive Pilar De La Horadada, well prepared for the forthcoming, Christmas festivities.

Rob Barnes.

The members and friends of your local club in Torrevieja would like to pass on the Season’s Greetings and good will to all of our Ex Pat’s and Local Paper readers.

We would also like to ask you to join us at any of our monthly meetings held at “The Cabo Cevera Hotel” in La Mata on the second Thursday of each month starting at 17.00.

This year we have held many charitable events and have given a lot of money to good causes in the local area.

If you would like to help us repeat this in 2013 then please come to a meeting and help us to help others.

Look at our web site for details Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

7

Christmas begins here ... !

The eagerly-awaited Christmas Carol concert given by two of the leading choirs on the Costa wlll take place on Sunday 16th December at La Zenia church. Taking part will be the Costa’s finest choir, ‘In Harmony’, known for their superb close harmony sound. They will be joined

by Cantemos! Children’s Choir, consisting of children from 8 different nationalities who are well-known in the area for their exciting and melodious sounds and harmonies. Both choirs are under the direction of conductor and singer, Nigel Hopkins.

Soloists from both choirs will be featured, including 9 year old Hadley Coleman singing the famous ‘Walking In The Air’ from ‘The Snowman’ film, and the wellloved soprano, Mary Beer, who will feature in ‘O Holy Night’. There will be plenty of opportunity for audience participation, and to hear a multitude of your favourite Christmas carols and songs.

Tickets for the concert are priced at just 5€ each, with proceeds to La Zenia church funds, and are available from CallNet Internet cafe - along the alley behind Consum, next to Paddy’s Point in La Zenia. Telephone: 966 761 171.

Special Christmas Night for the Butterfly Children

Sports Complex Restaurant at La Marina Urbanisation at 8.30pm on Thursday.20th December Entry 3 euros - either on the door or by ticket from the Charity Shop, Consum Square on the urbanisation.

Appearing will be the Alpengold Oompah Band playing a variety of music, plus a Special Section with song sheets for all to sing the Christmas Carols. Audience participation and fun generated by the band leader, compere Bill Singleton. Also appearing will be the ever popular La Marina Tappers dancing a number of festive related dance routines. An all round enjoyable evening for all.

A raffle will be held. Also mulled red wine with mince pies avalable at 1.50.e. Food will be available at normal prices.

8

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

music with mark The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and early 1970s.

They enjoyed considerable popularity and hit songs in many countries. Along with The Rolling Stones and The Searchers, they are one of the few British pop groups of the early 1960s that have never officially broken up and that continue to record and perform. The line-up of the band was Allan Clarke as lead vocalist, Graham Nash as guitarist and vocalist, Tony Hicks on lead guitar, Eric Haydock on bass guitar and Bobby Elliott on drums. (Vic Steele and Don Rathbone were part of the original

formation of the band but left to be replaced by Hicks and Elliott in 1963.) The group was discovered and signed by EMI’s Ron Richards, who produced most of their music between 1963 and 1979. Their EMI debut single, “Ain’t That Just Like Me”, was released in May 1963, and hit No.25 on the UK Singles Chart. Their second single, a cover of The Coasters’ “Searchin,” hit No.12.

They scored their first British Top 10 hit in early 1964 with a cover of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs’ “Stay”, which reached No.8 in the UK. It was lifted from the band’s Parlophone debut album, “Stay With The Hollies”, released on 1st January 1964, which went to No.2 on the UK album chart. They followed up with “Just One Look”, and the hits continued with “Here

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The Hollies

I Go Again”; the group’s first self-penned hit, “We’re Through”; “Yes I Will”; “I’m Alive” (the band’s first UK No.1); and “Look Through Any Window” which also broke The Hollies into the US Top 40 for the first time. The Hollies returned to the UK Top 10 with “I Can’t Let Go”, and “Bus Stop” (written by future 10CC member Graham Gouldman).

They had a few more hits and then a bombshell dropped when Graham Nash decided that he wanted to leave the band.

Nash left in December 1968 for a number of reasons, one being that he felt something of a prisoner of his early pop success. Like John Lennon and George Harrison, he too disliked the screaming of fans drowning out the songs in concerts.

He felt shackled as a songwriter within The Hollies “pop group identity” too, when he wanted to write more personalized songs of a reflective nature not necessarily utilizing vocal harmonies. Nash also clashed with producer Ron Richards over material, and disagreed with the group’s decision to make their next album composed entirely of Bob Dylan songs.

He relocated to Los Angeles, where he joined forces with former Buffalo Springfield guitarist Stephen Stills and ex-Byrds singer David Crosby to form one of the first supergroups, Crosby, Stills & Nash. Nash told Disc magazine, “I can’t take touring any more. I just want to sit at home and write songs. I don’t really care what the rest of the group think.” Until Nash’s departure, the single releases were “Jennifer Eccles”, “Listen to Me”; “Stop, Stop, Stop”, (known for its distinctive banjo arrangement); “On a Carousel”, and “Carrie Anne”. The last original Hollies single of the ‘60s to feature Graham Nash was “Jennifer Eccles” (Mar. 1968), while Nash’s final sixties Hollies single was “Listen to Me”, issued in September 1968.

Graham Nash was replaced by guitaristsinger Terry Sylvester. Nash’s departure saw The Hollies again turn to outside writers for their single A-sides, but the group’s British chart fortunes rallied during 1969 and 1970 and they scored four consecutive UK Top 20 hits. in this period, beginning with the Geoff Stephens/Tony Macaulay song, “Sorry Suzanne”, which reached No.3 in the UK, followed by the emotional civil rights–themed ballad “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”, which featured the piano playing of Elton John, and

which reached No.3 in October 1969. Their next single, “I Can’t Tell the Bottom from the Top”, again featured the young Elton John on piano and reached UK No.7 in April 1970. The UK hits continued with “Gasoline Alley Bread” and Allan Clarke’s self penned hard edged rocker, “Hey Willy”, made No.22 in the UK, and charted in eight other countries.

But storm clouds were looming, like Graham Nash before him, Allan Clarke was growing frustrated, and he too began clashing with producer Ron Richards over material; he was eager to cut a solo album, and Clarke departed from The Hollies in December 1971, a move which surprised and shocked both the band’s fans and the public in general. Swedish singer Mikael Rickfors formerly of the group Bamboo (who had supported The Hollies in Sweden in 1967 and a friend of the band was quickly recruited). When Mikael first auditioned for them, he tried to sing in Allan Clarke’s range and the results were terrible.

The rest of the group decided it might be better to record songs with him, starting from scratch. Terry Sylvester and Tony Hicks blended with Mikael’s voice instead of forcing him to blend with their original harmonies.

Meanwhile EMI released a track which had Clarke on lead vocal and lead guitar, the Creedence Clearwater Revival inspired song, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”, which became a massive hit.

Although still commanding a large fan base success on single releases was poor and in 1973 Rickfors departed and Allan Clarke rejoined as Lead Singer. In 1974 they scored what was to be their last major new USA and UK hit single with the Albert Hammond / Mike Hazlewood composed love song, “The Air That I Breathe” (previously recorded by Hammond and by Phil Everly on his 1973 solo album, “Star Spangled Springer), which reached No.2 in the UK and Australia and made the Top 10 in the US. The Hollies continued to have worldwide singles chart hits for the rest of the seventies, notably in Europe and New Zealand. And although all of the original band with the exception of Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott have left they still perform as The Hollies. Personally I think that the 60s tracks were them at their best but saying that “The Air that I Breathe” is one of my favourite songs.

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

HELP Murcia Mar Menor CAMPOSOL FIESTA 2013…..

Invite you to sing THE BALL IS ROLLING!!!

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2 course meal & show 12.50€ Show only 4€

to make the Fiesta a family affair and we are pleased to have Nichola Green on the Committee as our Children’s Representative.

She has been busy gaining the views of the local children to find out what they want to see at the Fiesta and we aim to hold a number of events specifically for them.

“We are delighted that one of our talented youngsters will design the logo for the Fiesta. We will soon be launching a competition which will be open to all children in the Mazarron area, so watch this space!”

Tickets for the Hypnotist show are 10€ each and can be purchased from Alley Palais Sector B; Paramount Villa Rentals, the old Masa building on Sector C or from the Thursday Market, Sector A. Alternatively you can email michelle.moston@ googlemail.com or “like” our Camposol Fiesta Facebook page.

Photo: The Committee comprises: Left to right: Pat Firth, Treasurer; Alan Hogg Member (Fund Raising) Nichola Green Member (Children’s Representative) Colin Dorsett Member (Sponsorship/ Evening Entertainment); Michelle Moston, Chairperson; Stuart Fearn Member (Daytime Events) Bruce Furness, Secretary.

On Saturday 15th December at 2.30pm At The Arches, the Oasis, Los Narejos With Mince pies and Coffee at €2.50 Come along and sing your favourite carols and get in the Christmas spirit!

P

AIRPORT

The Committee for the Official Camposol Fiesta 2013 is now in place and is already busy fundraising and making preparations for the big event next June.

Speaking after the Committee Meeting at the Business Centre, Camposol, Chairperson Michelle Moston said: “Although we are a brand new committee, we are enjoying the challenge and we are learning together. Between us we have a wealth of skills and experience and more importantly unlimited enthusiasm to make next year’s Fiesta a roaring success.

“We have still not been able to confirm the date with the Council, but we are working hard to gain sponsorship from local businesses and organise fund raising events and activities across Camposol.

“As in previous years, the Fiesta is being staged at the Sector B Commercial Centre but we are very keen to ensure that all Camposol businesses and residents feel involved in the run up to the event We hope to make the whole experience as inclusive as possible and as such we have gained the support of almost all the Camposol bars and restaurants to hold fund raising events in the new year.

“On 9th February 2013, Alley Palais will be hosting a fund raising Comedy Hypnotic Show. Dave Rawson is a fabulous hypnotist from Ibiza who has recently made UK newspaper headlines by hypnotising X Factor’s Rylan Clark.

“There are also a number of other events planned such as a TV Game Show; Race Nights; Dinner Dances and much more.

“We are also very keen

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10

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Win a pair of Tickets Stagestruck Drama Group for Dick Whittington! donate €1412 to AFA Torrevieja On Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th January, the Rojales Panto Group present their annual seasonal pantomime at the Escuela de Musica in Los Montesinos. There will be 2 evening shows at 7.30pm and a Sat Matinee at 12.30pm. Tickets are priced at 7€ Adult and 5€ child.

This years show is the traditional Dick Whittington and is directed by Christine Smith. With bigger scenery, colourful costumes and sing-a-long tunes,this promises to be a real crowd pleaser. Tickets are available from The Hire Centre,San Luis.

The Christmas Shop,San Luis. Las Brujetas.

Los Montesinos, Kennedy’s British store, Los Montesinos, Quesada Fish n chips, The Halfway house, Quesada. News4u, La Marina and Cards&more, La Marina.

Tickets can also be pre reserved by telephoning Chris on 965077090 or Tina on 966797683.Alternativly email Barry at bazbov@yahoo.co.uk Tickets will also be available half an hour b e f o r e performance times on the door.

To celebrate the season the Panto Group are offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets for the opening night.

To be in with a chance of winning just answer the

€645 Kimberton Obscure

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following question:

Where was Dick Whittington Born?.

A. Cambridgeshire B. Gloucestershire or C Kent Send your entries to competition@ soltimes.com by Monday 17th December.

All correct answers will then go into a draw and the lucky winner will be randomly selected and informed when and where to pick up tickets.

As an Extra Bonus you could also be in with another chance to win, simply visit www.rojalespantomime.com and enter the competition posted there May we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year - Good luck!

Photo shows some of the Dick Whittington cast outside the Christmas shop in San Luis.

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that she had never received a certificate before.

Thank you to Stagestruck, and a special thank you to the audience for supporting both the group and the Alzheimer’s Association of Torrevieja (who actually cover the whole of the Puma 22 area albeit from their base in Torrevieja, hence their title).

We would like to thank all those who supported us over the 3 day event.

AFA Alzheimer’s Association Torrevieja is available for advice and support. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work in our day centre and now have a “Buy a Brick” campaign to raise money to build a much needed residential care home for sufferers. If you need help or advice, or feel you can contribute, call at the AFA shop in Calle Maestro Francisco Valejos in Torrevieja, the AFA Centre in Avenida de La Estacion or by calling Matilde Sanchez on 647119991 or Judy Ferris on 610082593. Email: afatorrevieja@ hotmail.com

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The Stagestruck Drama group ended a three night run on Saturday, at the Beluga Theatre in San Fulgencio and donated the proceedings to AFA Torrevieja.

The photo shows Stella ( the author, director, producer and general factotem of the company,) handing Matilde Sanchez, President of AFA Torrevieja, the cheque for 1200 Euros, proceeds from the ticket sales and an additional bonus of 212 Euros being the proceeds from the nights’ raffle won by ticket number 93, a lady member of the audience.

Matilde, President of the Alzheimer’s Association of Torrevieja and Judy Ferris the Treasurer, both said how absolutely delighted they were with such a generous donation. This help towards the ongoing effort of their Day Centre’s struggle to cope with the ever increasing demand for care and support of patients with dementia was truly gratefully received.

When Matilde presented Stella with the AFA certificate of appreciation, Stella was delighted as she, with humour, said

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Getting British TV here in Spain can be a confusing and daunting task and finding a reliable and informative company is vital.

Welcome GO SATELLITE! Getting British TV here in Spain can be a confusing and daunting task and finding a reliable and informative company is vital.

Welcome GO SATELLITE! GO SATELLITE was set up 8 years ago by husband and wife team Ian and Deborah. Ian has more than 20 years experience, having spent 10 years with SKY In Home Services in the UK, where he worked on the specialist heights team as well as SKY´S Prestigious VIP Team which caters for the “stars”, therefore the quality of his workmanship is extremely high!

After leaving SKY, Ian set up his own business in the UK and ran this very successfully for 5 years before moving to Spain.

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Ian said “Being a small company has its advantages. We offer a personal service and get to know all our customers by name. It’s important to us that people fully understand and are happy with the service we are providing.

We realise that the technology involved can be confusing but we are happy to spend time with our customers to ensure that they get the best system for their needs”.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Any concerns or queries are dealt with in a clear and professional manner and clients can call Ian at any point if they have any queries. This ensures that all of their customers have complete peace of mind throughout the lifetime of the service. Added to that is the fact that GO SATELLITE is a fully legal, Spanish registered business that provides individual, company and community installations with a free no obligation site survey.

Go Satellite is going from strength to strength!

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They have now opened a new office in the Business Centre Calle Los Arcos No7 Ciudad Quesada. So you can now come and meet us and we will endeavour to help you with all of

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OTHER SERVICES Go Satellite not only provide television but are also able to provide internet and telephone services. Packages are available to suit all with a switch on/off service available for non residents.

DISH ISSUES? Here at Go Satellite, we use only Top Quality Portugese dishes and Invacom LNB’s. Sky Packages are also available: Full HD Package 20€ per month (which includes Sports & Movies). If you do not have room or do not wish to have a dish, give us a call as we have a solution!

At Go Satellite, we will endeavour, to provide TV for everyone.

So, if you are fed up of missing your favourite programs or you have lost your TV signal and do not want to lose out any more, then call Ian or Deborah on 965 725 670 or 646 645 579 or call into our office to find out more about GO SATELLITE and its services. Alternatively check out the website: www.freetvspain.com

12

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Look Good Feel Great

www.soltimes.com

healthy eating only reliable way to lose weight!

Forget about the diet - just cut down on the fat, claim scientists.

Trimming back on butter and cheese, cutting out biscuits, cakes and crisps and swapping to low-fat milk and yoghurt could help you lose three and a half pounds, says a new study.

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It shows that people can get slimmer without going on a diet in as little as six months - and the more fat you stop eating, the more weight is lost.

New research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) found that exchanging fatty foods for lower fat alternatives results in weight loss, slimmer waistlines and a drop in levels of bad cholesterol.

The results prove for the first time that weight loss is possible simply by choosing foods lower in fat despite a plethora of recent publicity extolling the benefits of low-carbohydrate and no-carb diets.

The study, which pooled results from 33 clinical trials involving 74,000 people, is published in the British Medical Journal (must credit) Dr Lee Hooper from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, who led the study, said the regime led to consistent lower weight for at least seven years.

She said ‘The weight reduction that we found when people ate less fat was remarkably consistent - we saw it in almost every trial. Those who cut down more on fat, lost more weight.

‘The effect isn’t dramatic, like going on a diet. The research specifically looked at people who were cutting down on fat, but didn’t aim to lose weight - so they were continuing to consume a normal amount of food. ‘ W h a t surprised us was that they did lose weight, their Body Mass Index decreased and their waists became slimmer.

On top of this, they kept their weight down over at least seven years.’

‘There isn’t a specific goal, the more fat you cut down, the more your weight falls.’

The systematic review included results from 33 randomised controlled trials, lasting six months to eight years, involving 73,589 men, women and children with varying states of health.

Comparisons were made between those eating less fat than usual and those eating their usual amount of fat which ranged from a quarter to half of everyday calories.

The effect on Body Mass Index (BMI) a score showing whether people are overweight or obese - and waistline was measured after at least six months.

The results show that eating less fat reduces body weight by 1.6kg (three and a half pounds), cuts BMI scores and waist circumference by 0.5cm (0.2 ins).

All these effects were in trials in which weight loss was not the intended outcome, suggesting that they occur in people with normal diets.

The weight loss happened q u i c k l y and was maintained over at least seven years.

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Darren and his young family have settled in to Spanish life well since relocating from Nottingham 5 years ago

Having spent 3 years building up a good client base and reputation at La Finca Golf, Darren recently made the move to the established Barbershop located inside The Quesada Country Club.

With all the facilities of the bar, swimming pool, mini golf and children´s pirate ship available, plus easy parking, it´s so convenient to get trimmed up at this superb location.

Things are definately going well for this traditional time served barber with over 20 years experience. Darren can offer a wide range of cutting styles from the latest modern cuts to traditional male barber cuts using top quality products.

The Barbershop offers a relaxed and friendly welcome, set in a modern, airconditioned comfortable surrounding, so why not pop in for a chat and a trim, Open Monday - Friday from 10 am to 5 pm with no lunchtime closing (out of hours are available on request).

With cuts starting from as little as 5€, why not pop along and visit Darren The Barber for a tidy up soon at the Quesada Country Club, Calle Toledo, Quesada Drive through the arches at Quesada, up the main street until you see the Cajamurcia bank where the road splits, take the left side, sign posted Aqua Park (Parque Aquatica), then turn right at the Consum sign onto Calle Azul, then turn right onto Calle Toledo, Look for Miss Tilly´s Pirate Ship 100 m on your right and you are there!

Call Darren for further information on 616 592 887

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

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...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Come Rain or Come Shine for MABS

The MABS Cancer Support Group’s book stall at The Arches on the Oasis urbanisation is a familiar sight for bookworms in Los Alcázares and the surrounding areas.

MABS volunteers, Malcolm and Val Vickery work tirelessly running the stall, come rain or come shine, with a smile and a few words for everyone who calls by.

Kindles and Tablets don’t seem to have made an impact on book sales because, during 2012, they have raised an incredible 6696€ for MABS Murcia. “I’m staggered that they have managed to raise such an amount on book sales.” remarked MABS Director, Lyn Baines. “Malcolm and Val are so conscientious about their book stall turning up every Saturday, without fail, and they have established a good, regular clientele. I am very proud of them and would also like to thank Ali, the owner of The Arches, for her continuing support. It

means a great deal to us.”

The MABS book stall is open at The Arches every Saturday from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm with books to suit all tastes.

MABS Murcia is a registered charity (No. 7261) offering help and support to local people of all nationalities who have been diagnosed with or are being treated for cancer. If you or someone you know would like some confidential help or support call our HELPLINE 693 275 779 or visit their website: www.mabsmurcia.com CANCER DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE AND NEITHER DO WE MABS HELPS ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY CANCER, WHATEVER THEIR NATIONALITY Photographer: Alfonso Fernandez Left to Right: Val Vickery, Malcolm Vickery and Ali Chaps (owner The Arches) with the MABS Certificate of Appreciation.

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tel: 634 383 298

FREEWHEELERS CHRISTMAS PARTY

Not only was the 6th a red letter day on the calendar it was also a red day for the freewheelers as it was their Christmas party day. Meeting at Champions bar in Benimar and sampling the mince pies and mulled wine that was on offer to get the party revellers in the mood, or maybe a slice of Marzipan Stollen (a speciality from Germany). There were plenty of Christmas hats on view but no fully costumed Santa’s to be seen, but some of the cars were decorated. As if by magic and without a word being said the crowd departed Champions bar as one and drove off to Torrevieja and restaurant El Estasion, a Freewheelers favourite.

An amazing 71 sat down to lunch, the most the Freewheelers have ever had for one of their outings although there would

have been more on the Marco Polo visit had the shipping line allowed it.

As usual the wine flowed freely as did the beer, (could be why we like the place).

Being a national holiday the place was full, they were even turning people away.

Although they were very busy the staff were very patient whilst we deciphered the various choices on an excellent menu from Spanish into English, eventually everybody got what they wanted, I think and got stuck in!

Eating here is a very Spanish experience and seemed to be enjoyed by all. The meal was rounded off with liquors.

It was almost dark by the time we hit the road and so ended another fun day out with the Freewheelers. Merry Christmas everybody.

In association with Caritas and Partners

GRAND CHARITY FAYRE

TO AID NEEDY FAMILIES IN PILAR DE LA HORADADA AREA

SUNDAY 16th DECEMBER 10AM - LATE

TO BE HELD IN THE LARGE MARQUEE OPPOSITE ALDI IN PILAR DE LA HORADADA Free entrance but donations or non perishable food items welcome WE HAVE LOTS TO ENTERTAIN YOU Bars & Food on site. Many stalls selling all types of wares.

Fun activities throughout the fayre. eg: TUG OF WAR- (SPANISH v THE REST OF EUROPE) LIVE MUSIC withVicky Lou and Brian Jenkins: a 1 HOUR DAYTIME SHOW FROM BJ “Elvis” (approx 12noon) VICKY LOU SINGING & PROVIDING KARAOKE Gymkhana/ Union Musical/16 tons club and more Country/Line dance with BJ approx 3 to 4 pm Modern Dance shool/stillgot music /Flamenco dancers/ and more…

AND TO CLOSE THE DAY OUR OWN ‘CAMPOVERDE ELVIS’ BRIAN JENKINS, (APPROX 8.00- 10.00 PM) (with ELVIS TRIBUTE AND 50’S 60’S MUSIC) (a 2 hour mixed show) followed by the raffle draw

For all enquiries call: 965 353 1519 or MOBILE 688 815 065

FAST Christmas Fayre

The FAST Christmas Fayre held on the 10th of November can only be hailed as an outstanding success raising over €4600, and this figure was further increased by €500 as the result of a donation given by an individual who wishes to remain anonymous.

This success can attributed to the many different stages leading up to the day itself; from selecting the date to hold the fayre, through the organisation of booking the venue, getting stall holders, arranging manpower to set up and take down on the day etc.etc. The FAST Support Team and their stalwart efforts organising and securing prizes for the FAST Prize Draw and selling tickets whatever the weather and making the draw a sell out.

The Members of FAST would like to thank all those who helped to make the Christmas Fayre such a resounding success, the stall holders with their wonderful array of goodies on display, the residents and visitors who attended the fayre, gave their support and all those individuals who donated to the Draw and Tombola stall. And finally to those businesses who also gave so generously and

contributed to the Prize Draw.

A big thank you to Tina & Wayne of The Steak-Out for suffering in silence, the FAST Prize Draw ticket sellers outside their bar/ restaurant for 9 weeks.

To Mariano’s for the venue: Euronics for supplying the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in the draw + €50 donation to FAST Vouchers from: Quality Inn, Fushia, Vista Bar, X 2 - Cats Bar, TJ’s, Branded, Ocean Bar Dental Care B sector Healthy H2O, Just Fabulous, X 3 – A Hogg - Puncture Safe, Leg’s & Co, Fereteria, Yorkshire Linen, Tropic Ana, Annette Ryder - Tarot Reading, X 2 - Beauty Palace, Kelly – Cut & Blow Dry, FAST – Making Camposol Safer For All FAST – Camposol (First Aid Support Team Registered M3035763 (2) FAST - Registered Charity Number G30863658 FAST and its Members wish to thank all those who have supported our charity over the past year and we Wish you all a Happy and Healthy Festive Season

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

decorate your home

15

eat like royalty this christmas

Next time you curse at the price of Marks and Spencer’s turkey joints, remind yourself that there’s a Christmas dinner out there that costs a staggering £125,000!

Luxury website, VeryFirstTo.com, has enlisted the services of top chef, Ben Spalding, to whip up the world’s most expensive Christmas dinner.

Once you’ve handed over your credit card, Ben and his team will create your four course Christmas feast and deliver it to your door on the big day.

So, you’re dying to know what’s on the menu right?

Well, instead of turkey you’ll be presented with a pristine cut of beef wrapped in £6,000 worth of edible 50-carat gold leaf, If you are hosting Christmas sprinkled with Akbari pistachios that cost a cool £5,000. lunch, with a week to go You’ll also find dry ice, caviar, truffles, a £37,000 bottle of its wor th ringing family and Champagne that pre-dates World War One served in diamondfriends to double check studded champagne flutes, a limited edition Japanese watermelon costing £2,600 and beans of coffee berries their attendance and find excreted by the Asian Palm Civet cat. out about any possible Yes, that’s a posh description used to describe cat poo! dietary requirements or Anyone who is rich enough to purchase this fabulous meal food allergies. for four will be pleased to know that all the proceeds will go to charity.

For anyone who’s still in shock about the price, here’s a list of the ingredients used and what they cost....

Diva Vodka: £2,000 - Piper Heidsieck 1907 Champagne: £37,000 - Dry ice: £180 - Pata Negra Iberico jambon: £600 - Birds Nest: £100 - Almas Caviar: £5,000 - 150 year old balsamic: £1,030 - Whole White Alba truffle: £3,500 - Pullet If you are ordering online, de bresse’s for stock: £2,500 - Saffron stock: £500 - Yubari ensure you check their order King melon: £2,500 - Dodine of rare breed turkey: £500 deadlines for delivery to Spain!

Wagyu beef: £4,500 - Gold leaf : £6,000 - Periogord truffles: £900 - Akbari pistachios: £5,000 - Kopi Luwak: £3,000 Some people like surprises Amadei chocolate: £150 - Densuke watermelon: £2,600 while others don't.

- Gold Ugandan vanilla plate: £1,500 - 1949 Cheval Blanc: If you find coming up with £4,680 - 1988 Corton-Charlemagne, Coche-Dury: £1,390 - 1959 La Tache: £5,400 - 1976 Chateau d’Yquem: £990 inspiration for gifts difficult, why Hhhhmmm, we think we’ll stick to turkey and a dollop of not invite close members of stuffing. Article courtesy of handbag.com your family to draw up a list of

Every family will have a time in Dec ember when they like to decorate their home.

Whenever you choose to do it, it's fun to involve the whole family.

check the guest list

Christmas n w o d t n u o C

ur cake marzipan yoroll ing out pastry. You need to

gift shopping

five different things they'd like to receive? Even when asked for suggestions it can take some people ages to get back to you with ideas so ask them early to give yourself as much time as possible for shopping.

Formula for perfect Christmas tree discovered

It may seem artificial but the formula for decorating the perfect Christmas tree has been cracked. like Getting the correct ratio of lights and tinsel is also Covering a cake in marzipan is just icing sugar otherwise it will stick ugh eno g usin out it roll crucial to lighting up your life, say students at Sheffield make sure you one for marzipan-ed it needs to be left University’s maths society. to your counter. After the cake is was and allows the marzipan to dry out Their calculations suggest the tree-topping angel or week before you ice it; this simply moisture from the stop to es cak iced l star should be precisely one tenth the size of the roya with e traditionally don If you are ner vous it. ning stai and tree. The number of lights required is found by g icin the ugh cake seeping thro for read y-rolled... opt not multiplying the mathematical constant Pi (3.14) by why n zipa mar r you out about rolling the height of the tree in centimetres.

For example, a 183cm (6ft) tree needs 574cm of Put the ground almonds into a large bowl.

Add s: nt lights (183 x 3.14) or 18ft 9in. But perfection is only ie ed Ingr the caster sugar, the golden icing sugar and the obtainable with 37 baubles and 920cm (30ft) of 300g ground almonds lemon zest. Use a wooden spoon to stir everything together. Add the ar tinsel.

200g golden caster sug almond extract and the egg whites. Mix everything together well to make a firm paste, then use your hands to ed sift ar, ‘The formulas took us about two hours to sug g icin n knead lightly until smooth.

Shape the mixture into a round.

Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 1hr.

Don't worry lde 200g go complete,’ said formula creators Nicole Wrightham if the paste feels a little sticky it will firm up and dry out once it's been chilled. s on Zest of 2 lem and Alex Craig, both 20. ‘We hope they’ll play a To make the glaze put 3tbsp apricot jam into a small pan with 2tsp cold water. Heat gently, then sieve into a t rac 1tsp almond ext bowl. Peel off the greaseproof lining from the cake, then use a sharp knife to level off the top. Turn it over and part in making Christmas a bit easier for everyone.’ put on a cake board. Brush the sieved jam all over the top and sides of the cake.

2 medium egg whites The work was commissioned by department Take two A4 clear-plastic wallets and cut along the shortest edge of each one. Open them out and put the 3tbsp apricot jam store Debenhams. marzipan round onto one of them. Put the other opened-out wallet on top and roll out the marzipan to make llet s 2 x A4 clear-plastic wa Christmas decorations buyer Sarah Theobold said: a 33cm (13in) round.

‘The formula is so versatile it will work for a tree How to get the paste on in one piece…Take off the top wallet, flip the paste onto the cake and peel away the other wallet. Press down marzipan over top and sides, so it fits snugly. Trim away excess with a sharp knife. Lift cake large enough for the Royal Family at Balmoral but onto a serving plate and cover with crumpled greaseproof paper. Leave to dry out for at least one day. also on trees small enough for modest homes.’

Home-made marzipan

Article courtesy of metro.co.uk

tailor made

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

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LEGAL CORNER WITH MICHAEL DAVIES, ABOGADO/SOLICITOR

If you wish us to print an article about a particular topic, please e-mail info@daviessolicitors.com

BUYING A HOME IN SPAIN

If you have decided to buy a home in Spain, follows some information regarding the legal aspects of the purchase...

Buyers of property in Spain naturally find the formalities and procedures involved, strange and confusing and this is often compounded by problems of language and difficulty in obtaining local professional advice that they can understand.

Some purchaser, seem only too happy to sign and pay as and when asked, sometimes with unfortunate results.

The wise thing to do is to take on the services of a qualified abogado (Spanish solicitor) of which there are many in all the tourist-orientated resorts who speak good English or who at least have English-speaking secretaries.

The Law Society in each province controls the work of Spanish solicitor.

Here is a very general outline of the work that goes on behind the scene, so that you have a rough idea of what to expect.

1. Request of the copy of the seller’s escritura. A study of the first notarial copy of the sellers Escritura de Compraventa will indicate whether all the tax and registration procedures have been completed on the previous transfer. The registration details entered on the Escritura will enable the lawyer to do a complete search in the Register, and therefore make sure that the seller has a proper title and ensure there are no hidden charges or encumbrances affecting the property.

2. Make sure there are no outstanding bills.

3. It is normal for a deposit to be handed over to reserve the property until the signing of the Escritura de Propiedad can take place. When the deposit is handed over your lawyer will draw up a solid contract to secure both parties until the day of the signing. .

4. I f you are a non-resident the Spanish Ministry of interior requires you to obtain a certificate of non residency (which in turn determines your fiscal number) so that you can sign the escritura. It will also be required later on by the Tax Authorities. This is known as the NIE number.

5. I f you buy from a non resident you must hold back 3% of the price stipulated on the escritura which your Abogado will then pay to the Tax Authority on behalf of the sellers capital gains tax. (The abogado will not be able to register your property until he has obtained the receipt from the tax office for this money,). If he is accustomed to dealing with foreigners, he will point this out, if he does not, watch out.

6. When deciding where, when and how you are going to pay for your house in Spain it is very important that you seek advice on your particular case, because the Spanish Law concerning foreign investment does not permit the payment to be made in any old way. If your lawyer is used to foreign conveyance, he will automatically point out the correct way of handling this.

7. Your lawyer will draw up a rough draft for the notary to prepare the title deed. (By contrast to England, in Spain each time a transaction takes place a new title deed is drawn up).

8. When the escritura is signed there are taxes and fees to be paid, which your lawyer will do for you, on receiving appropriate funding.

9. Order the property register to inscribe your title deed.

10. Approx. One month from the signing of the escritura you will receive your escritura with the registers stamp on it, and receipts for all the payments made on your behalf. (I recommend you staple them to your title deed forever, because when you go to sell they can be used as deductions against capital gains.)

Congratulations, you now have your final title deed.

I want to take the opportunity to say that even though all this sounds complicated, the Spanish legal system in what concerns the buying of property when used properly, gives both the seller and the buyer total safety.

Michael Davies is a Spanish Abogado and has been practicing law in Almería since 1993. He is member of the Law societies of Almería and Madrid and has offices in Mojacar and Almeria High Street.

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

MINUTES OF ‘D’ SECTOR COMMUNITY GROUP YEARLY MEETING HELD ON 3RD DECember 2012

Chairman’s Report MD thanked everyone for their donations during the year allowing the group to continue improving the look and facilities of D sector. He apologised for the delay in securing all the necessary paperwork with regard to finalising the group becoming a Neighbourhood Association. He has now instructed a solicitor to act on our behalf who advises that the process will be speeded up at which point we will then be correctly registered allowing us to open a bank account and deal with the employment of companies legally.

He then thanked the relatively small band of volunteers who form the committee, represent poligonos, carry out gardening projects, carry out weeding and maintenance needs, continue to repair our roads and drains, look after our burning pits, collect green rubbish from resident’s houses, help gravelling temporary roads, our bucketeers who stand in all weathers, who organise our social events etc, etc. He also thanked the small number of residents who have taken time and effort to make their own projects complete.

MD re-iterated the appeal for new volunteers. In the summer we handed out 500 newsletters with information regarding the work ‘D’ sector carry out, and a request for volunteers. One response was received. Help would reduce the workload of some our volunteers particularly our creative gardeners, Maureen and Clive Gritt. A big thank you to them both for our Jubilee Garden and our ever increasing Memorial Garden on D25.

Due to a car accident we lost the services of John Hannah, our green waste collector, and an appeal for more towers did not raise much response. However, Mike Bull has stepped into the breach and has helped out on a number of occasions.

We do still need more help until John returns after a complete recovery. We all wish John a speedy recovery.

MD also thanked Les and Linda Crook for the social functions arranged during the year which were all very successful.

He finished his report with the following: “The unfortunate Gota Fria that resulted in the bridge damage had very unexpected positive outcomes that once again displayed the determined community spirit of ‘D’. I read of and experienced many acts of help within our community ranging from the offer of lifts on both sides of the bridge, help with shopping and generally a warm feeling of good neighbours around us”.

He gave an assurance that the current committee, if elected, will continue to work hard on your behalf making ‘D’ the envy of Camposol both in looks and in Community spirit”.

Treasurer’s Report Bob Owen reported that the statement of accounts were available around the room. All the information regarding purchases throughout the year are in the financial report published on the web site.

Social Secrerary’s Report Les Crook advised that we had a very successful year again. In March Maureen and Clive hosted a quiz night, and thanked them for their efforts. In June we had a very successful Jubilee Dance, combined with FAST. The proceeds of this dance were donated to FAST. In August we had our BBQ, again very well supported and a lot of fun with Woody as entertainment.

Due to a problem with the golf club, we transferred our Halloween quiz to Trevi’s and it was very well supported,

even with the bridge out of action. We have a Christmas Dance at the Amapola restaurant on the 14th December, and tickets for this sold out very quickly, all the 21 rooms at the ajoining Hotel are booked. Entertainment will be provided

by Barrington. We are all looking forward to another fun night. LC thanked Steve, our web site co-ordinator for all the help he gives with posters, tickets, and in general help with the computer on D Sector.

No plans for anything next year, but ideas are being suggested!!!

Election of Officers MD advised that the existing members are all prepared to carry on. This was accepted unanimously. Proposed by Geoff Biggs and seconded by Tony St. George.

Poligono Reps BO said the situation hadn’t changed regarding the need for more representatives. He will send out another appeal for volunteers.

The Way Forward BO explained that we haven’t got enough people to carry out all the work that requires doing each week.

He has spoken to Pedro of the garden centre, and explained that when we are an association we will be able to pay someone to do this work. He advised the cost would be 60 euros a day for trimming trees and weeding the dual carriageway, and perhaps at a later date weeding around the perimeter road.

We can afford two days a week which would take the pressure of the existing volunteers. He asked for approval of the members attending and it was agreed that this is the way forward. It is suggested we have a three month trial period, and we will collect the rubbish each week, to keep the cost down.

AOB Ines Navarro put a proposal forward for a children’s play area. MD explained that he had sent a letter to the Council this year requesting a play area, or permission for us to build a play area, but no response was received. Maite suggested that perhaps each house should contribute a small sum towards this venture.

Geoff Biggs suggested that perhaps in the spring a petanque competition could be arranged on the new course on D9.

This will be reviewed in the new year.

MD advised there will be a Carol Concert on the D19 triangle on Friday 21st December. Mince pies, and mulled wine on offer. If anyone wants to make some pies and wine, they will be gratefully received.

The question of the closure of the back road on D11 was raised, and Jose explained the position so far, and explained that this is on-going with the council and Paloma.

The new road, down the rambla, was raised and the worry that large lorries are using the road and it is getting very rutted, LC suggested that everyone takes a letter to Tatiana and then the council might take some notice, if they received a volume of complaints.

Tony St. George expressed concern regarding the loss of John’s towbar for the road repair team. He suggested that perhaps we could look into buying an old banger with tow bar for all our towing work. This was discussed and it was thought it might be an insurance problem, but it will get looked into.

The meeting closed at 6.00pm. The next meeting will be held in the Cultural Centre on 4th February 4.00pm

The Wand TV Remote Control ~ £49.99/54.97€ It’s difficult to emphasise how much fun this is, and how cool the effect is when you’re merrily commanding all and sundry around you. The Hi-Fi, the TV, the computer, the lights (if you’re fancy enough to have remote control lights), anything that needs flicking on or off in the room can be controlled by a wave of your wand.

Indeed, if you’re even slightly interested in anything vaguely wizard-related then you owe it to yourself to get one of these - great fun, ingenious technology and an impressive effect. Top it off with a beautiful faux-dragonskin box with Chinese silk inlay and you’ve got a superb little package, perfect for the wannabe wizard in your life.

CHRISTMAS GADGETS Teddy Speaker ~ £14.99/16.48€

There’s nothing worse than trying to nod off when your ears are stuffed with uncomfortable headphones and the Teddy Speaker is perfect for those of us who just can’t drift off into lala land without the melodic tones of Handel’s Water Music (or Marilyn Manson if you’re that way inclined) lulling them into a soft slumber. It will happily sit on your bedside table without ruining the bedroom’s mojo because it looks just like any other teddy bear. The speakers have been tucked away in the bear’s feet and the battery pack is cleverly hidden inside the teddy, so you’ll barely even notice that this loveable bear houses a great sounding sound system for your MP3 player.

all of these items are available to purchase online please note, prices do not include p&p fOR further information EMAIL: EDITOR@SOLTIMES.COM

17

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

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Orihuela Costa Male Voice Choir charity concert THERE was a raptuous applause from a highly appreciative audience when the 32-strong Orihuela Costa Male Voice Choir presented a charity concert in Torrevieja last Friday.

A varied programme of thoroughly entertaining music was enjoyed at the Virgen del Carmen Theatre, ranging from One Enchanted Evening from South Pacific; Wandrin’ Star and You Raise Me Up, to recall just a few.

Soloist Janette Gaskell sang for the first time on the professional stage gaining a appreciative applause for What I Did For Love and I Dreamed a Dream. The other soloist was Mary Beer who sang The Prayer and One Moment in Time.

The choir is conducted by Nigel Hopkins, who displayed his multi talent by taking the lead in an arrangement also written by Nigel of Funiculi, Funicula Denza.

It was the first major concert to be hosted by the Torreviejabased International Christian Assembly church, which has adopted the charity Reach Out this year.

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The concert raised a magnificent 1,250 euros for the charity, which will be used to help local families being made homeless or in deep financial crisis.

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Co-founder of the charity, Sandra Stephens, told the audience they were currently caring for 30 homeless men and women and 30 families with around 80 children,

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providing them with basic foods, free coffee and tea and other support through their charity shop.

Sandra said the unemployed in Spain receive unemployment benefit for 18 months and social security helps for a further 18 months, but then all State help ends.

“The problem is the financial crisis in Spain has been going on for four to five years.

“Families are having to survive with their water and electricity cut off and when they can’t pay their rent or mortgage they are homeless.

“This is the reality of Spain today. Parents can find their children taken away from them once homeless and moved miles away. We had hoped the courts would stop these evictions, but it seems it’s still going on. This is the reality in Spain today. I am not making it up, and that’s why we need as much help as possible,” she told the audience.

Reach Out is currently based in Calle Urbano Arregui 23, near the Iceland store, but needs to move into larger premises where they can get workshops organised to allow unemployed men to work on donated damaged furtniture and electrical items to restore and sell through the shop.

If you want to help Reach Out with donated items or time, call 688 348 151 or 688 348 189.

Happily Ever After

On November 29th ,30th and December 1st Stagestruck presented the new and original take on the Cinderella Story to three packed houses.at their new home ,The Cardinal Belluga Theatre in San Fulgencio . The show was written and produced by Stella Reardon Cinderella, who was brilliantly played by newcomer Blanca Sierra, sang and acted with style. She was up against the odds, still looking after her 2 Ugly Sisters and a husband, her batty father Baron Hardup , a Lady in Waiting who does nothing but wait around and a not so Charming Prince (Bob Lear). After 25 years they are still all living in a tiny house in the Palace Grounds.

In the Palace, Abba Mad Kingsy and Queensy (Jim and Jean Speakman) are looked after by a drunken butler , a chain smoking cook and a variety of other staff including a seductive maid , a frustrated housekeeper,an introvert ladies maid, and two “swingers” .

Cinderella also interviews some “Wanna be” Fairy Godmothers before finding the real Fairy Godmother,Yvonne West), to untangle her life which she does with the help of Jeremy Vile , Cinders has always loved Buttons (Ian Smith) who is himself trapped in a loveless marriage to Victoria , but eventually everyone is united with their appropriate partner.

The show featured some well known songs as well as a few that were not so well known , some of which were absolute showstoppers The whole cast acted, sang and danced with smiles on their faces and the three shows were very well appreciated by those lucky enough to have tickets Their next production will be in the early summer but in January and February they are presenting their Murder Mysteries at various venues around the southern Costa Blanca. .For more details ring Stella on 966 786 154

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Poinsettia

Christmas Spirit Is All In Your Head!

You won’t find Santa’s workshop on a map, but scientists have discovered they can plot the path of the Christmas spirit through your brain.

Now that psychophysiology can reveal physical cues of a menu of human sensations, the holiday spirit no longer is seen as an invention of Charles Dickens. Instead, it’s a quantifiable state that shows up in brain scans.

are more likely to be flexible with problemsolving, to be able to find their mistakes and be able to remember more and perform better on different kinds of challenging tasks. Although ‘Bah Humbug’ personalities can fake-smile their way through family gatherings, they won’t reap the same cognitive rewards; your brain knows the difference!

The brain of a happy, in-the-spirit person has greater activity in the reward centre’s ‘amygdala’ and ‘cingulate’ cortex; in contrast, the brain of Scrooge, before his Christmas Day turnaround, would have looked like the tiny lump of coal Bob Cratchit had to content himself with - dark, small and mostly burnt out!

But at a time when the economic future is uncertain, tapping the vein of yuletide cheer can be challenging.

The findings have implications for people’s health over the festive season and and throughout the year.

There’s a whole range of literature the explains how different outlooks or temperament really affect a lot of different aspects of cognitive function, resilience in the presence of setbacks, and even your whole body health.

Within the brain, what you see is that optimists

People, who are dealing with difficult circumstances, have to do a lot more emotional labour’; Christmas, unfortunately, more than any other time of the year, does highlight the gap between how they’re expected to feel and how they’re actually feeling. Basically, by trying to fit in with the ‘norm’ of holiday cheer, trying to be happy becomes a form of work, a form of stress.

So next time you get a ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting, return the favour and smile and before you know it you’ll be singing Christmas carols too!

Dog’s Rules For Christmas

Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.

They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you.

They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.

They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: - Don’t pee on the tree - Don’t drink water in the container that holds the tree - Mind your tail when you are near the tree - If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don’t rip them open - Don’t chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part: - Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans - Don’t eat off the buffet table - Beg for goodies subtly - Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa - Don’t drink out of glasses that are left within your reach Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important: - Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people’s houses.

(4a is particularly important) - Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house - Tolerate children - Turn on your charm big time A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON’T BITE HIM!!

19

This member of the Euphorbia family comes into flower only when it experiences long nights of about 14 hours, so comes into its own at Christmas time and January.

The true flowers are small, inconspicuous and yellow; the petals are in fact vivid bracts that surround them.

The best known are the blood-red stars which cheer gardens at Christmas, although pink, white and marbled forms occur.

The traditional practice is to cut back the woody stems immediately after flowering, early in the year. If it isn’t too much of an eyesore, leave the stems until April before cutting back to 30cm from the ground. When treated in this way, the sap has time to flow back down the stems to the heart of the plant and the following year’s flowers will blaze with extra intensity.

This is a good bush to plant near the wall of the house where it can’t be seen from the windows, so that you don’t have to look at the naked stems between February and April!

Flowering Shrubs For The Winter Season Sparmannia

Sparmannia or African Hemp, grows easily in a position where it gets some shelter from the hottest noonday sun.

Commonly used as a house-plant in northern climates, in Spain, it makes a fine bush three to six metres high with attractive apple green leaves and clusters of white and yellow flowers; all the more welcome as they appear in winter and early spring.

Water it well and prune every few years to give the height and shape that you want Sparmannia can be propagated from cuttings planted in sandy soil in spring.

Take a firm, young shoot of about 30cm long right back to the main stem. Don’t attempt to plant the tips of branches only, the success rate will be far higher with larger cuttings. Use an individual pot for each cuttings to cause as little root disturbance as possible when the time comes to plant out.

20

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

tHE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE CHRISTMAS JUST ISN’T CHRISTMAS FOR SOME WITHOUT A REAL CHRISTMAS TREE!

A Christmas tree should be treated like any cut flower or plant being brought into a warm, dry atmosphere.

Decide on where you will place the tree. Will it be seen from all sides or will some of it be up against a wall?

water-holding stand away from any direct heat and keep the Christmas tree topped up with water every day.

Christmas trees may drink 2-3 pints of water a day. It is essential to keep doing this as once the water drops below the trunk, sap will reseal pores in the tree’s bark and prevent the tree from taking up any more water.

Be sure to choose a spot away from heat sources, such as TVs, fireplaces, radiators and air ducts and place the tree clear of doors.

Be sure to keep the water level about the base of the tree as if the base dries out, resin will form over the cut end and the tree will not be able to absorb water and will dry out extremely quickly.

Measure the height and width of the space you have available in the room where the tree will be placed.

There is nothing worse than bringing a tree indoors only to find it’s too tall.

So, take a tape measure with you to measure your chosen tree and bring a cord to tie your tree to the car. Then remember to choose a tree that will fit where it is to be displayed.

For example if the tree is displayed in front of a large window, then all four sides should look as good as possible. If the tree is displayed against a wall, then a tree with three good sides would be okay. A tree with two good sides would work well in a corner.

Choose a fresh tree. A fresh tree will have a healthy green appearance with few browning needles. Needles should be flexible and not fall off if you run a branch through your hand. Raise the tree a few inches off the ground and drop it on the butt end. Very few green needles

You can also buy pre-potted Christmas Trees. Basically, these are Christmas trees that have been grown in the field and placed in pots especially for the Christmas period.

The trees will be small and seldom more than 1.20m (four foot).

should drop off the tree. It is normal for a few inner brown needles to drop off.

Make sure the handle or base of the tree is straight and 6-8 inches long so it will fit easily into the stand. If you are not erecting your Christmas tree immediately, store your tree in a cool, wind-sheltered spot

your Christmas tree, saw off the bottom one inch (3cm off) of the trunk. This will open up the pores in the bark to allow water to be taken up bt the tree via capillary action. As soon as possible after this, stand the Christmas tree in plain water, not soil or sand, in a bucket or a water holding stand.

Just before (up to 3 hours) you put up

Try to place your Christmas tree in its

Fill your home with wonderful aromas this festive season!

Cut a 6” square out of cotton Christmas print fabric. Place a vanilla bean, 2 whole nutmeg, 10 whole cloves and 4 cinnamon sticks in the centre of the fabric. Gather the fabric up to enclose the spices and tie with one end of a 2’ long gold ribbon. Tie the other end of the ribbon to a doorknob. Whenever the door is opened or closed, scent will be released into the room.

Stud oranges, or pomegranates with whole cloves and then display them in a pretty glass bowl.

Cover the outside of a large coffee tin or other large tin with wrapping paper. Tie a ribbon around it. Fill it with spruce or pine boughs. Place the tin on the floor.

Remember to water the branches regularly to keep fresh. You can even decorate the boughs with Christmas ornaments, lights, ribbon, popcorn strings, etc.

Fill a small decorative bowl with spices: whole cloves, whole nutmeg, vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks and strips of orange peel. Tie a ribbon around the bowl or place a bow inside the bowl and place it on a shelf or coffee table.

Place a collection of assorted scented candles on a serving platter. Choose candles of different heights and diameters. They can all be the same colour or you can vary the colour. Once the candles are arranged, tie a ribbon around them. If you light the candles, be careful not to catch the ribbon on fire.

Simmer spices in a pot of water on the stove; use whole nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and vanilla bean.

Throw a handful of spices directly into the fire; use whole nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and vanilla beans.

Hang very spicy Christmas cookies on your tree. Or, create a spicy cookie garland to hang over a doorway, on a mantle or anywhere else it fits. To create a garland, roll your cookie dough, cut out shapes. Place shapes on baking tray and using a toothpick, poke two large holes at the top of the cookie (the holes should be side-by-side). When the cookies are cooled, string ribbon from the back of the cookie through one hole and then push it through the other hole, proceed to string all the cookies on the ribbon and then hang your garland. Cookies don’t even need to be iced to be decorative!

Make your own Christmas potpourri by mixing together, in a large jar (not plastic): 2 cups small cones, 1/2 cup dried berries and/or rose petals, 2 cups small sprigs of real evergreen (any will do, but cedar holds the scent well), 1/2 cup eucalyptus leaves, 1/2 cup coarse salt (fixative for fragrance), 3 drops essential oil – pine or eucalyptus.

These Christmas trees should be watered and cared for as for any house plant but do remember to place a tray under the pot to protect your carpet - the pot like any plant pot has holes in it.

You will need to take down the tree before it dries out; many fresh cut trees if properly cared for will last at least five weeks before drying out.

And finally... ...make sure that you recycle your tree after Christmas!!

T he S ce nt o f Ch ristma s

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

21

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

HOME & GARDEN...

CAMPO LIFE WITH JENNI.......

It´s ´thyme´ to continue with our Christmas Decorating ideas using our imaginations and materials that we find around us. Now when do you put your Christmas decorations up?

Everyone is different it seems, however it is traditional to put your put your advent calender and advent wreath up at the beginning of December. If you love the whole festive season and run up to Christmas, you are lucky you live in Spain, as you can celebrate Christmas not only once with Christmas Day . but twice with 3 Kings! For most of us however, once is

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quite enough and there is New Year to deal with as well!

The origins of the Advent wreath are found in folk tales of pre-Christian Germanic people who, during the cold and dark winters of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lit fires as signs of hope for the coming spring and renewed light. Christians continued the popular tradition, and by the 16th century, Catholics and Protestants in Germany used these symbols to celebrate the Advent of hope in Christ.

From Germany, the use of the Advent wreath spread rapidly to other areas of the Christian world.

The word advent comes from the Latin adventus meaning “coming”. The Advent is represented by 4 candles of different colours which have different meanings and originated in Eastern Germany prior to the Reformation. Traditionally, the three purple candles symbolize the penitence due from sinners at the prospect of Christ’s coming. The single pink or rose candle calls for joy at the idea of the Son of God incarnate, and finally the white candle in the centre, points to Jesus Christ in all His purity and power. Each day at home, the candles are lit before the evening meal —often accompanied by a reading of scripture. One candle the first week, then another candle each succeeding week until Christmas Day. If you have not got your advent wreath, don´t worry, as it is not too late to make a wreath and hang it on your door.

Apart from a Christmas Tree, Nothing symbolizes the tradition of Christmas on the exterior of your home more than the Christmas wreath. For Christians, again, it is used to hang on a door as a symbol for the never-ending love of Christ.

Wreaths are commonly made from evergreens as a symbol for the strength of life as these plants are able to overcome even the harshest of winters. Other components of wreaths can commonly be flowers; leaves; fruit; pine; holly, symbolizing immortality; and cedar, symbolizing strength and healing.

The use of wreaths goes back centuries. In ancient Rome and Greece, people used decorative wreaths as a sign of victory and achievement. Greeks used wreaths as crowns of victory at the Pythian Games, a predecessor of today’s Olympic Games. In Rome, wreaths were usually worn by the women as a symbol of pride, and they were usually handmade from flowers, branches, twigs, thread, and laurels. They were also often worn on special occasions, such as weddings and the solstice celebrations.

The word ‘wreath’ actually comes from the Old English word ‘writhen’ which means to writhe or twist. Christmas Wreaths as we know them today may have come, as mentioned above, from the German and East European custom of Advent Wreaths but also might have started life as Kissing Boughs.

In the UK, before Christmas Trees became popular and dating back to the Middle Ages , another popular form of Christmas/mid winter decoration was the Kissing Bough or Bunch. These were made of five wooden hoops that made the shape of a ball (four hoops vertical to form the ball and then the fifth horizontal to go around the middle).

The hoops were covered with Holly, Ivy, Rosemary, Bay, Fir or other evergreen plants. Inside the hoops were hung red apples (often hung from red ribbons) and a candle was either put inside the ball at the bottom or round the horizontal hoop.

Of course, there was a bunch of mistletoe suspended from the center of this garland… and often, small presents were attached to it with

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hanging ribbons. By tradition, holly symbolizes masculinity and ivy, femininity; both were needed in the bough.

The kissing bough hung from the middle of the ceiling, or sometimes over the front door so visitors were embraced beneath it, and any bad feeling instantly forgotten. Personally I would vote to bring this tradition back as Christmas often forces family back together who would never normally sit in the same room together by choice, so walking under this bough would solve all problems!!.......... Aaah, if it were only that simple.......

Going back now - to making an Advent, a Christmas Wreath or even a Kissing Bough, is not difficult. There is plenty of evergreens you can collect and I am sure, the green fingered amongst you would even have some growing your garden.

Ivy is easily obtainable and you can even use the greenery from the Cypressa or Cyprus Tree that is also readily available.

If I cannot get fresh, fake or even a combination of both.

Many people bang on about how Christmas has lost its true meaning and how the high streets have taken over - for me this is not so. , Christmas is what you make of it and its the personal touches that make it truly special, truly meaningful!

I only have one more date this coming Monday the 17th for the last of our Craft Days making Table Centrepieces, so if you would like to come along, please reserve your place.

Remember the house is now open daily from 11am - 4pm, selling unique, handmade crafts plus we are serving Christmas Teas & light lunches. Finally the Carols

by Candlelight is taking place on the 23rd of December at 7pm in the warmth and comfort of the Grand Design House and just in time to get us in the mood for Christmas.

We have the lovely voice of Marie Denise Evans and guitarist and vocalist Emma Ziri, and tickets are limited so you will need to reserve your table as soon as possible.

More details can be found on the website at www.thingstodoinspain.info which has a link to our face book page which is regularly updated. Happy decorating... Jenni

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23

...HOME & GARDEN

“get on your bike”

Team “Cyclogical’s” Annual Christmas Ride out

Team “Cyclogical” from Quesada had their annual Christmas Ride out on Wednesday 5th December 2012. The Wednesday morning Gents group which is led by Rob and the Wednesday morning Ladies group which is led by Lynn cycled together as one group , they left Quesada at 11am and headed for Guardamar, passing through Benijofar and Rojales before picking up the cycle track that runs alongside the river Segura which they followed all the way to the marina at Guardamar.

Once at the marina they cycled along the sea front through the woodland area to the esplanade at Guardamar where they

all stopped for coffee and cakes. After their refreshments they continued on their ride along the new cycle track which runs alongside the N332 coming off at the roundabout just before La Mata where they picked up a camino road which took them past the Lemon tree market and up onto the lemon tree road which they all crossed picking up the canal road which took them all the way back to Quesada where they headed straight to the “ Minigolf” restaurant ready for their 3 course Christmas dinner with all the trimmings which was waiting for them. They had a great ride and a superb Christmas dinner and most of all a great time.

Cyclogical CYCLE ROUTE

By Gary and Lynn

Cyclogical” Quesada So if you fancy making new friends and enjoy getting out on your bike with others give us a call and join one of our groups.

Wednesday Morning : 10am Gents Cycling Group. All Levels. ( Hybrids and Mountain Bikes ) All routes are now available from our website: 11am Ladies Cycling Group. Beginners . ( Hybrids and Mountain Bikes ) www.cyclogicalcostablanca.com and from our newly publishedbook “ 2pm Ladies Cycling Group . Advanced. ( Hybrids and Mountain Bikes ) Cycling tips and Advice” with 20 cycle routes around the Costa Blanca.

Thursday Evening : 6pm Training Group . Advanced. ( Road Bikes ) Gary and Lynn are available at Cyclogical in Quesada Monday to Friday Saturday Afternoon ; 2pm Couples Cycling Group. Intermediate. ( Hybrids and Mountain Bikes ) from 9.30am till 5.30pm and from 10am till 2pm on Saturdays to assist Sunday Morning : 9am Training Group. Advanced. ( Road Bikes ) and advise you on all your cycling requirements.

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

week 10

By Lyn Aspden of ‘Strictly Dance’

This is still anyone’s competition as we move towards the closing programmes. I think it is one of the closest races we have had for a number of years and it will be very tightly fought out next week as the couples are having to perform two dances to go from the semi into the final.

This week was all about ‘dance fusion’ one piece of music but the couples had to perform 2 different dances, one ballroom the other latin american. For the ‘fusion’ they had to either perform half and half or move from one to the other and back again.

Opening this weeks show were Denise and James with a Jive / Quickstep performed to Jackie Wilson’s Reet Petite. An absolute killer of a pace with not only the kicks and flicks in the Jive but in the Quickstep too.

Unfortunately, the quickstep suffered a little as the dance was not flat enough, it had the same type of kick as the jive and as a consequence the flat control was lost.

Denise also had a wardrobe malfunction and got her heel caught in her dress which caused problems continuing with the

choreography. That said she did a really good performance and I awarded her an 8 and she received 35 from the judges and 4th place.

Next out were Lisa and Robin with a Cha Cha Cha / Tango fusion performed to Abba’s Voulez Vous. As expected Lisa came out with enthusiasm plus but she failed to complete her choreography cleanly. Her Tango was still weak in her core and top line and at this stage of the competition must put her in danger. I awarded her a 7 and one of my bottom 2 and the judges a total of 30 leaving her in 5th spot.

Following were Nicky & Karen with a Samba / American Smooth Foxtrot to Olly Murs Trouble Maker. I felt that there were so many fusion changes in this choreography that you couldn’t really see the dances. His Foxtrot section was back to him having lost his horse again! and he performed part of a back wave with totally bent legs. However that said his performance was really good and he has made great steps forward over the past few weeks. I gave him 7 and the

judges 27 and in bottom spot.

Dani & Vincent then danced a Charleston/ Quickstep fusion to Happy Feet. I have loved Dani from week 1 and thought her a dark horse and I still stand by this. She always performs an excellent technical dance and with Vincent’s excellent choreography and training the tricks and lifts are always super. I would just like to see Dani let go a little more as I always find her performances ‘sweet’ but just lacking that bit of extra punch to get my 10. I gave her a 9 and the judges 38 and in 2nd place.

Next were Lewis & Flavia with a Tango/ Rumba fusion to With or Without You. Lewis’ lines are always superb and his upper body very strong. His Rumba produced great character and hops and his Tango showed a good stacatto action although I wish he would keep his head to the left in his Ballroom. Again he received a 9 from me and the judges had him in 3rd place with 37.

Closing this weeks show were Kimberley and Pasha with a Cha Cha Cha / Tango

fusion to the Weather Girls It’s Raining Men. She showed excellent character changes between these dances, great energy and performance plus but I do wish someone would tell her to pick up her chin in the Ballroom. She is so round shouldered except when creating a line in her ballroom which marred an otherwise perfect performance. I again awarded a 9 and the judges gave her the top score of the series with a perfect 40.

In the dance off were Nicky & Karen and Denise & James (how!!!) who were unanimously voted winners of the dance off to appear in next weeks semi final.

What a pity that the public will still vote on TV characters and not on dance quality, a dance off between Nicky & Lisa would have been a much more interesting scenario.

So who will make it to that coveted final programme to lift the glitter ball trophy?

Do you have a favourite or are you like me changing from week to week because of the performance? Come and join our ‘Strictly’ gossip at one of our classes. Until next week - Keep Dancing!

Los Palacios Garden Volunteers After a short Christmas break, the Los Palacios Garden Volunteers are looking forward to starting the New Year, and there is lots to be done!

The many projects undertaken so far have provided us with lots of plants and trees to admire, but now it is almost as much as we can cope with to maintain the different areas.

Weeding is always hard work. This time of year all of the roses, and lots of other plants, must be pruned, so that we should have another glorious show in the spring.

Many of the trees that have overgrown the footpaths are also being cut back to provide safe access. Our thanks to the council for agreeing to remove all of the green waste that we are creating to dispose of ecologically.

Work continues on extending all of the public areas. Special attention is being made in Parque Salud, (the large area opposite the health centre and by the shops). A stone monument has recently

Andy Wilson Photographer

been added to this area (at least that won’t need pruning) , and more gravel and plants provided around the edges, so this area should soon look like the park that it was planned to be. Work is still in progress.

We know that it will take a long time, but our volunteers really do look forward to getting together, doing it bit by bit (Poco a poco). Most enjoy the exercise, whilst all enjoy the friendship of the team.

Anyone who joins in is made welcome, soon to become another friend and to enjoy the satisfaction of seeing a result for their effort. In 2013 our regular team workers will be easy to spot, as most will be wearing the new bright yellow shirts, with the words Los Palacios Volunteer on the front.

If you spot one working near you, please ask how you can help. All of them will be pleased to meet you.

2013 will start with a new team leading the group, so no doubt new enthusiasm and new projects will result in Los Palacios

looking even better.

The new chairman is Eddie Roberts, with Beryl Hollland as treasurer. Both of these people have already proved their dedication to improving Los Palacios, and I look forward to seeing the fruit of new ideas. As I am standing down, this will be my last report, so I would like to thank everyone for reading, and wish all a prosperous New Year.

Dave Senior Peake.

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

25

THE SPAINIAC | El Albaicín | Candice Parsons It was 42 degrees.

On a hill, which my map indicated as somewhere above Cuesta de Chapiz, I’d found a bench under a leafy tree to lie back and rest my legs on. As I stared into the hazy and faded blue sky, the thick layer of heat from the scorching Spanish sun seeped through the branches above, wafting down on to me.

I was sure I’d severely sprained or inflamed a muscle in my left ankle hours ago, but had continued exploring whilst the injury exacerbated. The el-cheapo Primark summer sandals I’d brought were not suited for this cobblestoned wonderland.

A maze of narrow winding streets lined with homes of secluded gardens and white-washed walls hung with ivies and bougainvilleas, made up the spectacular panorama view of the Albaicín below me. I’d lost myself down there; walking, wandering and exploring up and down countless steep hills and paths for around six hours straight, yet still felt I hadn’t covered all there was to see in this ancient enchanting neighbourhood.

At this point, I was fathoming the reality of soon having to face the long, twisty maze again with an injured ankle, and hobble my way back down to Gran Via de Colόn - a main road of central Granada (I soon after discovered a shuttle bus that took me down for one euro).

Translating to ‘quarter of the falconers’, whilst historians prefer ‘quarter of the people of Baeza’, Albaicín was the old Moorish quarter of Granada during the thirteenth century.

After eight centuries of Moorish occupation here, only few medieval Arabic houses, mosques and baths remain intact. Various Christian churches and relics within the district, divulge the struggle Andalucía faced during its Islam to Christianity transition.

Today, the Albaicín is a UNESCO World Heritage site along with the Alhambra.

Dizzy, dehydrated and famished; I hadn’t eaten since

8AM and it was now almost 5PM. My stomach felt like it was eating itself, and I’d left my bottle of water back at the famous Mirador San Nicolás viewpoint. It was siesta and everything was closed, so I couldn’t find any food or drink to buy around this area either.

I was alone in Spain and not a living soul was in sight on this hill. I sunk deep into thought, absorbing exactly where I was in this beautiful and insane world, and felt an incredible sense of thrill, fortuity and happiness to be right there where I was in Spain, on that bench in Granada.

I recalled on the rows of little markets I’d seen that morning whilst meandering my way up the steep hill that led into the Albaicín. With various delicacies, teas, trinkets, and clothes being sold amongst the sweet fumes of flavoured shisha and other Arabic sweets and street food, I took great pleasure in seeing the familiar resemblance of the traditional ‘souks’ (markets) that I’d often walked through during my visit to Morocco.

It was admirable to see such raw culture still alive and appreciated in this once religiously conflicted city of southern Spain.

Perhaps the lack of food and water together with the heat and pain from my ankle had caused a slight delirium. Nevertheless, it’s not often we stop and take the time to appreciate where we actually are or what we have personally achieved for ourselves, and whether slightly delirious or not, this is what I was doing.

I lay in complete tranquillity, whilst the sounds of soft breeze, birds chirping and children playing in the distant Albaicín and Sacromonte neighbourhoods surrounded as a background melody to my thoughts. Indeed a description that sounds too surreal to have been true, but also felt as such too.

Candice Parsons is a writer and avid Spain and Spanish culture lover from Melbourne, Australia: follow her on Twitter @MiLlamoCandi

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

coffee break STANDARD CROSSWORD

down

2 Pertaining to insurance risks and premiums (9) 3 Type of vine (5) 4 Ruthless (9) 5 Pertaining to Scandinavia (5) 6 Conducts business (9) 7 Sea (5) 8 Methods, schemes, procedures (7) 9 Banquets (6) 15 Amount by which something decreases (9) 17 Prediction (9) 18 A nearby galaxy (9) 19 Ball-shaped (7) 21 Anything having existence (6) 23 Pork strips (5) 24 Piling (5) 26 Sound (5)

5 Loud, drunken Elsa? It’s not true! (5) 6 Hunger caused by a first-rate tax - one in operation after ‘The Way’ (10) 7 Covering many things, or just one person? (8) 13 Customs almost swap it with particles (10) 15 They hear ears (9) 17 Gets ready for quiet fixes, we hear (8) 19 Heavy with number (7) 22 One with not a friend outside might be this (6) 23 A lot of burdens (5) 26 Quiet number returning to vessel (4)

Down 1 Go over new furrow (6) 2 Turn little Benjamin with daughter! (4) 3 Blokes for Spooner’s crazy Jenny (9) 4 Stroked a good man, OK, getting embarassed on the outside! (7)

Very Hard!

CRYPTIC crossword

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

8 Most short beers fit when drunk! (8) 9 Mutu turning up in a new fall (6) 10 Circumstances of 100 vegetables taking the turning tide (almost) (10) 11 Uncommon for run-time to be over (4) 12 The Free-Ad production having plumage! (9) 14 Comes down by 9 seconds (5) 16 One talking at the top with hesitation, after stuttering at first (7) 18 Affected Mrs Ali and I alike (7) 20 Start to live on drink! (5) 21 Reportedly ruined fish shape (9) 24 A mode of transport, thanks to a football team? (4) 25 Instrument is in final song for orchestration (10) 27 Some clean edifices are slanted! (6) 28 Mostly, Bill and Terry produce awfully! (8)

SUDOKU PUZZLE

Sudoku is a placement puzzle. Enter the numbers 1 to 9 in each row and column of a grid, made up of 3 x 3 subgrids. The catch is that each row, column and grid must contain only one instance of each number or letter.

1 Delusions (14) 10 Additional (5) 11 Menaces (9) 12 Chief sun god (Assyrian mythology) (7) 13 The central theme (7) 14 Glided over snow (5) 16 People in authority (9) 19 Lawyer (9) 20 Move sideways (5) 22 Israelites (7) 25 Harbor (7) 27 Moving up quickly (9) 28 Inhabited (5) 29 In accordance with fundamental law (14)

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

HARD SUDOKU

Across

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Buddha

STANDARD SUDOKU

26

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SOLTIMES NOVEMBER 2012

The Gifts of Love for our True Heroes

Public support for our brave serving forces in Afghanistan is still going strong, and is especially poignant at this time of the year when so many service men and women are separated from their families and friends.

Afghan Heroes regional Coordinator Jackie Lawson was invited by The Miller Men to hold a raffle at their show on November 28th at Restaurante Los Rosales in Guardamar, which raised a staggering 670€. A few days later she got a call from Victor Dew of Quesada Golf Society, and was presented with 500€ which the society had been raised through various events.

As an award winning fundraiser, whose husband has spent many years in Afghanistan working with the military, she is well aware of the horrors that are faced with tenacious bravery by young devoted soldiers.

There are thousands of young service men and women who have to face the rest of their lives with horrendous physical and mental injuries. Afghan Heroes aims to help retrain and rehabilitate those who can now not continue their roles within the forces. They also give relief to the whole family by offering free holidays all around the world for those with disabilities. A gift which benefits recovering amputees and greatly aids in their recovery.

For more information on Afghan Heroes work, please visit www.afghanheroes.org.uk or contact Jackie on 697 501 992

ASSOCIATION HELP VEGA BAJA

TORREVIEJA HOSPITAL VISITING SERVICE

WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM EVERYONE THAT OUR HOSPITAL VISITING SERVICE AT TORREVIEJA HOSPITAL HAS NOW RECOMMENCED AFTER OUR RECENT SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HOSPITAL WE ARE THEREFORE CONTACTING ALL OUR PAST HOSPITAL VISITING TEAM AND ASKING FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE TEAM TO PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE

TELEPHONE 966 723 725

QUESADA LADIES CLUB 20TH ANNIVERSARY

The Quesada Ladies Club recently celebrated their 20th Anniversary with a luncheon for 76 members at Stan and Ollies in El Raso, with three founder members in attendance. The Club was formed in 1992 with just a few members and they met at JC’s Country Club which is now Quesada Country Club.

We are a thriving club with ages ranging from 26 to 88 and meet every Tuesday afternoon at 2.30pm in The Coopers Arms, Quesada.

Our programme is very varied with speakers on all topics, quizzes, entertainment, raffles and various outings.

We pride ourselves on our charity work

when in the past we have raised money for the Childrens’ Orphanage in Elche, Lorca Earthquake Fund, Age Concern, the Lions Torrevieja branch, Help at Home and have provided food parcels for the Rojales branch of Caritas.

I am sure our Club will continue for many years to come and the committee work very hard to make each Tuesday enjoyable and to try and come up with new idea for our afternoons. We always welcome new members, so if any ladies living in the surrounding areas of Quesada would like to come along any Tuesday please do so.

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28

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Christmas starts here!

Fig & cranberry Christmas chutney...

new menu at

free bottle of wine with takeaway orders over 20€

special offers for Groups

INDIAN RESTAURANT & TAKEAWAY Winners of the

coastrider culinary awards

best indian restaurant & finalist best chef

Open Mon - Sat 12.30 to 3.00 & 6pm - 11pm Sunday - Buffet & A la carte menu 6pm - 11pm Avda. De Las Naciones, Ciudad Quesada - through the arches at the top of the high street

TEL: 966 731 063 or 620 386 078

s t r a e l d e a s r t Ian Can Get You All Dried Off

Newcomer to Moncayo Market, Home Comfort Spain has already made a name for itself in the few short weeks they have operated proving that cheaper prices doesn’t necessarily mean poorer quality.

The rugs have proved to be a very popular addition to the market and if the rug you like isn’t there on the day in your size you can order from Ians catalogue and he will collect from the manufacturer within a couple of days and if required even deliver it to your door.

Due to public demand Home Comfort Spain have now increased their product lines to include quality towels which can be bought separately or as boxed giftsets making ideal presents.

Also in stock are the ever popular Snuggies, Pillows, Seat Pads and Dog Beds and in 2013 you will see more additions to the stock to include quality bedding, shower curtains and other household products.

Please come along to Moncayo Market on a Saturday morning between 09.00-14.00 and see what Ian and the other stall holders have to offer and you can even visit his website at www. homecomfortspain.com .

You can also view a sample of Home Comfort Spains products at Da Vinci’s Bbistro , Lakeside, La Siesta, Torrevieja every Tuesday morning between 11.00- 15.00.

Moncayo Market is open every Saturday morning and can be found behind the Procomobel Home Centre on the N332 between la Mata and Guardamar Del Segura.

INGREDIENTS 300g dried apricots 250g dried dates 500g dried figs 75g cranberries 200g raisins 200g frozen cranberries 3 large red onions, finely chopped 3 medium Bramley apples 5cm fresh root ginger, finely chopped 2tsp ground mixed spice A pinch dried chilli flakes Grated zest of 1 orange 700g light muscovado sugar 2tsp salt 850ml pickling vinegar

METHOD Using kitchen scissors, snip the apricots, dates and figs into quarters and add to a large preserving pan with all the remaining ingredients except the frozen cranberries. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture just bubbles.

Cook for about 45 minutes or until the mixture is a thick, pulpy consistency and not too wet. Add the frozen cranberries.

Pour into clean sterilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids. Label and store until Christmas to allow the flavours to mellow. This chutney will keep for up to a year. It’s ideal to serve with any cold meats and cheese or in a classic turkey sandwich.

INGREDIENTS 1kg red cabbage, finely sliced 2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced 4tbsp salt 1.4ltr distilled malt vinegar 1 cinnamon stick, lightly crushed 3 bay leaves ½tsp crushed red chillies 1tsp cloves, lightly crushed 1tbsp coriander seeds 75g granulated sugar 100g raisins METHOD Place the finely sliced red cabbage and onions in a very large, non-metallic bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Wearing rubber gloves, turn everything over to mix well. Cover the mixture and leave overnight.

Pour the vinegar into a pan, add the spices and herbs, and bring to the boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar. Leave this to cool. Wash the cabbage and onions in a colander under running cold water to rinse off the salt residue. Drain the mixture well and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Pack the vegetables and raisins into cold, sterilised jars, pressing them down well to compact them. Pour over the spicy vinegar, making sure that the vegetables are totally covered. Seal the jars with vinegarproof lids, label and store in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks before using.

Spicy pickled Christmas cabbage...

Whisky and walnut mincemeat...

INGREDIENTS 1 large Bramley apple 115g sultanas 175g raisins 175g currants 200g glacé cherries, chopped 100g suet 200g sugar 100g chopped mixed peel 75g walnuts, chopped 2tsp mixed spice Zest and juice of 1 orange 4tbsp whisky METHOD Peel and coarsely grate the apple into

a large mixing bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well together. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars and seal with a lid. The mincemeat will keep for 12 months and over time the flavours will develop.

TO MAKE MINCE PIES: Roll out 375g (13oz) sweet shortcrust pastry, cut out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter and place in a shallow bun tray. Fill each pastry case with a teaspoonful of mincemeat. Re-roll the pastry trimming and cut out slightly smaller circles of pastry for the lids, place on top, crimp the edges and bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 for 15 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with icing sugar or caster sugar before serving

www.soltimes.com

’ ! g o n gg ‘e n i e g l u d in

Egg nog has been around for ages: it was most likely invented back in the days when America was still a British colony. The name “egg nog” would in this case stem from “egg grog” – grog was the name the colonists used for rum. Not everyone agrees, though; some historians claim the drink originated in Europe, and was later exported to the future United States.

As per this explanation, the term “nog” would derive from “noggin”, a wooden cup in which drinks were served. The drink itself would be an evolution of “dry sack posset”, a mixture of sherry and milk.

What is certain though is that egg nog is traditionally made with eggs, milk and sugar – and usually a generous dose of some sort of alcohol, most commonly rum, whiskey, brandy or cognac.

Egg nog can be ‘personalized’ to suit your own taste by adding spices (nutmeg and cinnamon are the most popular) and by adding cream, to make the drink thicker and richer.

Egg nog has become popular all over the world: the Mexicans, for example, call it “rompope”. Rompope is your basic egg nog with plenty of Mexican cinnamon, ground almonds and rum stirred in. It is traditionally drunk cold from little glasses. In Puerto Rico, egg nog is made with coconut milk instead of regular cow’s milk, which gives it a particularly exotic flavour.

And if all this talk about egg nog has given you a taste for the stuff, here’s a recipe, so you can get started straight away! Enjoy…

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

Divitos Kitchen & Wine Bar

Open Tues till Sat from 10am till late.

Kitchen open 10am to 3pm, 6 to 10pm

Wine Bar Special Offers:

Ingredients:

r, ½ tsp of vanilla 6 eggs, 1 cup of suga d nutmeg, ¾ cup of extract, ¼ tsp of groun (preferably dark), 2 brandy, 1/3 cup of rum cream. cups of milk, 2 cups of

Preparation:

Chill all the liquids . Beat the eggs un till they become fro thy. Gradually be at in the sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. St ir in the milk, cream, brandy and rum .

Chill before serving.

3 Spirit Mixers for 10€, 5 Shots for a Fiver, Wide Selection of Draughts and Wines

Take Outs Available

Freshly-baked pizza, always our own dough up to 4 toppings for only 7€ (feeds 2 to 4 people!!)

Big and Beautiful English Breakfasts from 3€ Happy Hours- Fri and Sat from 12 noon - free slice of pizza with drinks Com. Local 9, Avda Costa Azul, Quesada Contact Ian Hennessy, Tel: 966 717 095 divitos_kitchen_winebar@hotmail.co.uk

SPECIAL SOL TIMES OFFER WITH THIS ADVERT!!

F R E E G A R L I C P I Z Z A B R E A D when you pur c ha s e any pizza

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Amigos Big Menu del Dia

- Buy One Get One Free English Breakfast Served 10am – 1pm for €3 - Happy Hour Mon – Fri 4 – 7pm Sunday 16th December from 2pm Christmas sing – along jam session, carols, homemade mince pies and sausage rolls with Tony Viagra (he’s had a hard life!) and Emma Ziri Why not come down and try our stunning Sunday Roast for only €5 and have a sing song, or bring an instruments and join in!

Soup of the Day Mushrooms fried in Garlic Butter Calamari a la Romana Stuffed Jalapenos Loaded Skins with Bacon & Cheese -----Crispy Chicken & Bacon Salad Liver & Onions, Mash & Veg Amigo’s Famous Chilli con Carne with Rice Scampi, Chips & Peas Homemade Pie of the Day €6.90

Open Mon-Sat 10am-1am, Sun 11am-1am Avda. De la Naciones, Quesada Tel: 965 992 187

incl. small wine or beer Meals subject to availability Please book to avoid disappointment

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9 Item English Breakfast

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Served 9.30 till 5pm (Sunday till 12)

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Real Hand Cut Chips  Delicious Homemade Pies  Mouthwatering Steaks  Fabulous Homemade Desserts Finest Teas & Coffee PRE – CHRISTMAS LUNCHTIME FAYRE  Homemade meals from €4.50 Turkey, Roast & Mashed Christmas Coffee & Pate, Perfect for a relaxing lunch after Pudding, Mini Mince Soup or Potatoes, Fresh Vegetables & all the Pies shopping at Zenia Boulevard 5 mins away Lemon Chocolate We Are HERE

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30

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre FoundationThe gift of life and love at Christmas nobody cares or wants him. To put him to sleep humanely and dispose of the body would be a solution however it would cost his owner 450€, nobody is prepared to pay this amount. The rescue centre was contacted and told that he was going to be given back to his original owner and would probably be left to die of slow starvation or we could take him and give him a home. What would you do???

Many people ask us, when visiting the rescue centre, how can you keep taking in horses, you have so many horses; do you ever say no?

This is Dallas’s story; he was born in 1988 and named Dallas after the popular TV series of that time. He is now 24 years old, no longer able to be ridden because of many years of overwork, he is also severely mal-nutrioned; why?

Because of the recession his owner simply stopped feeding him, he then gave him to a riding school who also decided they could not afford to keep him as they are in business to make money and as he could no longer be ridden he could not earn his keep. This old horse has worked hard all of his life for his owners and now, because he is old

D D

Domino Pet Hotel

The local pet hotel where your beloved pet goes when you are on holiday or just away...

Domino Pet Hotel offers cattery with warm and cosy beds, daily grooming guaranteed! Large comfortable dog kennels, large exercise park, doggie wellness weekend Fri - Mon 25€ incl.

Wellness bath, Short / long term stay. Professional trained team

• Professional Pet Shipping Worldwide - UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand…

• We take care of all documentation • Travel Crates in all sizes from small up to extra large (best Price guaranteed) • IPATA Member

Tel: 654 168 366

info@dominopetshipping.com

www.dominopetshipping.com

For more information call Sue on 652 021 980 or mail rescue@easyhorsecare.net.

Please Dont forget to join us for our wonderful Christmas Carol Concert, Friday 14th December 6.30pm at the Rescue Centre.

We might not be South Fork but of course we will take him in and give him all the love and care he needs; he will finish the winter of his life with us alongside the other old horses in our care such as Solvi, Captain and Hope, Arisco; to name but a few. When his time comes he will have known love, kindness, the companionship of other horses and hopefully a few years of happiness that he so rightly deserves here at the rescue centre. Thank all of you out there for supporting us, for visiting the Rescue Centre and our shops and for all your kind donations. We wish all of you a wonderful Christmas and rest assured, Dallas will also be having a wonderful Christmas with all of us at EHCRC. Maybe you won’t change the world bysaving one horse but you will change the whole world for the horse that you save.

Come and visit us on our open days every Sunday 1-

animals D

chilly moo

4pm, meet all our residents and hear their stories on our very popular horse tour. Delicious homemade Sunday lunches plus veggie options, cakes and refreshments also available.

D

This poor cow was udderly frozen when she fell into this iced over swimming pool in Windeck, Germany, and couldn’t get out.

The chilly moo had escaped while the rest of her herd were being rounded up for the slaughterhouse when she slipped and plunged in.

Startled home-owners called the police and fire brigade after realising the cow was stuck fast.

“We drained the pool and managed to haul her out using a tractor,” said a fire brigade spokesman.

But now the thawed out heifer can take some cold comfort from escaping the abattoir for now.

“She’s far too stressed to go anywhere yet.

We’ll see how it works out,” the farmer told local media

dog training

Dog behaviourist, Peter Singh will be conducting his first seminar on dog psychology in Spain on the 9th of February. Peter started the seminars in London and has since had rave reviews from most notably, The Daily Express, who remarked, “Peter at The Dog You Need turned out to be very much the canine counsellor needed. Separation anxiety, nervous aggression with other dogs, distinct nervousness with strangers – Peter addresses them all. And he did it in a positive way which exuded a confidence that was transmitted to all. He is heartily recommended”.

Peter’s style of working is very different to that of dog training or other behaviourists.

He is well known for teaching humans to learn from their dogs, rather than the dogs learning from the human. “Dogs have a lot more to teach us, than we have to teach them”, remarked Peter. In taking this unusual approach, he has gained impressive results for his clients across Europe. His aim is to instill calm and balance in both human and dog and he has saved many dogs, who otherwise would have been put to sleep, by making the owners understand that all along the negative behaviour shown by the dog was in fact being triggered by the human on each occasion!

Speaking on a recent radio interview, Peter said, “Many people all over the world are now using anti depressant drugs to

calm themselves down. If we follow what a dog has to teach us, very few would ever need any form of drugs. It amazes me how Spain is full of rescue centres with so many dogs looking for homes. If people actually realized what a dog could teach them, there would be a waiting list for dogs at these rescue centres” There is a huge difference between what Peter practices and dog training.

Peter states, “Dog training is a human telling a dog to do something the human wants the dog to do. It does not involve understanding dogs. What I am teaching people is the language of dogs. For any relationship to flourish, both parties need to understand each other. The dog is constantly picking up on the energy of the human and once people realize this easy to teach language, their relationships with their dogs go onto an amazing level”.

Peter, who has appeared in newspapers and magazines across Europe, as well as radio, is looking forward to his first seminar in Spain, which will be held at, The Emerald Isle Club, Calle Marte 2, Urbanization La Florida, Orihuela Costa, 03189, Alicante, on Saturday the 9th of February, starting at 11am and finishing at 5pm. To buy your tickets, email Peter at peter@thedogyouneed.com For full details on the seminar go to www.thedogyouneed.com

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS MUSIC EVENT THIS FESTIVE SEASON...................................

Sunday 16th December 2012 @ 8pm.

The NIGEL HOPKINS CHRISTMAS CONCERT featuring ‘In Harmony’ Chamber Choir and the lovely voices of ‘Cantemos!’ Children’s Choir.

This ever-popular annual concert takes place at LA ZENIA Church ... just off the La Zenia roundabout. Many patrons now insist that ....’Christmas Starts Here ....’ with this concert - and we hope you can join us again this year. Entrance is 5€ each with the proceeds again going to charity. Tickets will again be available from choir members OR ... from MONDAY 26th November ... from CallNet Internet Cafe, along the lane next to Paddy’s Point at La Zenia.

Important Date for your Diaries ....

Saturday 26th January 2013 at the ORIHUELA COSTA RESORT HOTEL ‘SOUNDS OF THE 60s’ with MELODY MAKERS INTERNATIONAL and CANTEMOS! CHILDREN’S CHOIR conducted by Nigel Hopkins. Dozens of your favourite famous tunes from the 60s sung in glorious harmony, and featuring some of the best soloists on the Costa.

There will be TWO performances on the day:MATINEE performance at 2pm. Adults price: 10€ Children (16 or under): 5€ EVENING performance at 8pm. All Tickets: 12€ Tickets will soon be available from both the Orihuela Costa Box Office and CallNet Internet Cafe.

YOU WILL BE INFORMED by email of exactly when the tickets are available, and - as usual with our Mailing List patrons - BEFORE the general public are informed.

We hope you can join us in the above events, and we would take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. If you have any queries with any of the above events ... please telephone: 966 775 976

The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.......................

E M A I L E D I T O R @ S O LT I M E S . C O M

FINCA MONTANA DOG SHOW... Successful Slimming..........

Sunday December 2nd saw many dogs of all shapes and sizes descend upon La Finca Montana , just outside Almoradi, for what would be the first of many dog shows. This was a great day for K9. who had a total of 6 dogs representing them plus of course there were many others who had been adopted through the animal charity.All dogs behaved impeccably and K9 won two first prizes, Lucky, handled by Chris, won the handsomest dog and Maisie after coming second in the puppy class in the novelty section, won the dog who most resembled her handler.

A display of all the cups and rosettes won by the dogs of K9 can be seen in the shop in Calle Alfredo Kraus on Urb La Marina.

If you are interested in adopting or fostering and animal then please call 965 077 208 or 664 891 382 or visit the web site www.k9club.es

Tuesday: Quesada,10am at Goyo’s Restaurant, opposite the town hall. Thursday: La Marina 11am at The Hillside Bar. A healthy eating food plan with very good results. Only 5 euros weekly with no joining fee or charge for missed weeks. For more information please ring Sian on 965 496 209 / 658 271 553. All are welcome

THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH, QUESADA.................................

Meets at Sociedad Compas, 14 Calle de Toledo, Quesada.

We hold a Sunday Service at 11.30 a.m., a Tuesday Evening of Mediumship at 7.30 p.m. And every Thursday there is an Open Circle where you can develop your skills commencing at 7.30 p.m. Spiritual healing is available every Sunday and Tuesday after the service. We are now closed from 11th December, for Christmas, until Tuesday, 8th January, 2013 Everybody welcome. Contact Wendy on 965 323 028. www. spiritualistchurchquesada.com

Cantabile Concert Cancellation

Cantabile Singers performed to a full house at La Siesta Church on Saturday 8th December to raise funds for La Siesta Church Management as thanks for allowing them to use their premises for Friday rehearsals. Unfortunately, the next concert, scheduled for Sunday 16th December at Sacko’s Bar, El Limonar, has had to be cancelled.

The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre are pleased to announce the opening of a NEW Sunday market. Starting Sunday 16th December, there will be a new mercadillo/market at Daya Vieja being held on the municipal car park. The market will be open from 10:00am until 02:00pm for buyers and will be open for traders from 08:30am. For further details and availability of stalls, please contact Steve on 966 770 234 or 675 479 672

coffee morning...................

St Nicholas’s Church is holding a coffee morning on Monday 7th January 2013 from 11.00 am. Everyone welcome. Come and meet us. There are no strangers here, only friends we haven’t met yet. You can find us on C/Sobrija 2248 D20 Urb Camposol Mazarron

STRICTLY FUN DANCING.............

BALLROOM,LATIN & SEQUENCE.GRANDE SOCIAL DANCE. Every Friday 8.00-10.30 at: PILAR SOL CLUB, LO MONTE HOTEL. Off The N332 at PILAR DE LA HORADADA. Nice 2 C U 2 C U Nice Tel: James 966 785 610 Email: jimmytheone2@ fsmail.net

strictly dance classes......

Come and join the professionals ‘Strictly Dance’ classes every Monday The Palms (formerly Old Asturias) Punta Prima next to the go kart track on the N332 and every Tuesday at The Club Quesada. Tuition 8:00pm - 8:45pm Social Dancing 8:45pm-10:15pm, NEW every Saturday Social (anything goes) Dance on a SPRUNG WOODEN FLOOR! (yes you heard right!) we play your requests. 7:30pm - 10:30pm at Sophia Wellness Centre (behind car sales) Cabo Roig strip. Come and join us and be assured of a warm and friendly welcome partners are not essential.

COFFEE MATES.............................

If you would like to have a coffee and chat, exchange news etc. please join us at La Laguna Hotel, Lo Marabu, Friday mornings from 11am Ann 965 070 247 / 666 747 398

SEND your birthdays, events and announcements TO:

EDITOR@SOLTIMES.COM

& WE’LL PRINT THEM FREE OF CHARGE!

31

3 CHANCES TO WIN!!!

Every week 2 lucky couples can win a fabulous, 3 course meal, from our Winter Specials Board menu, with a bottle of wine … and … 1 couple can win a delicious, 9 item English breakfast, including tea or coffee (between 9.30am – 5pm)

AT MANHATTAN, CABO ROIG

FREE competition

JUST FIND WHERE WE’VE HIDDEN A BOTTLE OF WINE IN THIS ISSUE AND SEND THE ANSWER TO BLANCASALES@SOLTIMES.COM OR DROP YOUR ANSWER INTO MANHATTAN’S DIRECTLY!

CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK’S WINNERS:

MEAL FOR 2: stella leban - beryl french BREAKFAST FOR 2: patricia watters

space for a little one?

Do you have any fundraising ideas? Would you like to organize or hold an event for APAH. If you have some great ideas and have some free time please contact Natasha on 616 210 850 or visit www.apahrescue.org

Please visit our website www.apahrescue.org under urgent appeals to see our other dogs in need of finding a foster home.

Dave is 3 years old and has been with us since he was a puppy. He is castrated, micro-chipped and his rabies and booster vaccinations are up-to-date.

Tyson is just over a year old, he was found in a cardboard box with his 2 sisters when they were just 8 weeks old. He is castrated, microchipped and his vaccinations are up-to-date.

Do you have a few spare hours a week? We are looking for people to work in our shop Pilar de la Horadada. If you are interested please contact Natasha on 616 210 850

dave

tyson

32

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

SOL CLASSIFIEDS boats

BOATING LICENSES ARE NOW A LEGAL REQUIREMENT IN SPAIN Serenity Sailing RYA Training Centre, Competent Crew to Yachtmaster, VHF & ICC. Own-boat tuition on sail and power. If you have a yacht or powerboat get qualified and certified.

Contact Richard +34 638 056 224 Email: enquiries@serenitysailing.com or visit: www.serenitysailing.com

beds

Sweet Dreams

50% off all matresses

See our Advertisement on page 13 for more information

Centro Commercial, Flamenca Beach, La Planta, Playa Flamenca

Tel: 965 321 701 businesses for sale

Mañanas

Popular Cafe Bar in Algorfa Traspaso/Lease for sale full legal license 40 covers inside 20 covers outside Fully stocked Existing business ready for immediate takeover

Please contact Tel: 966 781 307

25 vending machines for sale 20 with sites for more info phone 968 970 681 for sale

ALUMINIUM GATES Double & Electric Sliding.

Guaranteed no rust. Call Tracy on 966 726 891 Pool tables, snooker tables, table tennis tables, darts.

Tel:666 933 726 www. spainpool.com TV unit, teak wood with frosted glass doors. Very good condition.

Buyer collects, Quesada

Sports Life Jackets, Sports/ Ski life jacket for sale, little used, only 25€ ono. Tel: 965 725 573/ 659 0138 82 Cuidad Quesada

used silver butane gas cylinder €50 Tel. - 965 073 193 - Punta Prima Area.

Book Sale, 80 plus Best Sellers, nearly new – 25€ Ciudad Quesada Pace Sky – 966 716 599 Digibox Model Ladies Bicycle 2200 with remote Raleigh – full size control, 25€. with basket, very Tel 965725573 good condition Cuidad Quesada 40€ Ciudad Quesada – 966 Carl F oggarty 716 599 Shark helmet,

replica Gas size freezer

By PERSON: Quesada business centre, calle los arcos 7, quesada Costa blanca areas christine 966 719 647 Costa calida area Paulette 902 750 190 ext 332

for sale

area.

15€ ono. Christmas present buyer collects. Sky card, updated hand Telephone 966 716 40€ Tel 672960589 Quesada area. software, 529 or 676 754 520 (Camposol) Telephone 966 716 control, brand new power Honda EU10i Cir c ular 529 or 676 754 520 scartlead, Best Sky Generator. Boxed extendable dining 2 pine mirrors, 1 lead. as new, never table and 2 chairs. brand new. Medium box for the Costa Blanca.Can be used.

300€. Tel Solid teak wood. sized, ideal for seen working. 35€ 664450336. Punta Good condition. bedrooms etc. 10€ ono. Buyer collects, Prima area Buyer collects. 25€ for the 2. Quesada Quesada area.

Fujifilm Finepix ono.

Telephone: area. Buyer collects. Telephone 966 716 A610 Digital 966 716 529 or 676 Telephone 966 716 529 or 676 754 520 Camera.

6.3 754 520 529 or 676 754 520.

Mobile butane megapixels, 2.5 inch heater screen.

Includes Hi Fi/DVD/display Pace 2600 Sky room 512mb memory card unit with 2 drawers. Digibox with white including part used and battery charger. Teak wood. Very condition, garden services As new, in box. Ideal good

If it’s under 300€ you can advertise your items

free of charge in the

SOLTIMES

SELL IT FAST SELL IT FREE

A1 Group

Complete Garden Maintenance & Property Services We cover Mazarron & surrounding areas

Telephone 628 505 733 heating

insurance

NEATER HEATER

asssa medical in s uran c e s Asssa Mazarron, Diane Nolan, Tel: 968 153 396, mazarron@asssa. es

See our main advert on the news pages

limousine hire

EMAIL YOUR ITEMS FOR SALE TO BLANCASALES@SOLTIMES.COM PRIVATE ADVERTISERS ONLY • NO PETS

for sale

doors

GWO but door tatty hence the price €175 phone 699 275 530

Simply Doors Espana

small, 1998 ,as new, collectors or enthusiast’s item open to offers.

965725573 AKG D 880 Tel Cuidad Quesada Rigid Professional preMicrophone with Olivetti Fax s haped cable, 55€. Tel Lab 220 – Fax moulded pond 965 725 573, machine, good good casting, Cuidad Quesada condition 1.20mtrs only cond, x 0.80mtrs x 20€, Tel 965 Ford Transit deep, wheels and tyres, 725 573 Cuidad 0.40mtrs Ideal for small set of 7, 185x15, Quesada good life left on Mobile butane garden €30 Tel:tyres, steel 6 stud room heater, 965 073 193 wheels, 120€ call including part Punta Prima area.

662 528 608

Private sale ads are free under 300€ (3 ads per week) email them to: blancasales@soltimes.com

From a pocket watch to a piano....

Bosch Laser level BL 40 VHR 50mtr range very little use €125 phone 699 275 530

gas portable fire with conection 30€ phone 965369886

to place your advertisment....

Spani s h 4 Scaffold stages g/cond €50 phone 699 275 530

Transformer Heavy duty 240v down to 110v. 2 32amp outlets €50 phone 699 275 fridge 530 Lorca area.

“TAVER” Delivery possible

hearing aids

(Quesada)

uk manufactured, made to measure, composite & pvc doors & windows with up to 25 years guarantee over 40 styles to choose from with colour options on composite doors

from €595 fully installed

available for all works.

Small or large.

Call Dave 693 251 562. davendonc@aol.com

& AccESSORIES AT SENSIBLE PRICES

house clearance specialist FREE LOCAL DELIVERY SERVICE WE BUY, SELL & PART EXCHANGE QUALITY FURNITURE Open Mon - Fri 10 - 18.00, Sat 10 - 14.00 C/Pablo Neruda 2, Local 5, Rojales

PLEASE CALL JAMIE ON: 966 713 075 OR 680 545 923 www.southcostablancaonline.com

GOLD WANTED

English jeweller wishes to buy broken or unwanted Gold jewellery, silver and coins

IMMEDIATE CASH PAYMENT Call Peter

664 890 990

Member of the National Association of Goldsmiths

musician Lenny Mitchell, guitarist singer, international, professional, solo act. lenny Mitchell & his musical time machine invite you on a trip back to the 60’s & 70’s.

Available to play in any venue. tel: 658 321 891 or email lennymitchell@live.co.uk

pets

Billie was found in the campo, very weak and disorientated.

He is approx 1 years old and is a lovely, playful, well behaved dog, very trusting and affectionate. He loves to play with other dogs and is good with children.

Call: 665 062 361 www.petsinspain.com info@ petsinspain.info

LUCKY He is very appealing. He has been castrated.He loves everyone and is very trusting. D.O.B JUNE 2009 The K9 Club, Please call: 664 891 382 Website www.k9club.es E-mail k9clubinfo@gmail.com

contact emma mtmprints@hotmail.com

Electrician

Furniture first

jewellery

p3p & xbox 360 repairs we also pay for damaged consoles & laptops

electricians

Furniture

with wall fixings, as new, cost 360 euro will except 100 or very near offer can deliver to Quesada area if required. Tel 966719491 baby bouncer (attaches to door frame) 5€ Bebe confort baby car seat 20€ Travel Cot 10€ clothes age 0 – 2 years ( most items 1€ Baby bath 1€ Cot mobile multi colour 2€ Grobags 0 – 6months & 6 – 18 months contact 603 209 177

play station repairs

Calle azul, cuidad quesada tel: 966 718 738 see our main ad on page 8

Spanish acrow est 2006 props approx 30, sl €5 each phone ROJALES SPECIALIST OF PRE - OWNED FURNITURE 699 275 530 Cement mixer €100 phone 699 275 530

Tel: 968 969 648 618 315 933 (eng) 634 321 024 (esp) info@tuxedolimousines.es www. tuxedolimousines.es

cylinder - €50 Tel. 965 073 193 Book sale Quesada. 3 boxes – 80 best sellers, almost new €25 Tel: 966 716 599 Stiff, pre-shaped, moulded pond liner, used, but good condition, 1.2 metres x 0.80 metres x 0.40 metres deep - Ideal for small garden. €30 O.N.O. Tel.965 073 193.

Shower Screen Toughened 6mm glass 195cm high x 90cm complete

photography

house clearances

quick cash

house

clearance

transport in 1 hour

tel: 669 723 709

plastering English Plasterer internal finishing, external rendering, 15 years experience, good rates. Call Chris 671 444 246 email: c_pettit@hotmail.co.uk

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

33

removals cont...

property for sale

Linen Mills

Express

Don’t miss the biggest BARGAIN yet!

We have a key-ready block of apartments in Los Montesinos with full finance! All you pay is €3,000 to complete.

to ced u UK Spain Uk ly red 0

2 on €49.00

weekly service

Cheaper than renting?

All you pay is EUR 3,000 buying costs and the rest is mortgaged at around EUR 250 per month. Cheaper than renting an apartment in the area. Some of these 2 bedroom apartments have 2 bathrooms and some with only 1. It’s a first come, first served basis! Great deal!

The apartments do not come with white goods but do have pre installation air conditioning.

Quality and location The apartments are finished to a very high quality with communal areas decked out with marble floors and spacious corridors which make the building very light.

The location is second to none, on the entrance to Los Montesinos overlooking the Torrevieja salt lakes and every apartment has its own private roof garden but there is no communal pool.

Prices are 59.900 €, the payment plan is 3.000 € deposit and straight to mortgage. If a client wants a 30 year mortgage it works out at 266 € per month and if it is a 35 year mortgage it works out at 242 € per month.

TOWNHOUSe TORREMENDO

620 582 063

removals low cost spain - uk - uk - spain local moves full or part loads pets welcome

brian Playa Flamenca Tel: 965 326 920 666 847 648 email: beechdale@hotmail.co.uk

simply removals Spain ‹ UK › Spain • Full & Part Loads • Local-No jobs too small • Pets Welcome • Experienced owner/driver (Playa Flamenca)

Tel: 603 192 957/966 848 607

UK: 00 44 790 519 8895 MEL LANDON melvyynleo@yahoo.com From a parcel to a small house move

VANTASTIC 3.5 tonne removals or any handyman & van service Also Spain-UK tel: 693 251 562 e mail: davendonc@aol. com

uk@fmtransport.co.uk www.fmtransport.co.uk +44 (0) 1582 499 836 +44 (0) 7977 754 389

LWB Sprinter van going from south to North of the UK & back every 2 weeks, based near Murcia Airport. Tel: 610 846 260/ 0044 7519 186 355. or email: van. man@hotmail.co.uk

UK - SPAIN - UK

2 bedrooms & Family Bathroom, Built on 3 Levels, Spacious Living/Dining Room, American Style Kitchen, Solarium & Terrace, Gated Complex, Stunning Views of the Lake. Great Value €59,000

tel: 693 806 409

Professional,Friendly & Caring Fully insured, scheduled monthly door to door service

wigs

FOR SALE

Salon Margarethas 24 years in Torrevieja hair/wig specialist for medical illness and hair loss problems.

We offer different hair replacements, top fillers, hair prostheses, toupees & wigs. Natural & artificial hair & much more. Also fashion/festival accessories. TV/TS are welcome to our service. Call Margaretha on 966 921 846 for an appointment.

property rentals

RENTAL PROPERTIES URGENTLY REQUIRED

for rent, 3 bed, 3 bath spacious semi-detatched house with garage in Cabo Roig/Villamartin, situated in the popular area of Orihuela Costa & Costa Calida La Zenia, walking distance to We have clients enquiring in this area shops, beaches and the new Contact La Zenia Boulevard, Price (Private Sale) CASASOL REAL ESTATE Furnished, Long term, tel: 965 325 601 550€ monthly plus electric & Email: water, perfect family home Tel: (0034) 676 534 978 tony@casasolrealestate.com Tel: 966 733 079 or 619 098 543

€ 79,950

Rack for Long Loads, Full or Part Loads, Based in Mar Menor, Murcia.

Spain UK Spain, North & South of UK, 3 LWB Vans Twice a month

Tel: 0044 7783 222251 0034 634 360 846

wewillmoveit@hotmail.co.uk

LowCostaMoves

property for sale Apartment (Top floor / Penthouse) Almoradi, Costa Blanca 4 Bed, 2 Bath, Large Terrace, Lounge, Sep Kitchen, Utility Room, Communal Solarium, Lift, Furnished inc. White Goods, UK TV , 90m² Interior Living Space plus, 15m² Terrace / Balcony with Awnings Spacious apartment overlooks a newly reformed Plaza, views of the church & mountains, unusually large terrace. 2 min walk away from the town’s attractive central square, all other amenities are also within easy walking distance,12 mins drive from the resort of Guardamar del Segura.

Close to La Finca Golf course

We Will Move It Pets, Boats, Caravans, Trailers, Full Roof

UK and Spain

we shift most things

CALL SOLTIMES

Anthony Foster CLASSIFIED Local moves & deliveries Playa Flamenca

Mob: 616820232 0044 7976367559 tony-foster@live.co.uk

personals

902 750 190

ext 330 satellite tv

R ainbow for Satellites all your TV needs “Readers of a sensitive with clients all over disposition may find some the Murcia Region. of the ads in this section Contact Matt or offensive” Alan 686 358 475 or nata s ha , 677 676 554 San rainbowsats@terra. es

Divorced, diverse super sexy, private apartment, complete massage with massage bed.

Very discreet. Call

Policarpo No. 87 swimming Apt 1-17 Cerca Calle Orihuela. pool safety Can accommodate NEATER HEATER one person or See our main advert on the news pages accompanied.

34

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

wanted

translation

Vehicles registration

Steptoe & son

Translation Services

“RE-PLATE” MATE

we will take anything you don’t want from cars to clothes, electrical items working or not.

One man’s junk is another one’s treasure, so don’t delay call today

Name transfer on all types of vehicles 50€ Registering of vehicles from English to Spanish

recruitment

chef/cook wanted Must be able to cook Mexican Style Food Must be able to use own initiative, Reference required

live in

Home Carers required to work in UK 2/3 weeks on 2/3 weeks off basis start Jan 2013,

top rates paid

£525

per week Telephone 685 406 881

Very busy salon inMazarron

for sale Telephone

611 611 858

Don’t Get Caught Out!

80€

Tel: 634 383 298

GB

All trafico work

Also available to do all types of translations 20€ first hour, 10€ every hour after

The police are cracking down on residents who still have a British driving licence. Call me to get yours changed over for a fee of

E

only 30€

Don’t take a chance!

Don’t break the Law! Let us take the hassle away from you and re-register your vehicle on to Spanish plates 490€ plus Road Tax plus CO2 emission if applicable

Please call Ashley McCulloch 638 899 350

cars for sale Seat Ibiza 2005 - 5 door hatch 1.4 16v Reference 107,000 kms 2 owners Full service history A/C PAS, ABS Electric windows CD player Remote locking Rear head restraints Metallic grey

€4,950

www.fwreurocars.com

600 726 221 965 687 976

SOLTIMES Now offer our Classified advertisers

4 LOCAL EDITIONS costa blanca costa calida + mar menor Almeria Roquetas De mar

for details

...Let the Soltimes team help you...

Also available online at

www.soltimes.com for more information Telephone

966 718 979 902 750 190

Can you sell ice to an Eskimo?

Opel Agila 2003 - 5 door hatch 1.0 Ecotec 79,000 kms 2 owners Fully serviced A/C PAS, ABS Electric windows Roof rails Central locking Rear head restraints Metallic silver

Ford Ka dec 2003 - 3 door hatch 1.3 150,000 kms 3 owners fully serviced a/c pas, abs cd electric windows central locking rear head restraints metallic blue

€3,250

www.fwreurocars.com

600 726 221 965 687 976

€2,650

www.fwreurocars.com

600 726 221 965 687 976

cars for sale

WE PROMISE TO BEAT ANY GENUINE QUOTATION For a full service contact:

Alan 662 249 159

www.replatematecostablanca.com

vehicle imports & matriculation.fast and competitive rates. call 687 845 730

For re-registration of cars, motorbikes and motor homes contact Graham Shelton Who after re-registering over 1000 vehicles will put you on the right side of the road.

605 319 889 or 966 753 375

CHRYSLER VOYAGER, ITV till April 2013, Full Service, 97,000kms, Spanish Plates, Limited edition, 7 seater 6000€, Contact 634 322 344 or 672 829 760

www.spanish-number-plates.com info@spanish-number-plates.com

mechanic

car parts

Car parts

Ed’s mobile

Need quality new parts for any car

CAR AIR CONDITIONING REGASING SERVICE SERVICING, REPAIRS Clutches, Brakes, alternators, service kits ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS GARAGE SERVICES

for sensible prices on all parts Starter Motors, headlights

Free quote go online or phone www.carpartsinspain.com

or telephone 692 930 326

610 078 940

All vehicle repairs, servicing, small bodywork repairs, ITV and paperwork needs. Ken Sherwood, British Mechanic Tel: 679 646 859 (Costa Calida area only).

WANTED

JT METAL RECYCLING

SOLTIMES

are looking for Full and Part-Time Sales Representatives in the Quesada area

Your role will be to let local businesses know how Sol Times can help them reach more customers and develop their business.

ARE YOU • • • Organised & able to work to deadlines?

• Do you have an outgoing, friendly attitude?

And more importantly...

you can sell ice to an Eskimo ...then we would really like to meet you!

Send your CV to: rosemary@soltimes.com or telephone Rosemary on 647 379 795

CAR REPAIR SERVICE

NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL IN THE REGIONS OF Almeria & MURCIA Turn your old or unwanted CAR into CASH. We will dispose of in our Authorised Depollution End of Life Treatment facility.

We also take fridges, washing machines, microwaves, all electrical appliances

Certificates Issued

WANTED CARS, VANS, LORRIES, TRACTORS, TRAILERS, PLANT MACHINERY

House & gar den clearances , skips supplied

Spanish or English

Also buyers of COPPER, BRASS, ALUMINIUM, LEAD, STAINLESS STEEL

TEL: 645 094 339 / 950 064 763

SOLTIMES NEWSPAPER

GROUP Now offer our Classified advertisers

4 LOCAL EDITIONS costa blanca costa calida + mar menor Almeria Roquetas De mar

...Let the Soltimes team help you...

Also available online at

www.soltimes.com for more information Telephone

966 718 979 902 750 190

motorhomes

Motorhomes for sale & wanted urgently

Motorhome & caravan Insurance arranged Motorhomes & caravan repairs & spares All vehicle imports, ITV & matriculations

Tel: 950 047 033 or 687 845 730 info@hispavan.com www.hispavan.com

Vehicles wanted

WANTED

ALL VEHICLES

Cars, Motorhomes, 4x4’s, Boats, Vans, Trailers, Quads, Classics

FOR CASH Telephone:

699 805 995

Used

Motorbikes

sell, buy & repair

transfer on Spanish reg home service pickup

Call Marcel 644 166 347 Guardamar

wanted cars for cash Best prices paid Spanish English Anything considered telephone Tim on 662 211 993

CASH CASH CASH Same day collection

We pay instant cash same day for cars, vans, bikes, quads, caravans, trailers, absolutley anything!

From 1€ to 10,000€

Call Phil: 607 848 332

CA4RS CASH

WE BUY

Cars, Vans, Bikes Damaged or Scrap Reliable Cars Bought For Cash

jet skis urgentely wanted any condition

bangers4cash@yahoo.co.uk

603 100 692

www.soltimes.com

I have no idea why I was put on this earth, but of one thing I am certain; I was not put on this earth to be a shining example of domesticity.

I clean when I see dirt, rather than anticipating its existence, and over the years I have learned that most dirt is traceable to a source, like paw or boot marks; some dirt seems to spring into being in a sort of immaculate conception, like fluff, while yet another type seems to self-generate.

Tinsel self-generates – no matter how deep the post-Christmas clean is, no matter how unstoppably the omnipotent Lawrence (our purple vacuum cleaner) and I patrol the house, there will be tinsel, right through until June.

I write this as a warning – I have discovered yet another type of self-generating detritus – shavings!

We have had a door fitted between the lounge and the kitchen in a bid to increase the house’s heatability. It was made off-site and came complete with two heavily jacketed lads one windy and freezing cold evening.

It all slotted together with a minimal amount josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk of planeing, and

By Jos Biggs

viewpoint

without the need for sharp intakes of breath, swearing, hammering or head-shaking.

As a final act before departing into the darkness the lads swept up a pan-full of shavings, which they left in the middle of the kitchen as visible proof that their mothers had brought them up to clean up their own mess, to a degree.

I disposed of the proffered pan, and swept up a panfull of my own, leaving the kitchen pristine.

Next morning’s daylight revealed a liberal coating of shavings rolling around on the floor, so I swept them up, being sure to go under all the fittings.

By lunchtime the kitchen once more resembled a sawmill, so I muttered a bit, then swept again, carefully and assiduously.

The following morning as I entered the kitchen I noticed that the floor was liberally dotted with happy little shavings, smiling in the morning sun. I grumbled as I vigorously condemned them to the dustpan, but by lunchtime a plethora of the little blighters had appeared from nowhere, so I swept again with diminishing good humour.

Then I noticed that the rest of the house was also sporting a carpet of grated wood - I gritted my teeth, grasped the brush and with murder in my soul I went forth and swept.

This is when it dawned on me that shavings are the third type of dirt – the self-generating sort.

But I will get them all. I will sweep them into oblivion. I will succeed, or perish in the attempt!

Something for the Weekend?

Following on from last week when I reminisced about the movies and picture houses from my days as a very young boy in Reading; it brought to mind that huge presence in the lives of many kids from the 50’s – Saturday Morning Picture’s.

The movie house that served the south of town where I lived was the Savoy, sitting between a small pickle factory and a butchers, its art deco facade was typical of most cinema architecture.

Hundreds of kids from the sprawling Whitley council estate would converge on the Savoy every Saturday morning, clutching their sixpence ticket money and another tanner to spend on sweets and drinks.

Our harassed mums were glad to get shot of us for a few hours while they got on with their housework or shopping.

Some, from the far flung outposts of the estate, arrived on the trolley bus that stopped outside the Savoy, but most of

us travelled on foot, even though many lived a mile or more away.

And although the most common mode of transport for kids then was the trusty push bike, we never risked using them in case our machines were half inched by the undesirable elements from the less than salubrious areas of Whitley.

The noise inside the cinema was unbelievable, with kids hollering at each other across the aisles - petty disputes on the ownership of cigarette cards and other schoolboy paraphernalia, and sometimes more serious altercations usually involving left over arguments from the school playground. And with sweet wrappers, paper planes and some individual’s article of clothing flying across the auditorium, the sour faced commissionaire and stewards had an impossible job of trying to keep things in order before the programme started. It must have been like dealing with a prison riot.

Finally at the appointed time, the lights dimmed, the curtains opened and the words of our ABC Minors club song appeared on the screen. Then a bouncy ball would trace the words as we all bellowed out the refrain: ‘We Are The Boys And Girls Well Known As, Minors Of The ABC . . .’

Naturally we all

By Colin Bird : badbirdnow@gmail.com

finished well ahead of the music anxious to get on with the business of the day, aka Flash Gordon -who got around in a rocket powered by a sparkler Abbot and Costello; Superman; Old Mother Riley; Tom and Jerry; Laurel and Hardy, Marvel Man and many others.

There was one particular part of the programme that was serialised and carried over until the following week and always ended on a cliff hanger with our hero about to get the chop and no possible way out of it. But then miraculously escaping at the start of the next episode.

Dick Tracy would be seen hurtling over a cliff in his car one week, but the next Saturday, the car would come to a shuddering halt just before the precipice and Dick would leg it without a scratch. This blatant cheating by the film makers happened week after week, but we still loved it.

Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger and Tom Mix were some of our cowboy favourites and you could spot the bad guys because they were always ugly, unshaven, wore black and walked bow legged. Whereas the goodies had white hats, freshly laundered shirts, rode white horses with coiffeured manes and were always heading somebody off at the pass.

Opposite the Savoy was Lester’s the barbers.

Mr Lester was the proud owner of a sleek Jag – and no wonder. His salon was the only one on the estate, which meant that he had a lucrative monopoly in the male shearing department and there was always a shop full of adults and lads of various ages.

It was a good idea therefore to kill two birds with one stone on a Saturday, when there would be a lengthy queue of small boys waiting for haircuts and all with the same strict instruction from their mums – short back and sides!

These were the days of the Boston, D.A. and Tony Curtis hairstyles, but they were reserved for the older youths whose parents had given in to the dictates of fashion. If a youngster under a certain age entered Mr Lester’s establishment and requested a Crew Cut, he was required to show a letter from his mum or dad.

Mr Cooper, one of the three resident barbers, always had a cigarette dangling from his lips as he terrorised his way through a multitude of youthful locks. He might as well have been using a strimmer for all the finesse he possessed. And after each session he would ask me the same question much to the amusement of his colleagues.

‘Something for the weekend sir?’

It was a year or two more before I understood what that meant!

A l queria E l S upremo With Antonio Poyato and that other stalwart of democracy Blythe Gruntmore under lock and key, Rodriquez and his obnoxious sidekicks took total control of Alqueria. Manuela had slipped through the net but she was only a girl, hardly a threat to the new totalitarian regime.

The people of Alqueria having taken apathy to new and lofty heights didn’t notice the change in government. It soon became apparent however that something was ‘up’. Rodriquez, resplendent in new pseudo-military regalia appeared on a hastily built rostrum in the village plaza. As with all dictators and monarchs Rodriquez had immediately dressed himself in the most ridiculous and over-medalled uniform. He then surrounded himself with meaningless protocol putting the widest gap possible between himself and the ‘ordinary’ people of Alqueria.

Rodriquez’s ‘pronunciamento’ in the square left the villagers in no doubt about the coup d’état. Dozens of emergency controls were put in place. In the best traditions of Spain and the Spanish people these were totally ignored. The Remitroot crop however, and therefore the economy of Alqueria would be directly under Rodriquez’s control. To the more astute of the population this was worrying. During the lengthy speech his pomposity knew no bounds as he rambled on. In his attempt to portray himself as a wise and benevolent leader he only appeared as he really is. A megalomaniac with no more sense than a cuckoo. The old adage held true as it holds true with all monarchs and dictators, ‘A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey’.

On the southern slopes of the Sierra Alhamilla overlooking Alqueria is old man Matas’s cave. Still believing the Civil War to be on he does what he can for the Second Republic. Manuela had found her way there by navigating the olive groves in total darkness. This was second nature to her, it was during the daylight hours that they presented a problem. Manuela’s arrival, breathless and desperate further strengthened the old man’s belief in his cause. To have company and female company in particular threw Matas into confusion. He wasn’t sure what was common courtesy and what was pent up but long forgotten desire.

Manuela let Matas believe the Civil War was still raging and set about exploiting his arsenal of old but numerous weapons in the cause of Alquerian freedom. Although in his nineties Matas became besotted with the raven haired Manuela.

He presented Manuela with a small bunch of wild flowers “They’re a bit wilted but it’s the thought that counts” Matas said with a lascivious grin.

“It’s the thought that worries me” mused Manuela as she oiled the bolt of an ancient Mauser.

swimming pools

pool sureste sl made with “Gunite” FREE Dolphin & Seal Mosiac Design on base of pool. Ask for details.

Al

l sh & SIZES apes eg.

8.500 €

8m.X 4m. pool Repairs Terraces Pool Covers

968 461 404 - 630 810 299 E-mail: ppsl@ono.com www.poolsureste.com

35

John MacDonald (El Sordo) - www.caratacus.eu

Self-generating

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

www.carsupermarket.es

36

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

pause for thought

So Christmas is almost upon us; the time when we celebrate the birth 2000 years ago of that very special child, who we Christians believe was God Himself, born to give his life as payment for our wrongdoings. Yet in spite of that anticipated destiny, there always seems considerable romance surrounding our portrayals of that occasion. The lovely, neat crib; the attentive and well groomed animals; the three immaculately dressed kings with their valuable gifts; the slightly less immaculate shepherds; the beautifully dressed and smiling parents, and the amazing star illuminating this 5-star stable residence.

But the reality of that night, as most of us are aware, was anything but romantic. No one would have had time to clean or prepare the stable, which was the only, and very makeshift shelter, available. The animals, with whom the family shared this shelter would have been much like those in Andalucean farms, doubtless fairly grubby and with their own special perfume. The crib was a hastily prepared feeding trough and the parents, exhausted after their long journey were almost certainly penniless, hungry and extremely frightened, as they learnt that the local ruler wanted their child dead.

The reality is of course a salutary reminder to us, particularly at this time of year, of God’s love and care for all, and especially for the poor. And amazing though it may seem, this message is becoming especially relevant right now, here in Spain, where many, it seems are today going hungry. So it is that a number of Churches and other organisations in this region are giving packets or tins of non-perishable food, such as rice, pasta, oil, flour, milk, tuna, or tins of tomatoes to Turre Evangelical Church in support of their food bank, which is used to provide food for the many destitute (mainly Spanish) of this area. So this Christmas, as so many of us celebrate, could I suggest that we remember the needy on our doorstep and give some practical help via Turre (www.turrechurch.com), the Anglican Church or perhaps by dropping off some food at Wavelengths in Albox.

Further information about the Anglican Church and details of forthcoming events may be seen on the web site www. mojacarchurch.org Duncan Burr is Licensed Lay Reader for the Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Cálida and may be contacted at djburr@avired.com

As a young boy in the early 1970s I watched M*A*S*H which was set in the Korean War that raged from1950 until 1953. Jolly funny it was too and only years later did I realise that my childhood laughs were based on the deaths of three million people.

National Service was in force in the UK and 100,000 young British men were involved in what is seen as the ‘forgotten war.’

Hugely relevant today as Kenyan survivors have taken the British Government to court over torture claims, the Mau Mau Rebellion in 1953 left over 20,000 dead. This was Britains’ darkest hour of its colonial rule. Over a million Kenyans were either sent to huge reserves or concentration camps. Torture including rape and castration were commonplace and also capital punishment was meted out on a routine basis. The Mau Mau themselves were also brutal against settlers and their own people. Disgustingly even though the survivors won their court case very recently, the British Foreign Office has refused to apologise.

In 1954 Algeria started its fight for independence from France, it lasted 8 years and cost 400,000 lives. President De Gaulle knew the fight was winnable but was political suicide for France fresh after its defeat in Vietnam, another of its former colonies. He almost paid for the decision to negotiate a withdrawal with his life as the French military failed in a coup attempt and tried to assassinate him.

In1958 Chairman Mao started ‘The great leap forward’ which he hoped would catapult the economy in front of the United States. It actually was a great leap backwards as the Chinese economy shrank, incidentally killing between 20 and 30 million from starvation or state brutality.

In 1961 The Kurds started a rebellion against Iraq which rumbled on and off for 42 years killing 200,000 people in the process.

Nick Ut/AP - The running girl - Vietnam June 1972

Oh what a lovely war part II Their fight involved them siding with Iran in the Iran-Iraq war in1980 in which half a million people died with no side gaining victory. Saddam Hussein was instrumental in ordering chemical weapons to be used against the Kurds and Iranians.

The Kurds also played a prominent role in Desert Storm in 1990/1 helping Allied forces.

My middle school in Guildford had a fantastic library and Time Life and other periodicals were available for us kids to read. In 1964 the Vietnam War had started and did not finish until The United States defeat in 1973. My dad had the Telegraph delivered every day but being a short-arse as a child meant the paper was simply too enormous for me to read.

So Time Life was an easier choice. I vividly recall seeing the now infamous photo of the ‘running girl’ in 1972 and being shocked as I had no idea there was this horrific war being waged on the other side of the world.

Phan Thi Kim Phuc was sheltering in the temple at Trang Bang village when a plane dropped napalm on the village as it mistook the villagers as enemy soldiers. Kim’s clothes were burnt off her body and she and other survivors ran for their lives. Associated Press photographer Nick Ut took this and other harrowing shots that certainly help turn world opinion against the war. Not however before three million people died, many of them innocent civilians from the indiscriminate use of deadly chemical weapons. The photo still brings tears to my eyes every time I see it, oh the futility of war!

Stephen Amore has lived in Almeria since July 2006 and owns Findmeahome estate agency. Writing on a variety of topics close to his heart such as environmental issues, animal welfare, food and drink, music and travel, as well as commenting on the absurdities of living in Spain! email: stephen@findmeahome.es - www.facebook.com/stephen.amore

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

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CD MONTESINOS..........................

TMGS TMGS Match Report, Las Ramblas, 5 December 2012.

The 40 members and guest of TMGS arrived at the course to be greeted with chilly and blustery conditions, just what you don’t need for Las Ramblas, gusty winds! One thing that was going to be guaranteed was quite a few lost balls. One member said he lost 8, turns out to be an expensive round, as it always tends to be at the “Marmite” course.

The format of the day was a 4 team Texas Scramble with each team member must having 4 drives to count which caused problems for a couple of teams, but not for the awesome four-some of Joe Dean, Sheila Dean, Alan Rixson and Arne Hanson who returned home with a cracking net score of 61.1. In second place was the Team Kennedy containing Vice Captain Mick Kennedy, Mike O’Reagan, Billy Starkey and George Smith with a very respectable 65.2 pushing Team Holland of Theo and Debbie Boelhouwer, Dougie Baldry and Jenny Morris into 3rd place with a score of 66.6.

Following the golf, 51 Members, guests and partners

sat down for a traditional Xmas Dinner in the Las Ramblas Restaurant and once again, the meal was superb; the service impeccable and the wine plentiful. The whole event was immaculately organized by John and Paula Hagart to whom we offer huge thanks. We also offer huge thanks to those members that kindly donated the raffle prizes that were plentiful and of a high standard.

Our next game, Wednesday 12th December 2012, see’s us at the La Finca golf course, so if you fancy a game just look at our website www.tmgs.org or call the Match Secretary on 966719604.

One more date for your diary and at an offer that will be difficult to better, 2nd January 2013, Campoamor Golf Club, green fee ONLY €25. Drinks and nibbles on the 10th and the game will be followed by a raffle for some cracking prizes, so please, once again, check out the website, book yourself in and come and enjoy the very friendly banter.

Another late goal piles on Saint’s misery............................

C.F Sporting de San Fulgencio 0-1 F.B Redovan C.F The Saints were undone by yet another late goal, this time they didn’t even have a point to show for their efforts. The winner arrived after a spell of constant Redovan pressure on the host’s area.

After a relatively quiet opening 10 minutes, Juan Antonio Fernandez came extremely close to opening the scoring but he saw his ambitious effort from the halfway line clip the outside of the post. Both sides were showing some nice touches but it was San Fulgencio who had the better chances with Gary Williams and Carl Kirby having some presentable opportunities.

Nearing the end of the first period the game had lost its fluidity as the ref began to enforce the law a bit too much which infuriated the benches and the crowd!

Marco Aurelio came close as well with a typically dipping free-kick, although this time the Brazilian’s effort was narrowly wide.

Redovan then came even closer with their set-piece chance, smashing the top of the crossbar from difficult angle.

After the break Gary saw a shot fly over the bar before Redovan’s striker’s shot had

the same outcome. The visitors were improving and Manuel Llopis had to be alert to tip over a venomous free-kick. Redovan wasted a wonderful chance when they really should have taken the lead, but after dilly-dallying on the ball for too long the shot was skewed horribly wide.

As Redovan began to turn the screw, the home defence started to panic and it would cost them dearly. After a period of pressure, the visitors got the goal they deserved with 5 minutes left on the clock.

The ball wasn’t cleared and it fell to Redovan’s midfielder who evaded a challenged before placing it beyond the reach of Manuel Llopis.

As expected the Saints went for it and might have equalised if it wasn’t for a great block to deny Carl Kirby right at the death.

Another disappointing result for us, we now need the lads to stick together and win next week away against Atletico de Catral C.F! Thank you to Telecom 900 and the rest of our sponsors!

Match Lucas

report

by

Jordan

CD MONTESINOS 2 – 0 CD ORIHUELA COSTA CDM Side: Cubano, Sergio, Manuel, Yonhi, Fernando, Andres, Rubio, Dimitry, M & A, Edu and Chulo.

CDM Subs: Sito on for Dimitry, Geremias on for Chulo and Iker on for Rubio CDM Goals: Edu and M & A This was an action packed encounter between two sides chasing one of the top two places which, at the end of the season, will guarantee them promotion. Orihuela Costa have improved this season, mainly due to the fact that they have signed some very experienced players. But “Monte” came into this game still smarting from their first home defeat of the season a few weeks ago and with the knowledge that a win against one of the closest rivals, would put some distance on those behind them plus added pressure on the top two.

In front of a crowd well over the 200 mark, it was CD Montesinos who controlled the game almost from the start as they kept up a relentless pace to the game. So it was no real surprise when top scorer, Edu, made the all important break-through before half time, finishing off an excellent move. The same player had, just minutes earlier, hit the cross-bar although the rebound was cleared.

There was a moment of madness at the half time

whistle when the visiting goal keeper took exception to something said to him by a spectator and the keeper jumped into the crowd to confront him. The referee, who said he did not see the incident (he must have been the only person in the ground not to have seen this), refused to re start the second half until police arrived, leading to a 10 minute delay in proceedings.

Once the second half did start, it was a similar story to the first although Monte played a more counter attacking system. This paid off near the end of the game as M & A scored a superb individual effort to put the result beyond doubt and make sure all three points went to CD Montesinos.

At half time there was a special raffle by the CD Montesinos supporters club “The Full Monte” and the proceeds of this will go towards buying all the players a Christmas hamper, which will be presented at the home game before the Christmas break (23rd December).

Next week (16th December), CD Montesinos are away at near neighbours Racing San Miguel. Kick off time has yet to be confirmed so please take a look at our website (www.cdmontesinos.com) VAMOS MONTE!!!

SMGS VISIT VILLAMARTIN Our regular monthly visit to Villamartin is a popular occurrence and is eagerly looked forward to by all who attend but no matter how popular the venue might be; the prevailing conditions do tend to have the final word!

It may be simply my imagination but it seems to be every Wednesday lately that the golfing Gods have a quick meeting to decide on the conditions and it’s always – icy winds in conjunction with low temperatures!!

Some weeks the sun manages to stay visible, not doing the slightest bit of good in the way of warmth, but at least it brightens up the cold conditions. But this week even the “big yellow ball” did a disappearing act, leaving it dull and miserable as well as perishing!

Yet, just like the week before, writing this report on the next day finds me looking out on calm, bright conditions with the big yellow ball well and truly back in play! It’s a beautiful Spanish winter’s day! Maybe the answer is as simple as – change the golf day to Thursday.

Once again though, there were quite a few very acceptable rounds and even a few breaking through that psychological 30 barrier! It was probably all those of us on blood-thinning tablets taken with a touch of alcohol to back up the medication, that suffered the most and struggled to accumulate more than a

couple of dozen points.

New captain, Steve Davis, showed his mettle by scooping 2 of the NTP’s, generously deciding to leave the other 2 for Keith Wraithwell and Keith Stevenson. The visitor’s prize was again won by Eric Strachan who now returns to what might be even worse weather back in Aberdeen!

Silver division’s top three were Keith Stevenson (30), Keith Wraithwell (28) who pushed Norman McBride with the same score into 3rd on count-back.

Gold winners were pastcaptain, Ken Flaherty (32), Terry Suckling (31…..and it’s great to see him back) who took 2nd on count-back from Ivor Turkington, also with a very commendable 31 gaining him 3rd slot.

The biggest contest of the day appeared to be at the other end of the score-sheet with Mick Roscoe coming out on top (or is it bottom?) and collecting this week’s “Abacus Award” along with a sorrow-drowning bottle of fine wine.

Our next meeting is at Alenda and don’t forget the charity “Jingle Balls” team event on the 19th at La Finca which is a great value fun-day. Full details are available by visiting www.smgs. org or by giving Barry a quick buzz on 966 731 033. Visitors are always made very welcome for all events.

Photo: Some of the day’s happy winners.

37

san javier gs Monday, 3rd December 2012.

It is Christmas time again when you have a great day in December with the sun shining and golfers on the course with Santa hats on having great fun. The format was the Santa’s SACK 6, 6, 6 + Double points, Thirty four players turned out for our last outing of the year how quick year ends come round we great weather and Roda was looking fantastic we all had a lot of fun and a great day.

With double point on every hole for the player wearing the Santa hat and nearest the mince pies you all get what the day was like but there was some good golf played as well I think.

The day started well as the Captain nearly missed is tee time and is first drive was more yards in the air than on the fairway. On the last hole we had a nearest the water shot which was won by Paul Newman with a ball that stop a few inches away from the aqua.

Mince pies and Cava where the prizes for this special event at Christmas. The winning team left it until the last hole to come from behind and win. This was all thanks to Joan Williams and Dave Archer who both got birdie 4’s and Dave had the Santa’s hat on for double point but Joan chipped in the around 50 metre well done Joan.

TEAM - 1st Glen MACRAE, Joan WILLIAMS Frances POLICKY, Dave ARCHER 162 pts TEAM - 2nd Alex McLENNAN, Keith COPLEY, Barry BUTTERWORTH, Mick HARDY 159 pts TEAM - 3rd Joe FLANAGAN,

Jenny CHAPMAN, Norman CHAPMAN, Christine FLANAGAN 158 pts Nearest the Pins Hole 1 - Nearest the M/ Pie - Richard PHILLIPS - Box of Mince pies Hole 5 - 3rd Best Shot - Mick HARDY - Cava Hole 7 - Par 3 - Alex McLENNAN - Cava Hole 11 - Par 3 - Paul MATTHEWS - Cava Hole 13 - Par 3 – Ladies Frances POLICKY - Cava Hole 13 - Par 3 - Men - Ian WADE - Cava Hole 13 - Nearest the M/Pie - George STEIN - Box of Mince pies Hole 15 - 2nd Best Shot - Glen MACRAE - Cava Hole 18 - Nearest to water - Paul NEWMAN - Box of Mince pies Hole 11 - Gross 2 - NO ONE - 50€ The next Society’s game is on Monday, 7th January 2013 at RODA Golf.

The format will be Individual Stableford.

Payment is on Saturday, 5th January 2013 at RODA Golf, in the bar area, between 11.00 and 12.00 hours.

Wishing you all a Happy Chrismas & Happy New Year.

Busters Golf Society..............

On the Friday the 7th we played Bonalba golf course for our December monthly stableford , although the fairways were in excellent condition most of the greens were still recovering from a recent dressing , however having played there a few weeks ago I must say their is a vast improvement with these greens in this short time , apparently they have started using a different water source as the previous source had been causing the problems that they had had , we would definitely book to play there again as we feel that the greens will be back to their old good standards very shortly , as usual the staff at Bonalba gave us a warm welcome and as part of our deal they provided free coffee on arrival . The tees were mostly situated far back with some almost level with the white tees , making the course longer , which made things more difficult for most of us , this along with the greens been more difficult to read due

to their recently dressing didn’t help with the scoring .

Winner for our nearest the pins were Mike Van Vleck hole 4 , Preston Ives hole 8 , Keith Smith hole 11 and Barry Grinsell hole 14 , their were three players tying for second place scoring 29 points with Preston Ives taking the runner up spot by virtue of a lower handicap , our winner on the day with 31 points was Keith Smith , well done Keith .

After the game we returned to the Mini Golf in Quesada where we downed a couple of well deserved beers and we were treated to some bar snacks by courtesy of the owner , we finished the day with our presentation and another couple of beers before finally saying our goodbyes .

Our next meeting takes place on Friday the 4th January at El Plantio .

Barry Grinsell Secretary

38

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

sport

CLAPTONS GOLF ElSOCIETY...........

CHALLENGE TROPHY Raso Captain with the new INAUGURAL MATCH CLAPTONS GOLF SOCIETY v EL RASO GOLF SOCIETY VILLA MARTIN 7TH DECEMBER 2012 This match to be played on an annual basis between the two Golf Societies from Claptons Bar. The day started on a cold note and everybody was wrapped up to keep warm, but the temperature soon rose giving us a good days golf.

The course was in good condition but the greens were far from consistent, although there were some good scores recorded from both societies.

Everybody having finished we then made our way back to the Clubhouse for the usual hostileries and prize giving.

The match went the way of El Raso winning by 433 points to Claptons 388 based on 15 players. The photo shows the

trophy which Claptons will seek to win next year. Thanks to Chris and his team for their hospitality. Claptons winners are as follows: Overall winner Andy Trefry 37 points Gold winner Tony Stead 34 points Gold runner up Willie Buchanan 29 points Silver winner Phil Docherty 29 points Silver runner up John Harvey 27 points Best front nine Mark Pollitt 15 points Best back nine John Stones Nearest the Pin 6th Mark Pollitt 9th Mick the Grip, 13th Dave Pretty, 17th Willie Buchanan Best Guest Kevin Williams 27 points Most Potential Terry Smith

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Mazarron FC

YECLANO DEPORTIVO 1 MAZARRON FC 1 Mazarron supporters made the long journey to Yecla for the visit to the league leaders with some trepidation. Before Sunday, Yeclano’s record was played 12 won 11 and drawn one but it is a measure of how well Mazarron played that they came away disappointed with only a draw.

It was a game that Mazarron could and should have won.

They took the lead in the second minute when Jose Ruben ran on to a superb through ball from Poyato and outpaced the home defence before calmly sliding the ball under the Yeclano goalkeeper.

The lead lasted only 8 minutes before Yeclano equalised following a foul by juvenile captain Victor, who had replaced the experienced Diego in the centre of defence.

The free kick was driven into the wall but rebounded to Ortega who hit a fierce drive from 20 yards into the roof of the net.

Three minutes later another through ball from Poyato saw Ruben racing clear again but his chip over the goalkeeper’s head went just wide of the far post.

Then Ruben, who was causing all sorts of problems for the Yeclano defence, was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and Panocha’s free kick was tipped over the bar.

Mazarron were in complete control of the game and Cecilio headed over the bar from a Ruben corner before they had a great opportunity to retake the lead five minutes before half time. Ruben again broke clear on the left and his cross found Diego (2) who was brought down in the penalty area and Mazarron were awarded a penalty. Ruben’s spot kick, however, was too deliberate

and allowed the Yeclano keeper to make a save, low to his left.

As golfing days go, this was a difficult one, the temperature was low, the wind was strong and on the elevated holes it was almost impossible to hit a straight ball or get it any distance at all when hitting into the wind, even when the wind was behind the ball scurried off the back of the green, but as we say it was the same for everyone. There were a few balls lost in the water and those with a ball retriever were in high demand. After the game no one hung around too long, we were all eager to get into the warmth of the cars and head back home. Back at The Tavern there were long discussions on the rules of golf concerning movement of balls on the green etc. all were resolved successfully. We all agreed though, that the course was in good condition as a whole, the greens were in generally fast but it was hard to get the ball down the hole with the wind moving the balls around so much. Our thanks go to the staff for the complimentary coffee and the high quality of service we always get from them. Those who dealt with the wind chill best were: Gold Division: 1st Colin Ranson

c/b, 3rd Peter Morris 28pts

Mazarron suffered a blow at half time when the influential Poyato had to be substituted and was replaced by another juvenile, Fran. However, after 50 minutes Panocha’s pass gave Ruben another gilt edged chance but his first time shot went agonisingly wide with the keeper well beaten.

As expected, Yeclano came more into the game in the second half and Jose Iker in the Mazarron goal was forced to make a couple of excellent saves but, on the whole, Mazarron defended well and still looked dangerous on the break. Yecla went down to ten men in the 79th minute when Deltell was sent off following a second yellow card and Mazarron’s Pollo, who had only been on the field a few minutes as substitute, received a straight red card for a strong tackle.

The whole Mazarron team deserve enormous credit for this superb performance in a game in which Jose Ruben himself could have scored four goals. A word of praise too for the match officials who worked well as a team and also had an excellent game.

Mazarron team: Jose Iker, Barrachina, Victor, Pepelu, Urrea, Alfonso, Poyato (Fran), Diego (2) (Pollo), Jose Ruben, Cecilio, Panocha.

Man of the Match: Alfonso.

Mazarron are at home to CD Cieza this Sunday, 16th December, kick off 4 pm.

Admission is €4 with juveniles free and, as this is the last game before Christmas, Los Amigos de Mazarron FC will be distributing free mince pies, sausage rolls and cider to all supporters.

MAGGOTS END..............................

RODS AND REELS for the home 254 euros This week was the annual Christmas Fair match nominally known as a “Fur and Feather match”. The venue was the Eden canal stretch of the Rio Segura.

Well we thought last week was bad, this week was even worse. The cold temperatures have really taken their toll.

The river it´s self was at normal level and pace but that accounts for nothing to the fish!!!. Of the 18 brave anglers who fished the match, there were 8 blanks, with even anglers trying to snare a mullet that always seem to feed. Except of course when you want them too. Even the noted cottage pegs didn´t respond this week!!!!!!!!!!.

Top Rods on the day 1st Lenny ( Ex Cultural Attachee ) Bolton fishing the feeder and pole using maggot an with 4.40 kilo´s.

2nd Dave ( Yours Truly ) Hoare fishing the pole using corn and maggot with 3.32 kilo´s.

3rd Ian ( Irish Wizard ) Dalzell fishing the feeder using maggot with 2.32 kilo´s.

PLEASE NOTE The club has some vacancies at present, if you are interested in joining please contact Derek Swann on 966729293 or 603535771.

Also members, the Murcia Federation dues are now required, money to be paid to Derek or Sue Swann urgently.

Our Club would like to record our thanks to all our members, our friends in Abbey Anglers and members of the public who helped us pass across to the Elche Childrens Home a considerable quantity of toiletries, toys and other essential equipment.

In addition we raised a total of 1,888 euros from our Charity Fishing match which has been spent as follows for the benefit of the young children :Cash to contribute to the payment of urgent bills 500 euros Paint as decorating materials

New pillows 150 euros Shower Heads 87 euros Sweets for the children 25 euros Materials for interior alterations at the home 400 euros New shoes for the children 300 euros Contribution to the Christmas Party 172 euros “Our thanks to everyone who helped us” ABBEY ANGLING RESULTS Supplied by Terry Screen This week’s open match was held at Nancy’s on the 4th December with an excellent turnout for the time of year of seventeen anglers The water was 18inches lower than when we last fished it, and the weather was cold and windy. More work is needed on this stretch and hopefully in the New Year the clubs can get together to form work parties to clear the pegs etc.

1st Ian ( Irish Wizard) Dalzell with 12.560kg fishing the feeder and using maggot.

2nd Bill (The Master) Reade with 11.440kg fishing the feeder and using maggot 3rd Terry (Swing em) Screen with 9.060kg fishing the straight lead and using bread.

Membership fees are now due for the coming year and details are available on the website www.abbeyangling. com or from the match secretary Terry Screen on 965 328 368.

ANGLERS TOGETHER The objective of Anglers Together was to introduce anglers to each other, who otherwise had no one to fish with or didn’t know where to fish.

It was successful in bringing together many anglers who established friendships and which continue to this day.

No meetings are held now but information is still available through our email address; anglerstogether@ hotmail.co.uk.

TIGHT LINES DAVE HOARE

QUESADA GOLF SUPER LEAGUE..

LO CRISPIN GOLF31pts, SOCIETY..........

BONALBA GOLF & SPA 3RD Society, who it is hoped will Bonalba Golf Club - 05.12.12 2nd Martin Collins 28pts Silver Division: 1st Dave Lewis 32pts, 2nd Steve Cosgrove 30pts, 3rd Gail Coultate 27pts Bronze Division: 1st Steve Harrington 30pts, 2nd Daimen Elliott 28pts, 3rd Don Oliver 21pts NTPs: Gail Coultate hole 4, George Stuart hole 8, Steve Cosgrove hole 11 and no one managed to get on the 14th, we blame the wind.

There were two 2s, Paul Flanaghan and George Stewart, they shared €44 The free game draw was won

by Colin Ranson and the €10 draw was shared between Chris Nield and Brian Coultate The next and last game of this year will be a Texas Scramble at Villamartin on the 19th December, bring your Santa hats.

Gail Coultate Correspendent Lo Crispin Golf Society http://sites.google.com/site/ locrispingolf/

DECEMBER 2012 MATCH 2 Here we are once again at Bonalba Golf and as promised by the management the course was back in excellent condition. The day started out with most of the players looking like Eskimos but soon the sun began to shine and the coats and hats came off to comfortable temperatures.

The greens held the ball well and putted well. Once again Benijofar won by a small margin. The League also welcomed Ruby’s Golf

be playing in the League as a member next season, but will play themselves from time to time this season to get used to the format. Our thanks to the management and greenkeeping staff at Bonalba for their continued hard work keeping the course in the best condition. Everybody having finished we made our way back to Sams Bar in Quesada for eats and the prize giving.

Many thanks to Sams Bar for their hospitality. Scores as follows.

League table - Week 10 03/12/12 CONCIERTO 3 - 6 PABLO´S HORACIO A 0 - 0 BELUSHI JJ BELUSHI 1 - 8 LIBERTY OCHE-HOLICS 7 - 2 HORACIO B High scores 120+ 140 Clive “ Jacko” Jackson (Liberty) 134 “Super” Mario Gomez (Oche-Holics) 125 Dave “ Daddy” Frew

(Concierto) 121 Julian Sutor (Liberty) Table 79 OCHE-HOLICS 58 PABLO´S 56 CONIERTO 46 LIBERTY 39 BELUSHI 30 HORACIO A 27 HORACIOSÁ B 16 JJ BELUSHI Table isn´t correct as there are no results in for HORACIO´S A - BELUSHI´S

Orihuela Costa Monday night fun darts league.........

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SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

39

sport

FC TORREVIEJA........................................................ Eurogolf.......

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES La Marquesa Press Report.

Last Thursday, Torry entertained 3rd bottom Borriol who had beaten 2nd in the table Novelda at home so it wasn’t going to be a “walk in the park” like the last home game against Catarroja. The game was at Torrys spiritual home, the Vicente Garcia stadium, which had been reseeded but didn’t look as if it had been rested long enough.

Still it was the same for both sides.

Torrys starting line-up: Manolo; Vicente (Jose Manuel 69’), Jorge (Inarejos 46’), Burguillos, Javi Losa, Abel, Dani ( Manu Amores 61’), Luis Carlos, Cuco Ros, Gasch, Koeman Torry started the better with Luis Carlos twice having shooting chances inside the box but he dwelt on the ball too long instead of pulling the trigger early and was closed down and his efforts blocked.

Jorge played a mis-placed pass to let one of their forwards in and he wriggled past two Torry defenders and with a clear sight of goal struck a shot on target which was well blocked by Manolo. On 14 minutes Borriol won a corner and their unmarked no.5 was first to the ball and met it will a powerful header which flew into the back of the net for a GOALLLLL to Borriol 0-1.

On 19 minutes Jorge sent a looping header from a Torry corner just over the bar. On 25 minutes Torry should have been level when Koeman had a good run down the right and crossed to the far post where from 2 yards out Gasch somehow blasted the ball against the bar instead of the back of the net.

On 30 minutes Abel lost the ball in midfield and Borriol drove forward and the ball was played to one of their forwards on the right and he cut inside and went past Javi Rosa easily and curled a sumptuous shot beyond Manolo and into the far corner of the net for a GOALLLLL to Borriol 0-2.

to extend their lead but he shot woefully wide.

Ros then had a header saved comfortably by their keeper.

On 61 minutes a mysterious decision with another Torry substitution with Dani being replaced by Manu Amores which meant that the only central midfielder for Torry left on the park was the ineffective Cuco Ros. Torry were now playing 1-4-1-5. Manolo then spilled the ball at the foot off the post but just managed to recover and knock the ball out for a corner.

On 34 minutes, not for the first time, the Elche left winger left Vicente for dead and his cross was headed powerfully into the back of the net for a goal with Tur rooted to his line.

From the resultant corner a glancing header from a Borriol player went just over the bar.

On 70 minutes the last throw of the dice by Torry with the third and final change with the well below par Vicente being replaced by Jose Manuel another forward. Torry then unbelievably tried to play 1-3-1-6. Well he makes the decisions Torry then looked like conceding every time Borriol broke forward and they nearly did on 77 minutes when their no.9 played their no.10 in and his ferocious strike thundered against the inside of the post and came out and was hacked clear.

On 84 minutes a Borriol player was sent off for kicking out at Gasch. Abel was then pushed forward to add his bulk to the “already” overcrowded Torry attack .Deep into injury time Torry won what looked like a controversial indirect free-kick inside the penalty area about 12 yards out. It was the last chance saloon for Torry. The ball was laid off to Koeman who blastered it on goal but it hit a player on the line and came out and was cleared. Game over after Torrys worst performance of the season.

On Sunday Torry made the short trip to Torrellano to play Elche Ilicitano followed by around 50 of the Torry faithful. Elche Ilicitano entered the game on the back of an 8 match unbeaten run so would be full of confidence.

For the second-half Ernesto, who wasn’t fully fit, replaced the ineffective Cuco Ros. On 53 minutes a great block at the near post by Jorge prevented real danger for Torry but from the resultant corner Torry found themselves 2-0 down with a fine header from an unchallenged Elche player from close in finding the back of the net with Torry keeper Tur again rooted to his line. Torry are not Man Utd and haven’t got the fire-power to give teams a 20 lead. Ernesto tried to bring a bit of control to Torrys build up play but they didn’t really seriously threaten the Elche defence.

On 64 minutes Torry made a double change bringing on Manu Amores and Rafa for Jorge and Luis Carlos. The complexion of the game didn’t change with the opposition content to sit a little deeper having done the hard work and given themselves a 2 goal cushion which they weren’t going to surrender. Torry did push forward more in the last 15 minutes in search of a consolation goal but it didn’t come. A bad week for Torry with 2 defeats and a sense that they have lost their way with confidence severely dented.

The management team have a great deal of work to do to restore confidence and togetherness and also bring some shape and balance to the team which has definitely lost its way. The modern day cliché “step up to the mark” needs to be stamped on the players fore-heads !

After 32 minutes Torry were then thrown a lifeline. An under-hit clearance out of the Borriol penalty area was picked up by Dani who flighted a pass over the top which Abel met on the half-volley and the ball flew into the back of the net for a GOALLLLL to Torry 1-2. Jorge was replaced by Inarejos at half-time and Torry re-shuffled the pack but to no positive effect.

Torrys starting line-up: Tur, Vicente , Burguillos, Jorge (Manu Amores, 64’), Javi Rose, Dani, Luis Carlos (Rafa, 64’), Abel, Inarejos ,Cuco Ros (Ernesto, 45’), Koeman.

The game started scrappily but as it wore on Elche Ilicitano started to gain greater control with much better movement, approach play and ball retention with Torry failing to mount any serious attacks.

Torry drop to 11th in the table, 5 points off a play-off position and 5 points off the relegation zone. Which way will they go ? Lets hope that on Sunday the manager gets his team selection and tactics right, the team re-group and re-discover some form and get back to winning ways and go upwards and onwards. Keep the faith and be at the Vicente Garcia stadium for their home game against CD Llosa who are a place behind Torry in the table. The game kicks off at 5.00 pm.

On 49 minutes a clear chance to Borriol after a break down their left and cut back presented their no.17 with the opportunity

In the 15th minute a good cross was swept into the back of the Torry net but was dis-allowed for offside. Cuco

A somewhat downbeat Darrylldinho following his adopted team in Spain lose 2in a week.

CORNISH PRIDE (LOS DOLSES)...............................

Ten Pin Bowling League Matches played on December 4th Hall y Day lost their top spot in the league when they were beaten 6-2 by Cornish Pride, top scorer for C.P was Shane Winfield, 619 hcp series, and for H y D it was Steve Simmons, 581 hcp series.

Split Happens stay in 3rd place, even though they lost 6-2 to Lucky Strike, the L.S. skipper was their top scorer again this week with his highest hcp series so far this season 579.

Finland, the mighty Finns were in good form and bowled their highest team hcp score of the season 1821, as they easily squashed the Mossie’s 8-0.

Los Bandidos got back to their winning ways with an 80 victory over Crazy Pinz, even though Gunter Wilms bowling for C.P. had his highest hcp game 212, and series 593. Top bowler for L.B was ‘El Tel’ with a 582 hcp series.

With only 2 bowlers, Bar Mosquitos knew they would be lucky to get anything

Mixers had an 8-0 win against Bandoleros, mainly thanks to Antonio Berenguer, who bowled his highest 4 scores of the season, including a 225 scratch game and a 626 hcp series.

from their match against Team

Splash won again this week

(3 out of the last 4), beating Caballo Negro 6-2, top man for Splash was their captain, Diego Munoz with his 4 best scores of the season, including a 643 hcp series. Top bowler for C.N. was Eija Suomi with her best hcp score so far 584.

Carp-r-us moved up 4 places to 8th, when they beat Los Lobos 8-0, top scorer for the Carp’s was Bill Hogg with a 611 hcp series, and for L.L it was Ron Jewll with his highest hcp series so far 552.

In the second week of our Bar Mosquitos sponsored ‘turkey shoot’ competition 38 lucky tickets were won for the draw to be held on December 11th.

45 players took part in our away day on Sunday 2 December at Font De LLop. It was a cold and blustery day up in the mountains however the shotgun start made for an even playing field, although no one managed to break par.

Thanks go to Ian Turner for stepping into the breach due our Match Secretary being indisposed. The winners were as follows: 1st Terry Sharley 34 points c/b 2nd Tony Stead 34 points c/b 3rd Roy Lowe 34 point Best Guest: David Gray 31 points.

There were also 20 very welcome card draw prizes as well which gave most people a prize on the day.

Today’s competition 6 December was the Monthly Medal at our home course La Marquesa.

Although it was cold early on, the sun eventually came out at it turned out to be a glorious winter day. It was noted that 2 of our lady members struggled to differentiate between their left and right feet just don’t buy a pair of shoes off of Phyllis or Frances as you will end up with

2 left and 2 right feet!!!!.

The results were as follows: Gold: 1st David Gregson Nett 73 2nd Ian Turner Nett 74 3rd Stan Low Nett 75 Silver: 1st David Gelsthorpe Nett 74 2nd Phyllis Venables Nett 75 3rd Colin Hobden Nett 79 OVERALL WINNER WAS DAVID GREGSON Best Back 9: Roy Lowe 36, Best Front 9:Terry Sayers 35 Nearest the Pins 5th Bill Martin 11th David Gelsthorpe 15th None 17th Gloria Manning Football Winners: Peter Sanderson & Tony Stanley.

TOFF’s Results Tuesday

4 December 2012 Overall Winner –Liz Menzies Gold Division 1st Stan Low 39 points 2nd Keith Wright 37 points 3rd Doug Spiring 36 points Silver 1st Ken Bret 36 points 2nd Jill Young 35 points 3rd Alan Marshall 35 points Bronze 1st Liz Menzies 39 points 2nd Janet Tocker 36 points 3rd Jenny Cheetham 34 points Nearest the Pins 5th Mike Young, 15th Cindi Green, 11th Janet Tocker, 17th Gloria Manning Best Front Nine – Gloria Manning, 17 Best Back Nine – Malcolm Foskett 19

DAYA ENJOY A SUNNY DAY AT ALBATERA...........

ALBETERA 1 DAYA NUEVA 5

A slow start at campo El Calvario the first attack coming from the home side after 5 minutes resulting in a near miss,the goal kick found Jose Gregorio in the opposition half and some neat footwork then found Manuel who planted the ball in the net on 6 mins.

End to end stuff resulted in a close call for Albetera after 10 mins.A free kick just inside Dayas half was caught on the line by Danni. After 23 mins. a brilliant run by Jose Gregorio end in a well taken goal 0-

2.Albetera attacked from the restart but were foiled by good save from Danni.So 0-2 at empanadilla time.

From the kick off Albatera made a surge for goal and found the side netting,on 38 mins the home side pulled a goal back as a result of a defensive error .Daya responded with a strong attack forcing a good save from their keeper,David then played a through ball to Marco who finished it off 13 Again the home pushed forward and won a corner

which was punched clear by Danni a throw in somehow reached the head of Marco en route to the back of the net 1-4.Manuel was subbed by Yousef on 62 mins. A corner for Daya was well finished

by Carlos, 1-5 Abraham then replaced Marcos and Danni was replaced in goal by Miguel.

All in all a thoroughly deserved result for Daya.Hard to pinpoint a man of the match they all played their part.

ITV ORIHUELA RFC - LAST LEAGUE MATCH OF THE YEAR After some mixed fortunes this season things seem to be coming together and getting the results they deserve.

With another very tough game again this weekend Orihuela are hoping to finish the year on a high after the last result and put some distance between the bottom of the league and ourselves, before coming back after the Christmas break in the New Year against Lorca.

The coming weekend, 15 December at 17.00, we are at home against Cartagena, looking to build on the brilliant result over Albacete.

So come down to Orihuela and support them onto their next victory and bring Xmas cheer all round.

This coming weekend we

will be televising all of the live Heineken Cup matches at the rugby bar in Rojales, The Steakhouse, used to be Tylers Bar, on Thursday is Wasps v Bayonne at 20.00, on Friday, Edinburgh v Racing Metro at 20030, on Saturday Ospreys v Toulouse at 14.00 followed

by Leinster v Clermont and finally Ultser v Saints at 18.30.

On Sunday at 13.30 Castres v Glasgow so come along to the only designated rugby bar in the area and join the Costa Blanca Rugby Supporters Club as well. Looking forward to seeing another good turn out down there this weekend.

I am at the Moncayo Market every Saturday to Xmas with all of the rugby branded gear and club/international shirts etc, so see you all down there, also

with the Cotton Traders Help 4 Heroes fleeces and polos. Ideal Xmas presents.

Training is at the Miguel Hernandez University ground at 20.15 on Tuesday and Thursday for the seniors and juveniles. The juniors start at 18.15.

So if you are interested, dig out those rugby boots and come along and see for yourself what it is like. New players are always welcome no matter what age or skill level you are.

If you would like more information about what is going on in the club, you can contact the club by phoning myself, Garry on 692 767 242, and for the juniors contact Oscar on 600 871 606 (Spanish)

40 SOLTIMES DECEMBER 2012

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