Blanca402

SOLTIMES

Property Supplement

Go to pages 17-24 to pull out & keep our useful Property Supplement To advertise in this section Telephone 902 750 190

ISSUE 402

COSTA blanca

4 - 10 nov

SolTimes

CK ME UP’ YOUR ESSENTIAL WEEKLY ‘PI

your free weekly newspaper

est. SINCE 2005

www.soltimes.com

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.

Dr Hans C. Madsen DC (over 22 years experience with lasers) Member of the Danish, Spanish & European Association

SHOCKWAVE TREATMENT FOR ARTHRITIS

• PAINFUL FEET • BACK PAIN • SPORTS INJURIES • SPINAL INJURIES LASER THERAPY SPECIALIST

www.chiropractor-benijofar.es info@chiropractor-benijofar.es C/Federico Garcia Lorca, No.90 –L8, 03178, Benijofar (Opposite the Citroen Garage)

966 185 242

Monday & Wednesday 10am - 1.30pm 3pm - 6pm

693 371 616/617 Tuesday & Thursday 3pm - 6pm Friday 10am - 1.30pm

BARGAINS - GANGAS

Established 12 yrs on the Costa Blanca

Call Tim 66 22 11 993 Yvonne 61 00 50 099

NO more unwanted Suma bills, speeding tickets etc Cars legally transfered out of your name trouble free polite courtesy service 100s of satisfied customers

call us now we welcome you 7 days a week

PROPERTIES - PROPIEDADES

WE SPECIALISE IN RURAL PROPERTIES

WWW.OLDFARMHOUSES.ES TEL: 968 159 631/618 407 779

2

November 2015

Jury declares Asunta’s parents guilty at Galicia child murder trial

Alfonso Basterra and Rosario Porto were only ones accused of causing 12-year-old’s death A jury has unanimously found the parents of Asunta Basterra guilty of the 12-year-old’s death in September 2013.

The nine jurors reached their decision after deliberating for five days and answering 21 questions posed by the judge who presided over the highly publicized murder trial.

The verdict notes that the jurors are “not favorable to either a reprieve or a sentence reduction” The jury found that Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra planned and carried out

the murder of their own adopted daughter, who was heavily drugged and strangled.

Her body was found on a rural path outside the family’s country home in Teo, in the northwestern Spanish region of Galicia.

The verdict also notes that the jurors are “not favorable to either a reprieve or a sentence reduction.”

The public prosecutor wants Porto and Basterra, who are divorced, to each serve prison terms of 18 years for murder with the aggravating circumstances of kinship and premeditation. The jury deliberated for five

days inside an isolated room on the top floor of the courthouse in Santiago de Compostela, where the lengthy trial took place.

All nine members were cut off from contact with the outside world, and had their cellphones taken away until a verdict was reached.

Presiding judge Jorge Cid Carballo had asked them for “responsibility, independence, impartiality and observance of the law” in their deliberations because “what’s at stake is society’s desire to punish a crime, but also the lives of two people who could be spending many years in prison.”

“Take your time,” he told them. “I ask you for patience. Haste and justice do not go hand in hand.” Rosario Porto had been the prime suspect in the case from the beginning, after she provided conflicting versions of her own comings and goings on the day of the murder.

Porto, a lawyer with an active social life in Santiago, first denied having taken her daughter to their country house on the evening of September 21. After surveillance camera footage showed both inside the mother’s car, the latter changed her version of events.

Asunta, who was adopted in China at the age of one by Porto and her then-husband Basterra, is believed to have been suffocated after being heavily sedated with lorazepam, a drug used by her mother to treat her own anxiety. elpais.com

Huge ‘Star Wars’ helmets displayed in Madrid GIANT helmets worn by Star Wars characters are on display all over central Madrid for the Face the Force exhibition.

Visitors and residents have been taking ‘selfies’ with statues of helmets over seven feet high in some of the city’s most strategic tourist hotspots.

The First Order Flametrooper can be found in Real Madrid FC’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium, and Captain Phasma sits in the Plaza de Colón, near the C/ Colón which is

Madrid’s main shopping street.

Parallel to Captain Phasma in the direction of the Plaza de España is Darth Vader on the Glorieta de Bilbao roundabout, and in the Plaza de España itself is the Resistance Pilot helmet.

The First Order Stormtrooper sits next to the Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid’s answer to the Arc de Triomphe at the main entrance to the huge Retiro Park.

Another Stormtrooper is set up next to the Reina Sofía art museum, an Imperial Pilot is based in the Santa María de la Cabeza district and a Rebel Pilot helmet in the Madrid Río area.

The eight replica helmets will be exhibited until November 30 inclusive. thinkspain.com

www.soltimes.com

Spanish revellers injured in Bucharest nightclub fire

TWO Spaniards have been admitted to hospital following the massive inferno at a nightclub in the Romanian capital on Friday, the country’s Intelligence service has reported.

So far, 27 revellers have lost their lives, but 17 of the bodies have not yet been identified, therefore authorities cannot confirm there are no other Spanish nationals among the dead.

Seven injured parties were taken to hospital, some with severe and lifethreatening burns.

Two of these have been confirmed as Spanish nationals, but both are said to be out of danger.

They and one other person, an Italian, were hospitalised with smoke inhalation but are said to be recovering well, although the remaining four injured survivors are said to be in a critical condition.

The identities of the injured and deceased have not been revealed, but 184 people were said to have been wounded or suffered smoke inhalation when the blaze broke out inside the disco hall in Bucharest.

Another 27 have been confirmed dead, and Romanian authorities have declared three days of mourning.

As yet, the cause of the inferno has not been ascertained, but according to witnesses interviewed on the national news channel Digi24 and by Romanian news agency Mediafax, it may have been

as a result of fireworks let off inside the building.

It happened during the opening act of the Romanian rock band Goodbye to Gravity, who were presenting their new album Mantras of War, according to Secretary of State for Health, Raed Arafat.

Head of State Klaus Iohannis says the government has ‘grounds to believe health and safety laws were flouted’.

“I hope authorities conclude their inquiries quickly so we can reach some conclusions and be able to explain to the parents, siblings and children of the victims why this happened,” Iohannis stated.

Over 200 young adults were inside the Club Colectiv in Bucharest at the time of the blast.

Only one of the two exit doors on the lower ground floor was working, meaning a stampede broke out when clubbers tried to escape, and several died from cardiac arrest as a result of the crush and the smoke.

The club had been fined 10 days earlier for not having ‘qualified personnel’ on the premises during opening times.

Iohannis says ambulances and the fire brigade reached the scene within 11 minutes of the first call to the emergency hotline, 112. thinkspain.com

3

Greenpeace takes Spain's main party leaders back to childhood GREENPEACE has turned Spain's lead candidates for the national elections back into children and 'challenged' them to do everything they can to protect the environment. Very young versions of Albert Rivera (Ciudadanos), Pablo Iglesias (Podemos), current president Mariano Rajoy (PP), Alberto Garzón (United Left – Izquierda Unida, or IU), and Pedro Sánchez (PSOE, or socialists) appear with the slogan, 'don't let the child you were be ashamed of the adult you are'.

The top half of the photograph featured here – created by Greenpeace – is the original poster with the adult versions of the politicians doctored to make them look like child versions, whilst the bottom row shows the 'real' childhood pictures of each one of them below the 'invented' ones.

All the party leaders accepted the challenge on Twitter, with Rivera being first to respond with: “Let's look after our common home, the Earth. By the way, this is me,” and posted a 'real' photo of him when he was a child (bottom row, second in from right).

Iglesias referred to his trademark ponytail in his own Twitter response, accompanied by a photo of him as a toddler (bottom row, second in from left): “Yes, we will protect the environment from speculation. And

this is me – my hair hadn't grown yet!”

Garzón replied by placing one of his childhood photos (bottom row, far left) next to the one of him as an adult 'doctored' by Greenpeace and asked his followers, “with this photo next to you, I ask you – has Greenpeace managed to create a reasonable likeness of me?”

Sánchez replied, “and that's my commitment. We're going to make a more habitable and sustainable country,” but uploaded his campaign photo for the elections rather than one of him as a child, but he is shown as a youngster in the above picture (bottom row, far right). Mariano Rajoy did not upload a picture of himself as an adult or a child, although a picture of him as a young boy is shown above (bottom row, middle) but replied to Greenpeace – albeit last of everyone - “commitment fulfilled with the environment. Soon, our proposals for the next four years,” with an icon of a tree.

Greenpeace's poster was hung up all over Madrid – in the Las Ventas bullring, Atocha station, the Puerta de Alcalá or Madrid's answer to the Arc de Triomphe, the central Plaza de España, the busy Gran Vía, the central Puerta del Sol square, the Paseo de la Chopera boulevard, and the C/ Toledo. thinkspain.com

4

Happy 10th birthday, Princess Leonor

CROWN Princess Leonor of Spain celebrates her 10th birthday and pictures of the first decade of her life have been published in glossy magazines and the media, along with a potted history of what it means to be Europe’s youngest heir to the throne when you’re still at primary school.

Her Royal Highness, Princess of Asturias, Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera and Lady of Balaguer, few 10-year-olds on the planet have as many noble titles as young Leonor – but then few are trained literally from the cradle to become a future head of State.

Princess Leonor is described by her teachers and those who know her as

ort

a bright spark, lively but attentive, formal and regal beyond her years – and not as naughty or cheeky as her little sister Sofía, who turned eight in May this year.

But aside from the fact HRH Leonor lives in the Zarzuela Palace and her parents are King and Queen of Spain, her life is said to be very similar to that of any other girl of her age.

She studies more languages than most 10-year-olds, and more than her friends at school – as well as English, she is also taught catalán and Chinese in preparation for her national and international ambassador role that awaits her when she takes the reins from her father.

Leonor already attends some

November 2015

engagements with her parents – she was only four-and-three-quarters when she formed part of the formal ‘welcome home’ for the Spanish football team after they won the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and was pictured wearing a national side shirt in support of ‘the reds’ and being handed the World Cup by goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The little princess has also attended Armed Forces parades, the ceremony and abdication of her granddad King Juan Carlos I, her own father’s coronation, and the Royal family reception with Pope Benedict XVI. At every one of these events, she was described as behaving with ‘absolute correctness and formality’ in keeping with her status as heir to the throne, despite her young age.

Leonor will be only the fourth queen in

Spain’s history when she is eventually crowned, a f t e r Isabel t h e Catholic of Castilla – whose marriage to Fernando of Aragón united the two Kingdoms and brought Spain together, who were responsible for the bloodthirsty Inquisition and whose daughter Catherine married the British King Henry VIII – Juana la Loca (‘Juana the Madwoman’) and Isabel II.

CURTAIN & BEDDING STORE thinkspain.com

large selection - great quality - great prices

SARAH TURLEY

MON - fri 10 - 5

Est. 2006

Outdoor Furniture Re-Upholstery Service Available

T: 966 848 980 or 642 308 654 C/C Los Dolses, Villamartin Next to the card shop near the canal.

www.readymadecurtainoutlet.com

TOP QUALITY ARTIFICIAL GRASS Installed by Qualified Professionals

Onto existing ground, terraces, pool surrounds etc.

8 Year manufacturers Warranty For a FREE, no obligation, inspection & quotation

Call NEIL SMITH on 693 496 510 or 968 543 077 mands24@googlemail.com

WWW.ARTIFICIALGRASS.PRO

Artificial Grass is the inspired, maintenance- free answer to a lush green lawn in Spain.

Neil started his business in 2007 and has since transformed hundred´s of neglected, dusty gardens into attractive, green lawns.

With Neil´s experience he can create a green haven in any location; • onto rough ground • tiled-terraces and patios • private/Urbanisation pool surrounds • Communal garden areas Why chose Artificial Grass?

The advantages are endless; no more hefty water bills or tedious mowing. the grass is extremely resilient, able to endure UV rays and extreme temperatures, with a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. The various grasses

come in a choice of either 4m or 2m wide rolls and are 25m long for practically seamless joining.

No more weeds, it´s allergy free and is both child and pet friendly.

Neil works only with approved products, adhesives and equipment; and follows a rigorous quality control system. He sources the best quality grasses at competitive prices extending professional advice during and after the installation guaranteeing complete satisfaction and all our grasses have an 8-year manufacturer’s warranty!

For a free, no-obligation quotation please call 968 543 077 or 693 496 510 Or e-mail us at mands24@googlemail. com or visit our website www. artificialgrass.pro On the Murcia Today site.

www.soltimes.com

5

6

November 2015

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 - www.daviessolicitors.com ENGLISH DIVORCE PAPERS: PROBLEMS WITH CHANGING THE SPANISH PROPERTY INTO MY NAME Question: I have a property in Almerimar in joint names with my ex-husband.

The English divorce papers state that the property (identified with its address) is to be signed over to me.

Finally yesterday at the notary I realised that the address in my deed has a different street name from what appears on the divorce papers (the correct one is the one on the divorce papers that I provided to the court). Therefore the notary did not allow us to sign. I am getting to the end of what I can actually cope with as we previously were not allowed to sign because we were lacking the Hague´s Apostille and official translation stamp on the documents and a second time because we were told we needed power of attorney from my ex-husband if he was not going to be present. And now, instead of third time lucky - another problem.

Answer: The problem has arisen because on the English divorce papers they have used a postal address (which in Spain can change ) instead of property register details, which is what we always use to identify real estate on public documents

that require access to a property register.

Obviously the town hall at some point has changed the name of the street (this happens every now and again when for example they wish to name a street after somebody famous or considered to be worthy of such distinction by the local council).

In any case there is no need to have the English documents changed now. All you need to do is satisfy the notary and registrar that the address stated on the deeds and the divorce papers actually correspond to the same property. This is easy to do. Visit the town hall and ask them to certify that the street now known as the name on your divorce papers used to be called the name on your deeds. The same would work if it is the numbering of the street that has changed.

If this is not accepted, before trying to change the paperwork in the u.k. and starting over again, I would suggest trying a different notary. I have used this system on various occasions without any trouble.

Michael Davies.

Abogado.

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.

Faulty eye product costs 13 Spaniards their sight: officials A faulty substance used in eye operations has cost 13 Spaniards their sight in one eye and left 28 other patients also suffering injuries, health authorities announced on Saturday.

Government medical agency AEMPS said in a statement that it was "aware of 41 cases of people affected by usage of the surgical product Ala Octa, which was recalled by the Spanish health ministry in June and is suspected of causing loss of vision in several people".

The agency said there had been 13 confirmed cases of patients being completely blinded in one eye after operations in which Ala Octa was used.

The compound is made by German company Alamedics. Other complications included damage to retinal tissue and the optic nerve, inflammations and a loss of sharpness of vision.

The 41 cases were reported at 11 health facilities in Spain, primarily in the Basque region near the French border, while Alamedics has pointed to a further case in Italy.

Christian Lingenfelder of Alamedics wrote to distributors on July 13 stating that "the product Ala Octa is suspected of being at the origin of degenerative processes in the retina".

"Sales have been stopped until the circumstances can be completely clarified," he added. The Alamedics website describes Ala Octa as "chemically and physiologically inert and absolutely non-toxic", adding that the compound can be used in the treatment of several

eye conditions, including detached retinas. Spanish authorities announced a recall of Ala Octa on June 26, several days after a distributor raised the alarm over 20 suspect cases in the country.

"Samples were sent to a Spanish research institute specialised in ophthalmology for chemical and toxicological analysis," AEMPS said, adding that it was working with the pharmaceutical company and German authorities.

France also announced a recall of the product on September 23.

Mikel Gonzalez, who was blinded in his left eye by his surgery on June 2, said he now hoped for compensation.

"A month and a half (after the surgery), they told me that it was a bad product that had made me blind in one eye," said the 44-year-old, who had gone under the knife at a public hospital in San Sebastian, northern Spain. "At least the health authorities have recognised the case. I hope they will compensate us," said Gonzalez, who has since returned to his office job.

Spanish newspaper El Pais hit out at the drug company and at doctors, saying it had taken them too long to raise their concerns over the product.

It drew a link with the case of a similar product, Meroctane, which was produced by Turkish firm Meran and withdrawn from the market in December 2013. Several patients in Spain and Chile suffered loss of vision after being treated with Meroctane, El Pais reported.

7

www.soltimes.com

Spanish MotoGP rider Marquez in fracas with Italian comedians

Spanish MotoGP rider Marc Marquez says some of his relatives were physically assaulted by members of an Italian comedy show, according to reports on Saturday night.

The reporters from the "Le Iene" (The Hyenas) programme targeted Marquez in the aftermath of his high-profile crash with nine-time Italian world champion Valentino Rossi.

Marquez was kicked off his bike by Rossi in a tense Malaysian Grand Prix last weekend.

"Yesterday a series of unfortunate incidents took place in Cervera," Marquez's representatives said in a statement on Saturday.

"A group of people appeared at the rider's home and shouted a series of insults, acted in a ridiculous and humiliating way towards the rider himself and even pushed and assaulted his closest relatives."

"Given the seriousness of these actions, such acts have been reported and the normal course of criminal proceedings will be followed against such persons."

However, journalists Stefano Corti and Alessandro Onnis claimed they were the ones that had been injured

and had their cameras broken.

"We arrived in the vicinity of the dwelling of the parents of the pilot where we met Marc Marquez, his father, his brother and a friend," they posted on the Le Iene official Facebook page alongside a picture of the broken cameras.

"We were attacked and in the struggle they broke the camera and took the video card."

Rossi leads the championship standings by seven points from Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, but was sanctioned for the season's final Grand Prix in Valencia next weekend in which he will start from the back of the grid as punishment for kicking out at Marquez.

However, that penalty has been suspended pending Rossi's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport with a final decision not expected until 48 hours before the race on Friday.

The spat between Rossi and Marquez began when the former claimed the Spaniard was conspiring against him to help compatriot Lorenzo land the title. thelocal.com

Solar electric systems Solar hot water systems Buy direct - no middle men no sales people - no subcontractors

Quality European products Guarantees backed by 10 years of training in Spain Complete solar systems from only 1500â‚Ź including installation 10% price beater promise we will beat any other like for like price

koal a furniture s.l

now in Stock - autumn - Winter season high quality leather sofĂĄs in different colours at incredible prices

FURNITURE

monday to friday 10:00am to 19:00 saturday 10:00am - 14:00 POL.IND.EL REAL, C/VENTE VACIO E-14, 04628 ANTAS - ALMERIA

TEL: 950 392 307 MOVIL: 627 215 345

facebook.com/koalaFURNITURE

8

REMEMBRANCE DAY - SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER

November 2015

THE SOLTIMES & OUR CLIENTS ARE SUPPORTING THE 2015 POPPY APPEAL A DONATION FROM EVERYONE ON THE FOLLOWING TWO PAGES WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE 2015 POPPY APPEAL

Just Electronics 661 530 372 966 184 674

graemejack45@yahoo.co.uk is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Michael the Gardener 656 851 785 is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Beautiful You Clinic 965 419 906

beautifulyouclinic@hotmail.co.uk

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Curtain & Bedding Store 966 848 980

www.readymadecurtainoutlet.com is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Structural Surveys 653 733 066

mrmpaddon@hotmail.com is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Carpet Heaven 966 720 782

carpetheaven@hotmail.es is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Lezsonja’s Kennels 677 343 653 lexsonja@yahoo.co.uk

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Irwin Removals Store 965 726 544 spain@irwinremovals.com

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

San Luis Computers 619 963 018fullcircle.

john@sanluiscomputers.com

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Full Circle 659 420 862

fullcircle.removals@hotmail.oc.uk

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

All Electrics 606 711 776 allelectricscostablanca@gmail.com

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Bob Limehouse Satellite Services 689 291 753 is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

9

www.soltimes.com

HUMANISTS REMEMBER

A non-religious remembrance ceremony is to take place on 11 November at Mazarrón’s Peace Garden at Plaza Miguel Ángel Blanco La Via Mazarrón.

Starting at 1045am, the ceremony will include appropriate thoughts and readings and observe the two minutes silence, which have become associated with these occasions but will not include hymns, prayers and other religious references.

The Humanists of Murcia are organising the event with permission from Mayoress of Mazarrón Alicia Jimenez. They will plant a tree as a permanent, living, growing memorial to all who have given their lives in war. Everyone is invited to attend the ceremony and participate in this secular act of remembrance.

Humanists are non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. Locally, The Humanists of Murcia, have regular programmes in their walking, gardening, philosophy and discussion groups. They use the solstices and equinoxes as a good excuse for a For further details please contact humanistgroup.murcia@gmail.com or go to www.bolnuevo.com/humanists.

Brian Jones & Co Property Maintenance 646 705 021 bjworks@hotmail.co.uk

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Teleconnect

tony@simpletelecoms.co.uk

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

ABC Plumbing & Heating 607 811 958 cathy@hotmail.es is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Cathys Curiosity Corner 622 899 906 cathy@hotmail.es is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Teddy Bear Builders 680 851 376 616 214 713

teddybearbuilders@yahoo.com

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Fresh TV

634 024 386

freshiptv@yahoo.com is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Time 4 a Change

Second Hand Furniture 968 136 501

mueblesusados1@yahoo.com is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

CRS Building Services 634 151 916 chrisrobert-sol@hotmail.com

is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Lords Removals 0044 7709 557 109 0034 608 061 872

lordsremovals@hotmail.com is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

GT Autos Los Dolses SL

Spencer: 637 090 665 is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Black Bull Camposol 689 961 604 is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Be Sure Alarms 645 495 484 besurealarms@hotmail.com is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

Avalon Europe 25 Years 1990 - 2015 966 799 070 is supporting the 2015 Poppy Appeal “Lest We Forget”

10

Wind, rain and waves: Spain suffers severest storms in over two decades

Six and a half metre waves battered the southern coast over the weekend in the worst storm to hit the region in 20 years and more is to come.

Spain’s national weather agency has issued a country-wide alert for torrential rain, after fierce storms battered the country over the weekend. The severe weather will last at least into Tuesday, November 3rd, Aemet confirmed in a statement on its website.

Spain currently has 29 provinces on alert for heavy rain, with the worst affected areas including Andalusia, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean coast.

Much of Spain was inundated with rain over the weekend, with the south of the country being particularly badly hit. Beach bars were destroyed and seafront promenades flooded all along the Malaga coast, while in Andalusia there were 300

incidents due to the bad weather. Flights both in and out of Malaga airport were delayed on Sunday.

A storm of this ferocity has not been recorded in Spain since 1995, according to various Spanish media reports.

"In the 33 years I’ve been working here I’ve never seen anything like it," Salvador García, from Las Acacias restaurant in Malaga told regional newspaper, Diario Sur. Over 300 incidents caused by the storm were registered in Andalusia while in Malaga 50 Spain’s national weather agency, Aemet, issued an alert on Monday, warning of torrential rain across the country that would last into Tuesday, November 3rd. It warned that there was currently a strong depression sweeping from the Atlantic from the south east of the county thelocal.com

Spanish monsignor arrested as ‘Vatileaks’ scandal strikes again

A Spanish prelate has been arrested for allegedly stealing and leaking classified Vatican documents in the second such scandal to hit the secretive institution in three years.

Monsignor Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, who served on a special commission set up by Pope Francis to advise him on economic reform within the Vatican, was arrested as part of an investigation into the “misappropriation and disclosure of classified documents and information”.

The arrest followed Italian media reports at the weekend that Vatican police were investigating the attempted theft of a laptop belonging to Libero Milone, the head of the city state’s new finance office.

Balda was hauled in for questioning on Saturday along with a second member of the commission, Francesca Chaouquil, after a probe lasting several months, a Vatican statement said.

Both were arrested but Chaouqui was released by

Vatican prosecutor Roberto Zannotti on Monday because she agreed to collaborate with investigators and was not considered a flight risk.

SPAIN’S national electricity board Iberdrola has become the second-largest producer of wind energy in the USA behind Nextera, Inc., with over 10% of the country’s production to its name – nearly 6,000 megaWatts (mW), according to the company’s latest figures.

Iberdrola generates over 50% of its worldwide wind power in the USA, eight years after entering the north American market with its purchase of Energy East and later acquisition of UIL, when it first floated its shares on the US stock market in Wall Street.

Corporate giants such as Facebook, Google and Walmart are increasing their demand more and more for ‘green’ energy, and wind farms in the US create enough power to supply 16.7 million homes.

owned by the John G. Kennedy Charitable Trust, 200 kilometres from Corpus Christi on the Mexican border.

Despite the tough competition – with petrol and fossil-fuel electricity being so cheap, Iberdrola has a difficult task in undercutting traditional forms of power – wind farms have taken off because constant gusts are a fact of life in Texas.

Throughout the day, at least until evening, wind blows persistently across the state from the Gulf of México, meaning Iberdrola’s turbines are able to supply 210,000 homes in Texas alone - double the number it powers in the southernSpanish province of Huelva and close to that of a nuclear power station.

In total, Iberdrola has invested €1.2 billion in Texas, with the first two phases of the Peñascal park built in 2009 and 2010 using Mitsubishi aerogenerators, and the third finished at the end of this summer, operating with Gamesa engines – the most powerful of the two, allowing the turbines to produce a third more energy in the same wind conditions.

The ranch manager, Joe Stiles, says Texas relying on wind energy would have been ‘unthinkable as little as 10 years ago’. thinkspain.com

log on to

WWW.SOLTIMES.COM for offers on

digital cameras

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300

Are you planning to get the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 Digital Camera? Then, check out the offers from top online retailers and compare prices. We also provide expert reviews and detailed product information on the Sony Cybershot DSC-H300. The zoom functionalities of this camera help capture every picture with precision and give you true-to-life picture&hellip

Household Appliances

The Vatican also denounced the expected publication this week of two new books believed to be based on leaks from hackers releasing information regarding the famously murky world of its finances.

And it referred to the last time employees aired the centuries-old institution’s dirty laundry.

In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI’s butler engineered a series of leaks that revealed fierce infighting in the highest echelons of the Catholic Church and allegations of serious fraud in the running of the city state.

“As far as the books announced for the coming days go, it is clear that this time too, just as in the past, they are the fruit of a serious betrayal of the pope’s trust,” the statement said. thelocal.com

Iberdrola is USA’s second largest wind-energy supplier

Iberdrola is present in at least 20 states, and its greatest presence is in Texas – traditionally the country’s largest oil-producer where petrol and other fossil fuels are dirt-cheap, attempting to enter the energy market would seem akin to selling coals to Newcastle, but Iberdrola has helped in turning the southern border state into the country’s greatest wind-energy production base in less than 20 years.

The Peñascal complex is home to 269 Iberdrolaowned wind turbines and sits on part of a ranch

November 2015

Jml UV Ultra You’ll find price comparisons on all the leading vacuum cleaners right here for your convenience.

We regularly compare offers from a wide range of online stores so, if you’re looking for an outstanding deal on the Jml UV Ultra, you’re certain to find great prices here. The Jml UV Ultra is a well-designed vacuum cleaner offering a wide range of&hellip

televisions

Samsung UE40J5100 Compare prices and get more details on current hot-selling LCD TVs from top UK online retailers at our web site. If you want a high-performance LCD TV, go for the Samsung UE40J5100 TV. We provide price comparison for the Samsung UE40J5100 from top online stores. This SMART TV TV features a 40’’ screen size. With its sleek design and great build&hellip

11

www.soltimes.com

New ideas to conquer the season

LOOK GOOD FEEL GREAT Tel: 950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com

Here are my favorite tips for staying physically, mentally, and emotionally isolating for many people. My suggestion is that you and a close friend sign up for healthy during the winter a yoga, cooking, sewing, or scrapbooking class. Not only do these kinds of classes months.

(Vacation not included!) These five simple improve your mental and physical fitness, but they help fill that social craving that suggestions are things we have as human beings, too. anyone can do easily and Eat more plants—the ones that are sources of omega-3 fatty acids. I have nothing inexpensively to stave against fish and fish oil, but plant sources of omega-3s have as much to offer, and off the winter blues and my prediction is that in the future they may be found to be more beneficial than fish sniffles. sources of omega-3. One of the primary omega-3 fatty acids, called alpha-linolenic Raise your vitamin D levels acid (ALA), is found in naturally (without pills or sunlight). We’ve all heard about the marvels of vitamin D: heart health, skin health, many plants and plantimmune health, mental health….But, you don’t need to supplement or risk skin cancer based cooking oils, but to get high vitamin D levels. The big secret is making healthy lifestyle changes. For flaxseed (powder or oil), example, if you lose just 5% or more of your body weight, your vitamin D blood levels chia seed, and walnuts are will shoot up. Other ways to increase vitamin D naturally are to lower your cholesterol, especially good sources exercise, and eat more fatty fish, such as wild salmon (farmed salmon contains only of ALA. Recent research a quarter of the D that wild salmon contains, 250 IU per 3.5 ounces versus 1,000 IU). is suggesting omega-3s Protect your skin! Sunscreen is more important in the winter. There are two types have anti-inflammatory of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun that damage your skin: ultraviolet A (UVA) and effects, protect the skin, ultraviolet B (UVB) light. UVB light penetrates the superficial layers of the skin and causes skin to redden; it’s responsible for sunburn and can also lead to skin cancer and perhaps even have over time. But UVB rays are at least blocked by window glass from the house and car some impact on mental and are less intense in the winter months. UVA light, on the other hand, penetrates health. top and deeper layers of skin, causing cell damage that can lead to cancer. UVA light is http://www.prevention. tough to avoid because it passes through window glass and stays the same strength com/ all year—so keep up your sunscreen routine.

Get a flu shot—if only to be a good citizen. I think we doctors make a big mistake by telling people to get a flu shot because it can protect them from getting the flu. benefits consultancy Most people are less freaked out about getting the flu Do you suffer from mobility problems, than they are about the shot. But when 36,000 people in breathlessness/pain or falls/stumbles? the U.S. die from complications from the flu and 200,000 are hospitalized, doctors should be telling people to get Do you need help washing / dressing or supervision?

Avda del Romero a flu shot because it’s a random act of kindness and a selfless act. I get the flu shot to promote the concept of Local 6, Urb. You could be entitled to extra income by claiming UK “herd immunity,” which means I’m protecting my parents, Montebello, Algorfa sickness / disabililty benefits while living in Spain Open Tuesday - Saturday (incl.) from 9am my kids, their teachers, and librarians, too.

03176 Take a class—with a friend. Winter can be a tough time Late night opening For advice or to book a consultation Near Zoco Market for many of us. All that darkness can take a toll on our call 950 169 729 or 663 297 568 by appointment only AP7 Junc 745 mental health. Plus, humans are social animals that don’t or visit www.ukbenefitsinspain.com do well in isolation, and the winter months can be very

5S

sing Winter Health T ip u r pr i

s

Ross & Vicky

At studio six

Unisex Stylist

Kim Clar k

Over 29 years experience S.R.H “Senior Stylist” City & Guilds of London

Tel: 966 714 970 Mob: 677 897 788

Avda Del mar, 1 bajo,Pueblo Bravo, Ciudad Quesada,

Rojales, 03170 Alicante Open: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 1pm

Toning Tables Drop a Dress Size in 3 months With our 3 Month Health & Fitness Programme 3 Months Unlimited use of Toning Tables 3 Month Vibration Plate & Programme Just €125 i-Joy ride Plus Weekly weigh-ins and measurements taken every 10 sessions

Credit-Cards Accepted - Tel: 966 719 067 - Find us on Facebook thebeautyandwellnesscentre@hotmail.com

thebeautyandwellnesscentre.com

12

November 2015

home & garden

Soft Furnishings & Re-Upholstery

Fabric Flair

• 39 years experience in soft furnishings & re-upholstery • We make completely new FIBRE FILLED INNERS FOR CUSHIONS or RE-PLUMP EXISTING ONES. • FOAM (All densities) superior quality cut to any shape & size • BESPOKE CURTAINS AND BLINDS all made to measure • All types of RE-UPHOLSTERY • EXQUISITELY MADE LOOSE COVERS tailor-made to fit as good as upholstered furniture indoor and out • Hundreds of fabrics to choose from

Opening Hours Mon-Fri 10am to 4:30pm Sat - 10am to 1:30pm All our work is professionally made in our premises in The Interior Centre 1 Calle Portugal Las maromas Pol. Ind Estate. Almoradi 03160 Contact Kim & Rick on: 625 716 063 Email: fabricflair.kb@gmail.com fabricflair.kb@gmail.com

429

CS-PE12RKE

649€ 649

Contact 950 121 936 or email sales@soltimes.com to Advertise in this section Winter time is the correct time to prune those roses in your garden. While there is a great deal of disagreement among rose experts regarding how and when to prune roses, it is generally agreed that most mistakes will grow out very quickly and it is better to make a good effort at pruning roses than to let them grow rampant.

Just remember that first and foremost, the goal of all pruning is to help the plant provide new growth and to keep it healthy by making it possible for air and light to filter into the middle of the bush. As you are guided by these two principles, you will find that pruning roses is fairly common sense and not nearly as complex as you once may have thought.

The following steps will help you properly prune any of the bush or standard roses such as hybrid teas, grandifloras and floribundas: 1. Wait until your roses are dormant In our climate roses rarely go into a full dormancy or completely lose their leaves, but with the exception of ramblers, most roses can be pruned during late winter when growth is just resuming.

2. Clean all debris away from plants Clear away grass and leaves, anything that might harbour insects and diseases.

3. Use sharp tools Use sharp secateurs and, for larger stems, loppers or a pruning saw. Make all cuts clean.

4. Remove dead, old, diseased wood Start by cutting out all dead wood and all canes that are diseased or damaged.

Any canes that are old and striated (showing deep furrows) also need to be removed. Open the bush up by removing all branches that cross through the center.

Cut out very thin canes, and remove any branches that cross or rub together.

Keep the nice green healthy canes, but: Remove dead, old, diseased wood

Creations of Gardens and Re-style Garden Maintenance Construction of Pergolas

TX-35C

649€

Fencing Terraces Gazebos Many Pots and Plants Soils - Compost Abon’s

Jardinería ALCAYNA Next to Countr

, lub yC

E x it 20

Special offer Logs: Oak, Olive, almond, apricot

10€ discount on second ton delivery

Tel: 680 374 230 Email: calidagarden@gmail.com www.jardinerialaalcayna.es

Removals and House Clearances organised

We are THE biggest buyers and sellers of quality used furniture on the Costa Calida We are open Monday - Friday 10am-7pm Saturday 11am-2pm Closed Sunday

Stock Changing daily!!

Ground Floor Lounge & Dining mps, Furniture inc La ures Cushions &Pict

Have a coffee and browse our large furniture store

First FLoor re Bedroom furnitu s, se es tr NEW Mat s Bedding & Pillow

Ctra Cabo De Palos Km1, El Algar, Cartagena, 30366 Telephone: Danny & Kerry 968136501 www.atime4achange.com

13

www.soltimes.com 5. Do not keep green canes on old wood. Remove new canes growing out of an old, striated cane. Keep only new green canes that are growing out of the bud union 6. When removing an entire cane, make the cut as close as you can to the bud union.

7. Remove any suckers. These are long, slender, flexible canes that originate from below the bud union. Trace suckers back to the roots from which they grow and pull them away. If you just cut it off, any

undeveloped growth eyes left at the sucker’s base will just produce more suckers in the future.

8. Final plant height. Moderate prune: Cut back the stems that are left to one third their length, this is considered a moderate prune.

9. Cut to and just above a leaf bud Cut to an outward-facing bud to encourage an open centre. With roses of spreading habit prune some stems to inward-facing buds to encourage more upright growth.

10. Cut surface should be white

HOUSE CLEARANCE BAR CLEARANCE

1 HR COLLECTION CASH WAITING TEL 669 723 709 www.auctionlosmontesinos.com

not brown If it is brown, cut back further until the plant tissue is white and healthy.

11. To finish. Paint all cuts with a sealing compound to protect the plant against diseases and pests.

Painting the cuts takes just a few minutes.

You are done! In the spring when the plants begin to break dormancy, give them some fertilizer to help them get ready to flower.

The Mosquito Screen & Window Co

Serving the Coast and Inland for over 10 Years

Manufacturers & Installers of Insect Screens, Aluminium & UPVC Windows & Doors Tel: 966 716 329 or Spanish Mob: 722 763 055 email: the.mosquito.screen.company@gmail.com

Find us at Moncayo Market on Saturdays & we are pleased to announce we are now at Lemon Tree Market on Sundays

Reforms Architectural Service & Plans Painting Construction & Maintenance Decorating Interior Design Legally registered family business Quality workmanship guaranteed Tiling, Flagging, Electrics, Plumbing, Aluminuim, Swimming pools, teddybearbuilders@yahoo.com Key-holding & Maintenance

680 851 376

616 214 713

alarmas Repair & Install Good, Fast, Low Cost

600 993 667 www.mr-securityallinone.com Lostermansronny@hotmail.com

14

November 2015

Hello and welcome to CanDu Computer would be almost instant, Bytes. This is a subject that we have but do the same thing covered before but it might be worth re- with a 10Gb and the time examining. What provoked this article extended to minutes or was a conversation with a lady about even hours! So this is why they use the permanently deleting all files from a ‘shortcut’ method. computer. I was telling this lady that I Note that this doesn’t apply to solid-state use an industry standard method that drives (SSDs) as they use a housekeeping completely obliterates the data. system called TRIM (all modern SSDs A young man, not part of the conversation, support TRIM). Deleted files are removed joined the conversation with one word - immediately and can’t be recovered.

“Bollocks”, which I thought was a tiny bit Essentially, data can’t be overwritten rude and inappropriate. He claimed to use onto flash cells – to write new data, the a powerful magnet to erase data from a contents of the flash memory must first be used hard drive and suggested the method erased. Your operating system erases files I used wouldn’t work. To add insult he immediately to speed up write performance had no idea that he was talking about in the future – if it didn’t erase the file data ‘degaussing’ which, unfortunately, showed immediately, the flash memory would first his ignorance rather than undermining my have to be erased before being written to authority on this small subject, which I in the future. This would make writing to suspect might have been his intent. an SSD slower over time.

Are you aware that when you delete There are freeware programs that can a file, it isn’t really erased – it continues recover these deleted files quickly and existing on your hard drive, even after safely. My favourite is from a company you empty it from the Recycle Bin. This called Piriform and is called ‘Recuva’ and allows you (and other people) to recover does exactly that! Providing that the files you’ve deleted. If you’re not careful, deleted file has not been partially or totally this will also allow other people to recover overwritten then 100% of the file will be your confidential files, even if you think recovered. But what if, like me, you want you’ve deleted them. This is a particularly to obliterate information? important concern when you’re disposing There are a number of ways, the first is of a computer or hard drive. to use a powerful magnet – downside it What Happens When You Delete a File? that is turns all the digital 0’s into 1’s (or Windows (and other operating systems) vice versa) so you still have access to half keep track of where files are on a hard the data which might be reconstructable. drive through “pointers.” Each file and The next is to use a magnet that creates folder on your hard disk has a pointer that alternating domains by using alternating tells Windows where the file’s data begins current – this scrambles the data making and ends. it irretrievable, by anyone. The downside When you delete a file, Windows is that this degaussing unit isn’t cheap! removes the pointer and marks the sectors So that leaves method 3. This is a simple containing the file’s data as available. From software solution that overwrites the the file system’s point of view, the file is no information a number of time with patterns longer present on your hard drive and the of data (including random ‘rubbish’). It is sectors containing its data are considered so secure a method that both the American free space. and British intelligence services rely on it to However, until Windows actually writes secure sensitive information! To my way of new data over the sectors containing thinking, that is good enough for me! the contents of the file, the file is still Meet me at Olivers Bar in Albox on Friday´s recoverable. A file recovery program can 1200-1600 for free advice concerning your scan a hard drive for these deleted files and computer, or to arrange an appointment, restore them. If the file has been partially or use the Email address or phone number overwritten, the file recovery program can below. only recover part of the data. If we For further information or advice on chose to overwrite computing,contact Trevor on 689 892 745 or this information on canducomputing@hotmail.co.uk a tiny 10Kb file is

‘Bomber’ Harris Arthur Harris was born in 1892; his parents didn’t think him clever enough to go to Eton as his brothers before him; so he had the choice of joining the army or going to the colonies. He chose the latter and went to Rhodesia, successfully trying his hand at gold mining and tobacco farming.

The small matter of the outbreak of WW1 in 1914 was a defining point for Harris and he first joined a Rhodesian regiment. In 1915 he returned to Britain joining the Royal Flying Corps which was then part of the British Army. In his Sopwith Camel he shot down five enemy planes and ended the war a Major. Harris witnessed the futility and slowness of trench warfare and thought that aerial bombing was a more efficient way of killing and destroying.

Harris stayed in the forces after the war; rising to Squadron Leader in the newly formed Royal Air Force. He served in the British Empire’s troubled hotspots; Mesopotamia, Persia, Palestine and the North West Frontier in India where locals had the audacity to defend themselves against their imperial masters. Exciting new devices were used such as delayed action bombs and poison gas.

Some of the top brass resigned in protest at the use of these inhumane weapons but Harris simply stated that ‘the only thing the Arab understands is a heavy hand!’

Stationed in Palestine in1936; Harris suggest-

PREPARING YOUR CAR FOR WINTER

Winter weather in Spain can vary from year to year and snowfall on the south coast is unlikely. However, if your car is parked outside during the worst of the winter months, or you’re planning to visit the interior or venture north, there are some simple steps you can take to prepare your car for winter.

PROTECTING AGAINST ICE AND FROST Lights, heaters and wipers put high demands on the car battery and they have to work harder in colder weather. If your battery is over 5 years old it may be time to shop around for a replacement.

Top up your windscreen wash with a more concentrated mix of antifreeze. Give locks and mechanisms a spray with WD40.

Cleaning and waxing your car will give the bodywork a coat of protection against temperature extremes.

BEING PREPARED Make sure you have a phone charger in the car should you need to call for assistance. In the event you get stranded, there are some items that will make a difference; carry some blankets, a folding shovel, jump leads, tow-bar and tow rope. If colder weather is forecast, make sure you have a full tank of fuel, as you may need to keep the engine running to stay warm until help arrives.

Check your insurance policy covers you for emergency breakdown and recovery. Línea Directa provides for Road Assistance in their car insurance policies. This ensures that you receive immediate assistance by phone 24 hours a day. Our breakdown service will endeavour to get your car back on the road as soon as possible or tow your vehicle to your local repairer of choice in Spain.

ROAD SAFETY During the winter, driving conditions can become challenging.

Winter tyres or cold weather tyres mean shorter stopping distances, reduce aquaplaning and improve handling. If you haven’t changed to winter treads, road safety experts recommend 3mm of tyre depth as a minimum for winter driving.

WINTER DRIVING Breakdowns are more common in winter. The number of breakdowns can increase dramatically during extreme conditions.

For safe trouble-free driving we recommend gentle manoeuvres, as stopping distances are ten times longer in snow and ice. To avoid wheel spin, pull away in second gear, easing your foot gently off the clutch. Maintain a constant speed where possible, if you need to break, then apply them gently and progressively. Leave plenty of room between you and the car in front. If you get stuck, straighten the steering and clear any excess build up of snow from the wheels. You can get additional grip by putting a sack or old rug in front of the driving wheels. Once your car is moving, maintain a constant speed, avoiding rapid acceleration or deceleration and try not to stop until you reach firmer ground.

We hope the information provided in this article is of interest.

If you would like to contact Línea Directa please call 902-123-461 More information on Línea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

Enjoy Stephens musings? Pop over to http://findmeahomeinspain.wordpress.com as the articles are posted on there too...and they’re a bit longer too! Findmeahome are always looking for quality homes for their sales and rental portfolios, please contact Stephen for a valuation: stephen@findmeahome.eu Telephone: 636 266 641

ed that a 500lb bomb dropped on any troublesome villages would satisfactorily solve the problem of any revolting Arabs. He rose through the ranks becoming Air vice Marshall. For a man thought not clever enough by his parents, Harris set up the RAF’s night training programme and wrote a paper on the role RAF would play in event of a major war.

By the start of WW2 Harris was Deputy Chief of Air Staff. Bombing was not yet part of Britain’s war strategy as navigational skills were not up to long flying missions and less than 1 bomb in 10 landed within 5 miles of the intended targets. Things changed in 1942 when Harris became commander in chief of Bomber Command.

Harris had studied German bombing tactics from the Spanish Civil War and correctly reasoned that mass destruction of civilian targets would hasten the end of the war.

A Professor Lindemann thought the same, suggesting to Churchill that ‘area’ or carpet bombing of cities would put a huge strain on enemy resources due to the subsequent repairs needed and also cause a massive drop in morale. Men and machinery would also be diverted from the frontline to defend cities. Thus the term ‘total war’ came into existence and these ideas were

quickly put into use by ‘Bomber’ Harris.

The first ever 1000 bomber raid took place over two nights at the end of May 1942; Cologne was targeted with 1400 tonnes of mostly incendiaries dropped starting 2500 fires and causing massive damage.

18 months previously the Luftwaffe had tried the same in the Blitz of London but with much less effect. Harris also gained another nickname, ‘butcher’ as he used statistics to estimate potential Allied losses. 43 planes were lost and it was deemed a success. A year Hamburg was attacked in the same way, nicknamed the Hiroshima of Germany as 10 square miles of the city was obliterated.

These attacks severely weakened Germany however ‘Bomber’ Harris will also be remembered as the man who destroyed the beautiful medieval city of Dresden in February 1945, in the dying days of the war. Churchill wrote a month later ‘The destruction of Dresden remains a serious query against the conduct of Allied bombing!’

www.soltimes.com

15

16

November 2015

Sisters are doing it for themselves!

It is a well know fact that women outlive men – no secret. Unfortunately men are more reluctant to prepare for life’s final event. So ladies look after your future don’t leave yourself with an extra heartache at a very vulnerable time of your life.

Iberian Funeral Plans offer pre-paid plans which are: VAT (IVA) EXEMPT PAYABLE BY INTEREST FREE INSTALLMENTS GUARANTEED TO HAVE NO INCREASE IN COST NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU MAY LIVE CLEAR AND CONCISE WITH NO HIDDEN EXTRAS Iberian – proud to promote, compassion, honesty and transparency Prices starting from 3390 Euros.

Iberian Funeral Plans is a fully licensed and registered company in Spain, Portugal and the U.K www.iberianfuneralplans.com T: 965 993 498 – 951 203 994 – 952 491 788

17

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT

THE ONLY PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT ON THE COSTAS!!!!

andulucia Prehistory and Ancient History

The revolution of the Neolithic Ages, the discovery of agriculture, the move from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles, all came to Europe from Africa via what is now known as Andalusia.

This axis of influence was completed with the movement from East to West, from the Mediterranean world into the Atlantic, starting with the revolution of metalwork and the arrival by sea of colonising peoples from the East. This convergence of fertile land, metallurgy and mining would produce the Tartessian phenomenon.

This mysterious, long-disappeared civilisation inhabited the south of the Iberian Peninsula from the Bronze Age and constituted Western Europe’s first monarchy. Rome took an interest in this region, realising that it was an open door to the threat from Carthage. Its legions appeared here for the first time in the 3rd century BC. The exuberant province, Roman Betis, would form part of this great civilised world for seven centuries, providing the empire with metals, wine, olive oil, wheat, philosophers and the two first Roman emperors born outside the Italian Peninsula: Trajan and Hadrian. Other peoples were to appear from the North. From the far bank of the Rhine, the Vandals made their way down and arrived in the year 411. They settled in the Guadalquivir Valley and in north Africa, uniting the coasts of southern Europe and northern Africa for fifty years. Before they were forced out by the Visigoths, they would give a new name to this southern end of Europe: Vandalusia.

Islam

From its arrival in the year 711, Islam would constitute a prodigious period for this part of the world. For a long period of time the Cordoba Caliphate was the most sophisticated state in Europe. For eight centuries, the Moors brought new agricultural techniques, botanical and scientific knowledge, poetry and intellectual development.

The Christian monarchs in northern Spain took advantage of its political decay, accelerating the Re-conquest. Cordoba fell in 1236, followed by Seville in 1248. The Kingdom of Granada was the last bastion, conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492. That same year, Columbus set sail from an Andalusian port, Palos in Huelva province, to discover America. The economic and political centre of gravity in the world now shifted.

An Andalusian city was to be the focus of this crucial moment, reaching its maximum splendour for 150 years, becoming the place where “Europe’s heart beat”. Seville was the nerve centre for the Spanish empire; its port received ships loaded with gold and silver from the Americas, which in turn was minted and set out for distribution to other European countries. Later, Cadiz would continue Andalusia’s protagonism in relations with the Americas. Another Andalusian town, Sanlúcar

de Barrameda, came to be both beginning and end of the first round-the-world journey.

19th century

The history of Andalusia in more recent times is linked with a convulsive 19th century, which began with the War of Independence and the passing of the first Spanish Constitution at the Court of Cadiz in 1812. Attempts at modernisation and industrialisation, massive exploitation of mining resources, spectacular increases in exports of wine and olive oil are the most noteworthy factors in an economic situation which resisted change and remained anchored in agriculture.

The 20th century

The 20th century opened with ideas of regeneration and was soon imbued with the optimism of the 1920s. Nevertheless, persistent social instability came to a head in the Civil War of 1936 and all its consequences. After the rapid economic and social transformation of the 1960s and 70s, democracy was established and Andalusia was constituted as an Autonomous Region in 1981, with the “Junta” (Regional Government) as its main governing body and its parliament the supreme representative instrument for a population now standing at around eight million. http://www.andalucia.org/

18

Home Mortgages Up 25.8% in August

Data published by the National Statistics Institute this week reveals that in August this year, a total of 19,272 new mortgages were granted in Spain for the purchase of a home, which represents an increase of 25.8% over the same period in 2014, and is the 15th consecutive month this market has registered a double digit increase.

In addition, this year-on-year increase is four points higher than that recorded in July, when the number of home mortgages rose by 21.8%.

The average value of the home mortgages constituted in August stood at around 104,318 euros, which is 0.6% more than in the same month of 2014, while the

capital loaned for these mortgages increased by 26.5% year-on-year, to over 2,010 million euros.

Month-on-month (August over July), mortgages on homes fell by 11.9%, the smallest decline recorded in a month of August since 2011, while the capital loaned also fell by 11.9%, equal to the decline experienced the previous year.

Thus, El Mundo reported that, in the first eight months of 2015, home mortgages accumulated an increase of 21.8% compared with the same period of 2014, with the capital loaned increasing by 25.6%, and the average mortgage value increasing by 3.2%.

In August, the regions which

registered the greatest numbers of new mortgages constituted on housing were Andalucía (3,722), Madrid (3,450) and Catalonia (2,545), while the regions to register the highest year-on-year increases in home mortgages in August were La Rioja (65.9%), Valencia (58.3%) and Navarra (36.5%). Aragón and the Balearic Islands were the only two regions to record negative annual rates, of -5.2% and -2.1%, respectively.

Moreover, the regions where most capital was loaned for the constitution of home mortgages were Madrid (489.4 million euros), Andalucía (331.4 million) and Catalonia (304.5 million). kyero.com

Urbania Invests 200 Million Euros in Luxury Homes in Marbella The international real estate development company, Urbania, in collaboration with an American investment fund, are investing some 200 million euros in a project which involves the construction of 188 luxury residential units in the Malaga province, in the golf resort urbanisation of Santa Clara, located to the east of Marbella. An area of 100,000 m2 was acquired for the project, which will be completed in four phases, and includes 28 luxury villas and 160 apartments.

The first phase, of which only 30% still remain available, includes 20 exclusive villas, with prices of between 1.5 and 2 million euros. According to the company, the Norwegians are the main buyers of this phase of the development, followed by the Russians and British, while so far only one of the villas has been acquired by a Spanish family.

Idealista.com reported that the second phase, which

November 2015

Returns on Rental Housing Affected by Drop in Summer Prices

Although the levels of profitability vary depending on the product, investing in real estate in Spain still offers rates of return well above those achievable for 10 year Government bonds. However, due to the drop in rental prices over the summer, at a national level, the profitability from investing in rental housing has fallen from 5.3% a year ago, down to 3.6%.

Despite this, profitability of housing in the big cities remains stable.

According to an analysis carried out by property portal, idealista.com, using the sale and rental prices of different real estate products in order to calculate their gross profitability, business premises remains the most profitable real estate investment in Spain.

Buying business premises in Spain to rent offers a gross return of 7.5%, compared with 7% a year ago.

Offices offer a return of 6.8% (compared with 6.4% a year ago) and the return on garages has stabilised at 4.6%.

With regard to rental housing, among the Spanish provincial capitals, Lleida is most profitable, with a gross return of 7.8%, followed by Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (6.4%), Palma de Mallorca (6.3%), Alicante (5.8%) and Huelva (5.6%), while in Barcelona the return is 5.2%, slightly higher than in Madrid (5.1%).

In contrast, the capitals with the lowest profitability in Spain for owners of rental housing are Ourense (3.4%), San Sebastián (3.6%), A Coruña (3.6%) and Lugo (3.8%).

is to be launched exclusively in Oslo, includes 23 family homes with a cost of between 900,000 and 1.3 million euros, while the third phase (with the international launch due to be held in London), will include villas with prices of between 1.4 and 1.7 million euros.

Urbania have highlighted that, although the Costa del Sol and the Balearic Islands are the favourite destinations for tourists of ‘high standing’, other parts of the country are increasingly attracting the interest of international investors, and therefore the company is studying not only new opportunities in the residential sector of the Costa del Sol, but is also looking for viable projects in Madrid and Barcelona. kyero.com

MC PROPERTIES PROPERTIES URGENTLY REQUIRED IN LOS ALCAZARES AND SURROUNDING AREAS TEL: 616 316 324 Email: mcrossleyproperties@outlook.com

detatched cortijo reduced

bargain

In most of the capitals it is business premises which achieve the greatest profitability, with the highest return being obtained in Córdoba (9.6%) and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (8.4%), followed

by Granada (8.2%), Tarragona (8%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (8%). Madrid shows profitability of 7.8%, and Barcelona 7.5%, while the lowest returns were indicated for Castellón (4.6%), Segovia (5.2%) and Salamanca (5.4%).

The rental return on offices are greatest, among the capitals, in Vitoria, with a gross return of 7%, followed by Sevilla (6.8%), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (6.4%), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (6.3%) and Alicante (6.3%). In Barcelona the profitability reaches 5.9%, while in Madrid it is 5.7%. In contrast, the lowest returns obtained for the rental of offices are for A Coruña (4.3%), Oviedo (4.7%) and Santander (4.9%), although the study indicated that data was only available for half the Spanish capitals as the office market is not so uniform as other products.

In many of the capitals garages are the least profitable product for the investor. The highest return obtained for this product was in Castellón (5.3%), followed by Pamplona (5.1%), Palma de Mallorca (4.7%) and Malaga (4.6%), while the capitals with the lowest profitability on garages are Barcelona (2.5%), Salamanca (2.%), and Córdoba (2.7%). In Madrid, the return is 3.2%. kyero.com

VERA APARTMENT FOR RENT SHORT-TERM/HOLIDAY RENTAL

€125,000

20 mins from mojacar, 4 beds, 2 baths, Open plan living areas, kitchen & diningroom as well as a workshop, courtyard front & back & room for a pool. Mountain views.

649 186 107

or email thunderpaul2003@hotmail.com

2 BEDROOM, 2 BATHROOM, pENTHOUSE APARTMENT IN VERA PLAYA ALL MOD CONS, BALCONY & ROOF TERRACE OFFERING FANTASTIC VIEWS

cALL 663 977 230 EMAIL: gedfab@yahoo.com Vera Playa Apartment

19

www.soltimes.com

Almeria Property

Agency

Sales & lettings inmobiliaria tlf: +34 850 993 099 Mob: +34 606 281 865 info@almeriapropertyagency.com

www.almeriapropertyagency.com

Office located next to Cajamar bank in Arboleas village

APA1508

Area: Arboleas

Detached 3 double bed villa with private 8 by 4m pool, 10 mins drive to Arboleas & amenities, located in the hamlet of Los Huevanillas. Build size of 114.25 m2 on a 635 m2 plot with established gardens. A/C, mosquito blinds, 2 baths, 1 lounge/ dining room, fireplace,kitchen inc white goods.

Porch & various patio areas, parking for 4 cars.

Pool area has magnificent mountain views.

Maintained to a very high standard and certainly needs to be viewed to appreciate its qualities.

Price: 139,950€

APA1531

Area: Arboleas

A beautiful 3 bed, 2 bath, property within easy walking distance to Arboleas & La Alfoquia. The property comprises spacious lounge with log burner & glazed conservatory, fully fitted kitchen with door to the garden. 3 double bedrooms; the master with en-suite facilities, & a family bathroom.

A/C in the lounge & master bedroom, ceiling fans & fly screens throughout. Outside is fully walled & gated with established garden, an 8 x 4m2 kidney shaped swimming pool & car port.

Price: 155,000€

APA1443

Area: Arboleas

Superb villa with great mountain views in a desirable location close to amenities. Property comprises of a bright entrance hallway, fully fitted kitchen incl. white goods. Spacious lounge with wood burning fire & dining room area, 2 guestbedrooms both with A/C & built in wardrobes, a large master bedroom with en-suite shower room & a family bathroom. Located within a 15 min walk from Arboleas & all of its amenities.

Price: 168,000€

Properties Urgently wanted

• If you are selling a fully legal property we offer a no sale no fee 3% commission rate with no marketing fees at all.

• Rental villas with pools in the Arboleas area wanted for long term rental.

No 3 Plaza Constitucion, Open Monday- Friday 10am to 5pm Saturdays 10am to 2pm

www.immo-carlos.com email: info@immo-carlos.com Address: La Plaza Nueva, No 10, Albox (Opposite the Donkey Statue)

Office: 950 102 191 • Carlos: 648 505 938 • Gavin: 671 293 942

Arboleas 159,000€

This lovely villa 2 bed, 2 bath is within walking distance of three villages (Zurgena, Alfoquia and Arboleas). The villa has a garage, a beautiful back garden completely paved and landscaped, a private pool (6x3), a separate courtyard area with plenty of shade (very Spanish), a Jacuzzi (with roof and glazing), fully air conditioned, automatic gates with intercom system and all of this with fantastic views!!

Arboleas 159,000€

This lovely villa is on an end plot of a quiet street with great views. The villa (108 sq mtrs) consists of 3 bed, 2 bath, a fully fitted kitchen with separate larder and separate utility room, a good sized lounge with the added extra of a conservatory and a private pool (8x4). The entrance to the plot is with automatic gates and the plot (613 sq mtrs) is completely walled.

We are looking for more properties due to an increase in both British and Belgium clients.

We have lots of customers looking! So please contact us if you want to sell.

20 -

SOL Y MAR

Avenida 28 de Febrero Nº 44, Albox w Ne ting Lis

unique location cantoria sol137 - 108,000€

Delightful 2 bed, semi-detached villa with pool, set in a fenced plot of approx 611m2. In a unique location, not part of an urbanisation, only 4km from Cantoria where all amenities can be found.

w Ne ting s Li

Walking distance Almanzora sM022 - 125,000€

A lovely, detached bright villa in a great location. Well maintained gardens and room for a swimming pool.

Walking distance to the local amenities, must be seen to be appreciated.

November 2015

Tel: 950 064 584 609 199 394

Email: info@solymarspain.com www.solymarspain.com w Ne ting s Li

Immaculate Home near albox sM021 - 169,000€

Detached 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom country villa with 2400m2 of land. Close to Albox and appointed to a high standard.

Beautiful Detached villa near albox sol161 - 169,950€

country cortijo partaloa sol091 - 62,000€

Quality villa (127m2) located just 10 minutes drive from the town of Albox & features 3 bed, 2 bath, private pool & jacuzzi. The walled corner plot is 710m2 & has a carport & garden shed (10m2)

This lovely 3 bed 1 bath attached countryhouse is situated close the beautiful town of Arboleas, and a short drive from the market town of Albox.

w Ne ting s Li

arboleas SM026 - 147,500€

3 bed 2 bath detached house set in immaculate grounds with stunning views. Only 5 mins drive to all the amenities of Arboleas

w Ne ting s i L

idyllic setting taberno sM002 - 139,950€

Traditional restored cortijo in an idyllic setting with fantastic views. Features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and part A/C

w Ne ting s Li

two living quarters Almanzora village sM020 - 200,000€

Charming villa in the heart of the village with swimming pool. Features 2 separate living quarters with 2 bedrooms in each.

w Ne ting s i L

Albox SM025 - 119,950€

Traditional townhouse in prime location walking distance to all amenities to Albox. Features 3 bed, 2 bath, fully enclosed patio & available furnished.

STUNNING SETTING cLOSE TO ALMANZORA sol150 - 119,000€

This is a beautiful 3 bed, 2 bath villa located in a tranquil setting only 3 minutes outside of the lively village of Almanzora.

w Ne ting s i L

country home nr baza SM014 - 140,000€

Part cave country home, stunning setting, 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large plot, partially fenced, stunning views

21

www.soltimes.com

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

Near ALbox sm024 TRADITIONAL ATTACHED SPANISH HOUSE WITH LOTS OF CHARACTER. FEATURES INTERNAL COURTYARD, IDYLLIC SETTING AND 5 BEDROOMS PLUS 3 CAVE ROOMS, 2 BATH & SHORT DRIVE TO ALBOX

119,950€

WE URGENTLY REQUIRE LEGAL PROPERTIES FROM COAST TO COUNTRY WE ARE LOOKING FOR ALL TYPES OF PROPERTIES FOR RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES. CLIENTS WAITING CALL US 950 064 584 immaculate country cortijo sol726 - 89,995€

SOL Y MAR large family home CLOSE TO ALBOX

Beautiful restored mid terrace cortijo. Features 1000m2 of land, private courtyard, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

w Ne ting Lis

stunning 360º views Cantoria sM005 - 109,000€

Detached 2 bedrooms, 2 bathroom villa with 360 degree view of the surrounding valley. Features peller heating system, roof terrace and Jacuzzi.

w Ne ting s i L

superb family home arboleas SM028 - 179,950€

IMMACULATE ATTIC CONVERSION CLOSE TO aLBOX RSM002 - 200€ pcm

IMPRESSIVE DETACHED VILLA

D

TE

W

NO

N RE

D

TE

W

NO

Immaculate 5 bed 2 bath fully fenced family home with pool close to Albox.

Available from 1st December.

Separate one bed fully self contained attic of Spanish cortijo. Fully furnished with many traditional features.

N RE

3 bed, 2 bath country villa with 2500m2 of land. Features swimming pool.

Only 10 mins drive to Albox.

town living cantoria RSM009 - 260€ pcm

COUNTRY SETTING FANTASTIC VIEWS - ORIA MAR620 - 350€ PCM

Traditional 3 bed 1.5 bath Spanish town cottage very clean and tidy walking distance to town, parking nearby.

Traditional cortijo with many original features .Featuring 3 beds, 2 baths, log burner, furnished. Short drive to Oria.

STUNNING DETACHED VILLA CLOSE TO ALBOX

W

NO Beautifully maintained 3 bed, 2 bath detached extended house and garden. Short drive to town.

RENTAL SECTION

IMACULATE CASITA

ED

R

T EN

Stunning 3 bed, 2 bath villa.

Close to Albox.

W NO

close to albox RSM010 - 350€ PCM

ED

R

T EN

Fully furnished 2 bed, 1 bath casita available for 6 month rental.

Close to Albox.

Traditional 2 bed Cortijo in the lovely village of Limaria, close to Albox. Fully furnished & walking distance to local bar

22

November 2015

Focusing on smaller area to give our clients a better service.

Voss Homes would like to thank our property owners and buyers for their loyalty and support.

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK - €139,950 VH846 - Villa Michel

An absolute WOW 2 bed, 2 bath quality villa with 7m x 3m teardrop shaped pool and huge fly free enclosure covering the pool & terrace on a 610m2 private plot with country views. Walking distance to amenities and 8 mins drive to Huercal-Overa.

For more information and to arrange a viewing contact us asap.

Please call 0034 950 616 827 / 0034 678 002 006 / 0034 667 891 741 or email: info@vosshomesspain.com

www.vosshomesspain.com

Office: 155a Carrerera Estacion, Huecal-Overa. 1km off the A7 motorway at exit 553. 100metres from Lidl.

property group

Opening hours.

Monday to Friday: 10am-6pm, Saturday: 10am-2pm Paseo del Mediterraneo 197 - Mojacar - Almeria Tel: 950 472 430 / 610 053 563 www.veritashomes.co.uk • info@veritashomes.co.uk

VILLA WITH STUNNING VIEWS IN SIERRA CABRERA

285,000€

This is a detached villa with 3 bedrooms and 2.1/2 bathrooms. It has a private swimming pool and lots of terracing with stunning panoramic views of the Sierra Cabrera mountains and Cortijo Grande golf course. The property is in excellent order throughout.

Internally the property has a good feeling of space. The villa is split into two areas. The main living area comprises of a living room with fireplace, a dining room and a kitchen with patio and store room. The living room then leads to the master bedroom with an en suite bathroom, a terrace and private swimming pool with panoramic views. The other area is made up of a building on two levels with a bedroom and an en suite bathroom downstairs and upstairs a double bedroom with a WC. Both bedrooms in the annexe building have their own independent access through an

internal courtyard.

The villa has a total built area of 154.95m2 and is built on a freehold plot measuring 1,000m2.

The property also offers a lock up garage. This is a very good opportunity for those looking to buy a villa in this prestigious Moorish village at a very reasonable price.

For more information or to book a viewing appointment please visit our office or contact us via phone or e-mail. Ref: 1651

23

www.soltimes.com

Seasoned travelers and newbie tourists all seek unique places to go on vacation.

They’d rather stay away from the familiar routes and tourist traps. Today’s smart traveler prefers unusual experiences, great international cuisines, regional art and culture and getting to know the local traditions, customs and people.

Let’s take a look at some of the top places to go on vacation in 2015.

Trending at Number 5 this year is Taipei, Taiwan.

If you love the exotic East plus the best of the West, then this is certainly the city for you. A great mix of Chinese, Japanese and Western influences, the capital of Taiwan has a tropical climate, cosmopolitan population, great street-food, exciting nightlife, bustling night and day markets, inexpensive souvenirs and local handicrafts, interesting sightseeing and easy pace of life.

Best time: All the year round, but watch out for typhoons in summer.

Cost: Low-cost flights, Hotels from $20-500, Transport- local and public.

Security: Safe with normal precautions.

At Number 4, are the Faroe Islands, Denmark. These eighteen gorgeous little islands situated between Iceland and Norway are blessed with stunning scenery, incredible landscapes and turn beautifully green during the short summer season. The best time to go is between May-September. Distinctive cuisine with wild seabirds, dried meats and seafood, adventure sports, fishing, music and the world’s smallest capital – Torshavn – all

make this a memorable vacation.

Best time: Mid-summer to catch the 24-hour sun.

Cost: Low-cost flights, Hotels from $40-400, Transport- local and public.

Security: Very safe with normal precautions.

At Number 3 Milan is slated to be one of the most popular holiday destinations in 2015. this ancient yet utterly contemporary city is one of the most interesting and exciting places to go on vacation this year. With Expo 2015 scheduled for May-October, the fashion capital of the world is all set to welcome the big names of international haute couture. Amazing sightseeing includes the magnificent 5th century Gothic cathedral, La Scala opera house, Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper at the convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie and lots of museums. Delicious Lombardy cuisine, wines and desserts, hep and happening bars and discos and auto/ fashion galleries make Milan a great spot for a family vacation.

Best time: April-May, September-October.

Cost: Hotels: budget-luxury, b&b, dorms, home-stays.

MilanoCard gives free transportation/museum entry/

restaurant discounts.

Security: Safe with normal precautions. Beware of pickpockets and scams.

At Number 2 is Nicaragua. This Central American tropical paradise is completely unspoiled and unique.

Eco-tourism, agri-tourism, scenic beaches, adventure sports, history and culture, yummy Spanish cuisine and wines, traditional arts, crafts and music and night-life make this a must-do vacation in 2015. There’s something for everyone here – Natural wonders, luxury spas and hotels, charming colonial architecture, rain-forest/ volcano/canopy tours, tree-house accommodation, artisan markets, museums, galleries and restaurants all make this a great place to go on vacation in 2015.

Best time: December-April.

Cost: Hotels: Budget-luxury.

Security: Safe with normal precautions. Avoid local politics.

This year’s hottest place to go on vacation is Lithuania.

Trending at Number 1 is this Baltic State has just become a member of the European Union in January 2015. Known in the travel industry as one of the best-kept tourist secrets, this matchless, effervescent, scenic and charming treasure-trove of a city definitely has all the makings of an unforgettable vacation. Incredible scenery, magnificent baroque towns, stunning architecture, rare ecosystems and national parks, pilgrimage sites, the fabulous old capital Vilnius with its ancient castles, artists’ enclaves and secretive alleyways, art galleries

and culture tours offers plenty of things for your entertainment. Lithuania’s legendary street side coffeehouses, wine-bars and Latino/European music bars and discos will get you dancing your nights away. Don’t forget to shop for the exquisite local linen fabric and apparel, fun and funky fashion for youngsters, amber and gold jewelry, local embroidery and tapestry and colorful wedding sashes. For nature lovers, the lush pine forests dotted with sparkling lakes are a treat indeed.

Inhabited by hundreds of species of migratory birds, rare

local flora and fauna, Lithuania’s wetlands and marshes are a remarkable feature. The Baltic coastline, with its stark, white sand-dune beaches was a favorite with writer Thomas Mann.

Best time: May-September.

Cost: Hotels: Budget-luxury.

Security: Safe with normal precautions.

So get your calendar out and start planning your 2015

http://infontips.com/

Top 5 Places to Go on Vacation in 2015

24

November 2015

Hertz Completes Sale Of France And Spain Businesses Of Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation

FOR BUSINESS

Paul

The Plumber

Call Paul for a FREE no General Plumbing Obligation Quote on:

Bathrooms Kitchens Water Heaters Tiling

634 326 804 Find us on

Facebook

/paultheplumber

Email: paultheplumber@hotmail.co.uk

COAST 2 COAST

REMOVALS Over 25 years experience Regular trips SPAIN-UK-SPAIN

Call NOW for a 617 500 876 competitive quote 0044 7722 77 9062 Pets also carried - Fully Insured

coast2coasttransport@hotmail.com www.coast2coastremovals.com

G.T.AUTOS LOS DOLSES S.L

THE ONE STOP CAR CENTRE

WANTED

BEST PRICES PAID CARS FOR CASH

Call Spencer on 637 090 665 MECHANIC WORKSHOP PHONE JAMES on 672 532 758

Hertz Global Holdings (NYSE: HTZ) has announced that it has completed the sale of the France and Spain businesses of Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation (HERC) to the LOXAM Group (LOXAM) through the transfer of the entire share capital of Hertz Equipement France SAS and Hertz Alquiler de Maquinaria, SLU. The transaction includes 60 locations in France and two in Spain.

HERC is a leading North American equipment rental company with operations in the Middle East and China along with a presence in eight other countries through franchise partnerships. The business remains on course with plans to separate from Hertz Global Holdings and become an independent company by mid-2016.

LOXAM is the leading equipment rental company in Europe, with over 4,500 employees and 623 locations across fourteen countries. The transaction increases its market share in the Paris area, the North and West of France as well as reinforces its Spanish network, strengthening thereby

LOXAM's positioning as a premier player in the European rental industry.

"This transaction will enable HERC to focus on core and specialty market expansion and investments that support our growth strategy, both in the short term and for our future as a standalone company," said Larry H. Silber, President and Chief Executive Officer, HERC. "We will continue to evaluate opportunities to increase our global footprint in emerging and growth markets, with an emphasis on franchises and joint ventures, as well as selective development of companyowned branches."

Gerard Deprez, Chairman of LOXAM, declared: "I am pleased to announce this acquisition. This transaction allows LOXAM to strengthen its nationwide leadership

NICK THE TILER

in France, where HERC is one of the leaders in construction equipment rental, and to reinforce its specialty activities. HERC Spain will bolster LOXAM's current presence and allow LOXAM to grow in power equipment rental. I am also glad to welcome HERC's France and Spain experienced teams into the LOXAM Group.

Together we will join forces to provide our customers with the best possible service."

Sycomore Corporate Finance and Linklaters acted, respectively, as exclusive financial and legal advisors to Hertz. LOXAM was advised by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. http://www.prnewswire.com/

Call Nick for all your tiling & laminate floor requirements.

Tel.. 605 305 405

We will move it!!

Pets, boats, caravans, trailers Full and part loads. Full roof-rack for long loads 3 long wheel-based vans/twice per month Travelling to South/North UK Based in Mar Menor, Murcia

Spain-UK-Spain Tel: (0044) 7783 222 251 / (0034) 634 360 846

Email: wewillmoveit@hotmail.co.uk

DAVID THE PLUMBER Prompt and reliable service, no job too small.

Full bathrooms or just makeovers and handyman service.

24 hour call out Boilers: 80 litre fully installed from 160€

Call David on 634 286 590

UK - SPAIN - UK

From A Parcel To A Small House Move • Professional • Friendly & Caring • Fully Insured • Scheduled Monthly Door To Door Service • Removal Van allsortedcs@hotmail.com http://fmtransport.myfreesites.net +34 617 319 651 +44 (0)7977 754389 Skype +44 115 888 2106

NEW BUSINESS? 2 WAYS TO ADVERTISE RING 950 121 936 OR EMAIL YOUR ADVERT TO blancasales@soltimes.com

John MacDonald (El Sordo) www.caratacus.eu

www.soltimes.com

Manuela

Living in Alqueria is one those women who shine a little brighter, walk with a little more poise and are more charming than their contemporaries.

Manuela is one such person, aloof yet charming, distant yet desirable. Manuela has an arsenal of weapons which she uses with great effect on the opposite sex, she deploys them without mercy to get what she wants. Men are exploited, used and left gibbering wrecks after her ministrations.

The women of Alqueria despise her but unknown to them they have a lot to thank her for. Alquerian men are renown for the attention they show their womenfolk, the womenfolk are in return happy and contented. It is Manuela who inflames the passion of the men, who builds up in them a force as half as old as time itself and is unleashed on respective wives and girlfriends. It is they who are the recipients of all the built up tension and frustration caused by the raven hair and swinging hips of Manuela.

Although the women of Alqueria curse Manuela publicly they secretly envied her, most knew they couldn’t compete and satisfied themselves by exaggerating her minor misdemeanour and inventing new ones. The new owner of the Bar La Casa Devante, one Joseph Grogaloto known affectionately as ‘Pepe Botella’ due to his fondness for the products he retails hired Manuela as a barmaid. It is rumoured he pays over the odds for her services

viewpoint

as he consider her a vital asset to the business.

Certainly it was a shrewd move to supply a uniform consisting of a satin skirt and tight blouse. This outfit coupled with Manuela’s undoubted charm and beauty filled Pepe’s place every night. The provocative affect of her ample frame manoeuvring through the crowded bar was intoxicating to the vast majority of the male customers and several of the more adventurous female customers as well. With all of them in such a state of bewilderment is was an easy matter for Manuela to offload the more dubious wine on her besotted admirers. The ‘look but don’t touch’ rule applied in general but she would sometimes engineer a fleeting contact with the more private male regions in order to maintain interest and boost wine sales.

Although Manuela is a desirable woman and certainly worth and second and even a third look she is somewhat of an enigma, so arrived unexpectedly from parts unknown and doesn’t seem to have any relatives.

She can certainly hold her own when necessary and once threatened to hollow out a Guardia Civil officer with a soup spoon after a lively debate over the bill in a Madrid restaurant.

Strictly 2015 Week 6

haloween Spectacular sets and costumes were the order of the day for this weeks Strictly and Halloween.

I love these themed weeks but my only criticism is that because of the characters needed to play some of these roles they are no always conducive to the dance being portrayed and I found that several times this week I was disappointed with the dance performed by some of the celebrities.

Opening the show this week were Katie Derham and Anton with a Paso Doble to Phantom. Katie was improved from last week but her Paso was very ploddy because there was no drive behind her walks and she also lacked power through her lines due to a lack of high hip essential to portray this dance. Much I have to leave with her partner Anton who although superb at Ballroom leaves much to be desired in the Latin field and again I felt he let Katie down. I gave her 5 and the judges 21. Kirstie Gallacher and Brendan were next to perform a Charleston to a Bad Romance. A shocking piece of music that didn’t even resemble Charleston music. Unfortunately Kirstie’s performance was littered with errors and looked very heavy in her legs. Not her dance. I gave her 4 and the judges 17. Jeremy Vine and Karen then danced a Salsa to Thriller. This was a typical point that Thriller is not music for a Salsa as a result even though Jeremy did his best to perform the characterisation of Thriller his Salsa was virtually non existent and when danced was of a very poor standard. I awarded him 4 and the judges 22. Anita Rani and Gleb then performed

As I Was Saying…

… it’s not money that makes the world go round, it’s people. And if Shannon, Marion and the lady pupil in her painting class were not proof positive of this, then I have more to add.

Henry, the car – who prefers to be known by his full name of Henry Zacharia Smith until he has been properly introduced, was not happy. He likes things to be just so, and if they are not he will voice his displeasure with an insistent bleeping, or a mysterious illuminated dashboard symbol. He likes us to know when reverse is engaged, when the handbrake is on, and even if there are only two of us in him, he will still point out that the back seat seatbelts are not fastened. Should anyone within his area of responsibility attempt to leave their seatbelts off, he will go from petulant to demanding with an escalation of bleep both in frequency and volume.

However, if you are deaf enough to ignore his high decibel warning, he will eventually give up, contenting himself with pointing out that if you die as a result of not buckling up your seatbelt, then it is your concern and not his, just don’t get any blood on his seats.

On the day in question Henry was displaying a message on his own personal digital display board. It said – complete with an ! that the tyres needed checking. He didn’t add Or Else, but the exclamation mark did that for him.

Mora Oil is our nearest point of solace, so we took him there forthwith. However, the forecourt

a Waltz themed to Maleficent. This was superbly chreographed was smooth and flowing during the Waltz sections but in between again because of the character Maleficent was too staccatto and detracted from an otherwise beautiful waltz. I felt the judges were extremely harsh on Anita as I still feel she will be in the hunt in later weeks, giving her 29, I gave her 8.

Jamelia and Tristan with their Timewarp Jive were next to dance. Oh Dear! Flat footed, legs apart on all closing steps, heavy lumpy with kicks that didn’t retract at all - time to go Jamelia. I gave her 3 and the judges a very generous 26. An American Smooth was then performed by Jay McGuinness and Aliona dressed as Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. Jay is still a very strong contender but for the past 2 or 3 weeks I have found him minus key features of his dance. Even though his footwork was excellent, frame, lines superb, his actual Foxtrot contained too much rise and fall instead of the essential slide and glide action. I can only put this down to Aliona who may not quite be getting through to him? or not telling him? Let’s hope this is ironed out soon. I awarded him 8 and the judges 34. Following were Kellie Bright and Kevin with a Paso Doble with a Harry Potter theme to Schools Out. Music far too fast for the portrayal of this dance but Kellie coped very well despite being up and down on benches and tables within the performance. I gave her 8 and the judges 28.

Carol Kirkwood and Pasha then danced a Rumba to I think I love you as Frankenstein and his bride. Urgh! This was atrocious! Music more like a slow Cha Cha Cha didn’t help but Carol showed not one iota of Rumba characterisation.

No hips, no straightening of the legs, heel leads used throughout. She was as sensual as a brick wall! Sorry Carol you are also in my bottom 2 with a 2 and the judges bottom slot with 13. We were then treated to the delights of Georgia May Foote and Giovanni with a Tango to Ghostbusters.

Again music way too fast for the dance but there was some superb choreography contained in this performance. Georgia was glued tight to her partner throughout the dance and was sharp and

25

By Jos Biggs

josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk was playing host to a dozen or so bikes.

The air line was hidden behind a neatly parked row of bikes; not any old bikes, but the sort that purr like a giant tiger, that proceed alone the King’s Highway with dignity, and that are joy to the eye.

Pete, who is not as nimble as he used to be, endeavoured to reach the air line through the line of bikes.

However, his precarious progress was observed by the bikers, who without bid or hesitation sprang into action.

They fetched the air line, checked and corrected the tyres, conversed pleasantly, and in a trice we were on our way, again in Henry’s good books.

I have no idea who these gentlemen were – everybody looks pretty much the same when hidden by a helmet, and all that is visible is a pair of eyes – but thank you, gentlemen!

staccatto with great lines. I gave her my top score this week of 9 with judges also top on 35. Peter Andre and Janette followed with a Foxtrot again music marring the dance. Peter still needs to attend to some aspects of his frame with his left arm and shoulders but he always tries to get into the character of the dance although there was too much staccatto action used for this one. I awarded him 7 and the judges 28. Closing this weeks show were Helen George and Aljaz with a Samba dressed as mummies. Great characterisation here moving from the stiff mummy poses to the vibrant Samba action. Helen has beautiful legs and feet and showed this throughout, my only criticism is that the ripple from the legs and hips didn’t get through to her upper body which was a little stiff. I also gave her a 9 with the judges 34.

In the bottom two this week were Jamelia and Kirstie with Kirstie leaving the show after the dance off and the judges unanimous decision.

Have you picked this years winner yet? I think there are a few front runners and also a couple coming up on the wings and I have to say at the moment there could be several winners. Who will be prepared to put in the extra hours to keep ahead of the competition? Tune in next week but in the meantime come and join us at one of our classes to join in the strictly gossip, until then Keep Dancing!

puzzle pages

26

Novemeber 2015

To advertise in this space Contact our sales advisors on 950 121 936 or email: sales@soltimes.com

IDENTIFY THEse FAMOUS trophies

sol picture quiz!

Answers

1

3

soltimes Quiz

wordsearch

off the coast of which country?...............

Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid.

The remaining 22 letters spell a common Real Estate phrase

1. The Whitsunday Islands are located

REAL ESTATE

2. Which artist’s studio was known as

2. Goleo, Spheriks, Ciao, Naranjito and Tip & Tap were all examples of what?...............................................

the factory?............................................

3. Which national team introduced ‘Total Football’ at the 1974 FIFA World Cup in Germany?....................

3. The iPhone was launched by which company?..............................................

4. Which Dutch footballer earned the nickname ‘Llama’ after spitting on the West German striker Rudi Völler during a 1990 FIFA World Cup game?..............................................

4. What is the lightest of all the elements and has the atomic number 1?.

5. Which note does an orchestra tune to

5. Which Cameroonian footballer is the only African to have played in four FIFA World Cups? a. Nwankwo Kanu , b. Roger Milla, c. Aaron Mokoena, d. Rigobert Song..............

?............................................................

6. In the world of weaponry, what do the initials ICBM stand for?..........................

6. Which kind of ball follows the US President everywhere he goes?.......

7. Which Italian city is home of the car

7. In 2011, a Formula 1 race will be/ was held in which country for the first time?a. India, b. Mexico, c.

Ireland, d. Japan...............................

8. What is North America’s highest

from which musical?..............................

Answers

CRYPTIC crossword

6. Inter-continental Ballistic Missile 7. Turin 8. Mount McKinley 9. Hunter Thompson 10. Sweet Charity

CROSSWORD

1. Australia (Queensland) 2. Andy Warhol 3. Apple 4. Hydrogen 5. A

SOLUTIONS

wordsearch answer

standard SUDOKU

10. The song The Rhythm Of Life comes

easy SUDOKU

Loathing In Las Vegas’?..........................

DEPRECIATION DUPLEX EXTERIOR FLIPPING FOR SALE HOUSE INSPECTOR INSURANCE INTERIOR LAND LAWYER LENDER LIEN LOAN LOFT MARKET VALUE

OFFER PAYMENT PLOT PROPERTY REALTOR SELL SKYSCRAPER SOLD SQUARE FOOTAGE TAXES TIMESHARE TOUR TRIPLEX VACANCY VALUATION ZONE

MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE

9. Who wrote the novel Fear And

AGENT AMORTIZATION APPRAISAL ASSESSMENT ASSET BUILDING BUNGALOW BUYING CLOSER COLLATERAL CONDEMNED CONDO CONTRACT CREDITOR DEED DEPOSIT

8. Which male tennis player lost a record 4 US Open singles finals in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1981?.............

9. Which three lefties have won the most Grand Slam singles titles in mens tennis?....................................

10. The fastest serve in mens tennis (155 mph or 249.5 km/h) belongs to which man?.....................................

Answers

squiggle SUDOKU

manufacturer Fiat?................................. mountain?.............................................

soltimes sport Quiz

1. Who was the only heavyweight champion to finish his boxing career with a perfect record? (49 wins-0 defeats)...........................................

7. a. India (Jaypee Group Circuit) 8. Bjorn Borg 9. Rod Laver (11), Jimmy Connors (8), Raphael Nadal (8).

10. Samuel Groth (He hit a 163.4 mph (263 km/h) serve at the 2012 Busan Open Challenger Tennis)

4

2

1. Rocky Marciano 2. Football World Cup mascots 3. Holland 4. Frank Rijkaard 5. d. Rigobert Song 6. ‘The Football’ or ‘The Nuclear Football’. (a black briefcase containing the nuclear launch codes)

1 Bundesliga Trophy (Meisterschale) 2 America’s Cup 3 Coup Jules Rimet 4 Vince Lombardy Trophy

on this day 5th november

1605 – Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes is arrested.

1688 – William III of England lands with a Dutch fleet at Brixham, Southwest England.

1757 – Seven Years’ War: Frederick the Great defeats the allied armies of France and the Holy Roman Empire at the Battle of Rossbach.

1862 – American Civil War: Abraham Lincoln removes George B. McClellan as commander of the Union Army for the second and final time.

1914 – World War I: France and the British Empire declare war on the Ottoman Empire.

2009 - U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan murders 13 and wounds 32 at Fort Hood, Texas in the deadliest mass shooting at a U.S. military installation.

www.soltimes.com

puzzle pages

27

UK Motorhomes Wanted

Contact Karl on 0044 7976 662395

email: carlskitt@live.com

across

STANDARD CROSSWORD

8 Present (at a show) (4) 9 Socialized (10) 10 One who searches (6) 11 Happy (8) 12 Protagonist (4) 13 Opportune (10) 17 Riffraff (4) 18 Sword (5) 19 Mud (4) 20 Explorer (10) 22 Male offspring (4) 23 Fortify (8) 27 Type of insect (6) 28 Relating to schools (10) 29 Turquoise (4)

Down

1 Cited (10) 2 A place to do work (8) 3 Contempt (10) 4 Relating to the ear (4) 5 A Great Lake (4) 6 Dross (6) 7 List of choices (4) 14 Communion table (5) 15 An event (10) 16 Lacking moral discipline (10) 19 Abuse (8) 21 Captivate (6) 24 Ceremonial staff (4) 25 Orange pekoe and Earl Grey (4) 26 Consumes food (4)

SUDOKU PUZZLES

easy

squiggle

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 What’s in the newspapers - and might the tabloids be interested in them too? (7,7) 9 Cook because engulfed by decay (5) 10 Train in true English fashion (7) 11 Up and down - not well - in Hospital Yard (5) 12 Saw a key insides up (5) 13 Graze end of knee after fight (6) 15 Look at Eddie hiding girl! (4) 17 New flame with vessel, and French place to get second-hand goods (4,6) 20 Church or perhaps sister singers (10) 22 Reckless king has moved (4) 26 A mob without bishop is fit for ploughing! (6) 27 Be of use to a cover, we hear (5) 28 Don’t stop talking for country? (5) 29 Bowler or Top, perhaps (7) 30 A district prize (5) 31 European football team losing an injury finally taking time to cover stopping and starting (14) Down

1 Fish vessel where vehicles are left (3,4) 2 Study suitable change again (7) 3 Book part of “Best Hero” range (6) 4 Cable left to break most of the cover (10) 5 Turn into cook rage! (4) 6 Dictator with gold to make sweetheart repeatedly missing (8) 7 Plunder country (not Italy) with fire (7) 8 Feel bitter about Mid-West, shown in tear (6) 14 Vessel to ban perhaps, when pointer is seen inside (6,4) 16 A quiet tree? (3) 18 Printing units in Harlem suburb (3) 19 6 once took the French aggression (8) 20 Rough track, say (6) 21 Enthusiastic reception from Ivan - too bad! (7) 23 A crazy, backwards insect is unyielding (7) 24 Advert I look up in outskirts of 11 with time off (7) 25 Cope with a new game that’s complicated (6) 28 Good king before 1999 is unpleasant (4)

famous birthdays on this day

standard

1650 – William III of England 1916 – Walter Cronkite 1923 – Freddy Heineken 1953 – Jacques

Villeneuve 1974 – Louise Redknapp 1981 – Guy Martin

soltimes famous quote

28

November 2015

FOOD & ENTERTAINING...

Pick Your Pastry

Sweet pastry - Used for desserts and treats Resting is key! Never roll out freshly made pastry because it will shrink when it’s baked. Ideally refrigerate it overnight, or at least for a few hours. Once the tart tin is lined, place it in the freezer for another hour and blind bake from frozen.

Don’t over-work it or else it may become thick and crumbly.

Always roll the pastry away from yourself on a lightly floured surface, and always keep it moving.

Always make three or four times the amount you need because it freezes well and can be saved for a rainy day.

Sweet pastry is perfect for experimenting. Try adding different flavours such as cinnamon, lemon zest, vanilla, orange zest, poppy seeds to complement the tart’s filling.

Puff pastry- Light and fluffy, ideal for toppings and pot pies Work in a cool environment to stop the butter melting & merging with the pastry.

The initial dough should be rough in look. Don’t overwork or it will become elastic and make rolling out very difficult.

Rest the dough for 60 mins in the fridge before making the turns.

Keep track of the number of turns you give the pastry by making a small indentation in the top of the dough.

Cook at a high temperature – at least 200°C/400°F for maximum lift.

As it is such an undertaking, you should definitely make loads of it.

It freezes very well and will save you having to do it again for a while!

Rough puff Rough puff is pretty much a cheat’s puff pastry. It is the same recipe but you incorporate all the ingredients together – including the butter – to form rough dough. You then give the dough the turns as you would puff pastry. The result is a light flaky pastry with uneven layers. You get about 60% the lift you would do with real puff, but it’s easier and can be knocked up in much less time.

Pie crust- Sweet or savory, the classic pie pastry Rough puff makes a great pie case but everyone needs a winning piecrust recipe too. Piecrust is very simple to make and only takes about 20 minutes.

My favourite combination is half butter and half lard. You can add some grated cheese to the pastry for extra indulgence too – just substitute some of the fat for cheese if doing this.

Grating the frozen fat into the flour will reduce the amount of time you have to work the pastry & give you a flakier, crumblier crust.

Only work to form a rough dough – having some chunks of butter still visible is a good thing!

Filo pastry Filo pastry is a really tricky thing to make in a commercial kitchen, let alone at home. The quality of ready-made products is such that I don’t know anyone who makes this on a regular basis.

You’re best off buying it ready-made – just check the ingredients list to make sure it’s free of any additives.

Sweet or savory?

What is the difference between a pie & a pudding? Does it matter that I picked up the wrong pastry? Could I possibly dare to make pie from scratch?

With recipes from BBC Good Food & tips from Jamie Oliver, we have the answers!

Ingredients For the pastry 250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling, 140g cold unsalted butter, roughly cubed, 1 large egg

Steak & Kidney Pie

yolk, 1 small egg whisked with 1 tbsp milk, for the egg wash For the filling 1 ox kidney, about 400g/14oz, get it fresh from your butcher. (Pig's and lamb's kidneys aren't suitable as they only need short cooking), 1kg trimmed British top rump beef, 250g flat mushrooms, unpeeled but wiped with a damp cloth, 3 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil, 100g unsalted butter, 1 large onion, peeled & thickly chopped, 50-85g plain flour, depending on how thick you like your gravy, 600ml off-the-boil water, 1 tbsp Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder, 1 large bay leaf

It's important to cook the meat a day ahead, so that you can discard any fat that has risen to the top, and so that the pastry doesn't slump in the face of a too-warm filling, so up to 48 hours ahead -make the pastry. Whizz the flour and a pinch of fine sea salt together for a few seconds in a food processor, then add the butter and whizz until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

Whisk together the egg yolk and 3 tbsp water and whizz with the pastry until it collects in a ball. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.

Cut button-mushroom-sized lobes of kidney from the white central core (discarding). Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and cut the mushrooms into chunks. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. Throw in the kidney and fry until lightly coloured. Tip into a colander to drain.

Wipe out the frying pan and return it to a low-medium heat, adding 25g/1oz of the butter and 1 tbsp oil. Tip in the onion and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly golden. Transfer to a large casserole, using a slotted spoon.

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C. Tip the 85g/3oz flour into a large plastic bag, and season it generously. Throw in the beef and shake until lightly floured.Return the frying pan to a mediumhigh heat, adding a little more oil and butter if needed.

Shake off any excess flour (reserving it) then fry the beef in batches until golden-brown. As each batch is done, transfer it to the casserole.

Adding more oil and butter to the frying pan if necessary, fry the mushrooms for about 2 minutes until starting to wilt, then add them to the casserole with the drained kidneys, hot water,

Indian Potato Pie

Read more at http://www.jamieoliver.com

The Proof Is In The Pudding: Making A Pie A Pudding

Simply put, a pie is made using a short crust pastry & oven baked, A pudding is surrounded by a suet pastry and then steamed. Adapting a pie recipe to a pudding, or vice versa requires only minimal effort as fillings tend to stay the same (ensure all meat is cooked through).

Butter your pudding basin. Roll the suet pastry out to about 1cm thick and use to line the sides of the basin. Trim so that there’s a little overhang. Re-roll what’s left and cut out a lid that’s about 1cm wider than the top of the basin. Put the filling in the basin, be careful not to overfill. You might not need all the juices.

Place the lid on top and crimp the edges together to seal. Make a double layer of buttered foil and baking paper, and pleat it in the centre. Scrunch this over the pudding, foil-side up, then tie with string under the rim of the basin. Trim to about 2cm under the string, then put into a steamer or sit on a saucer in a large pan containing enough gently simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl.

Steam the pudding for 4 hrs. Unwrap and turn out onto a big plate.

Serves 6

Serves 6

bouillon powder and bay leaf, plus the excess flour in the bag if you like a thick gravy. Stir well, cover and cook in the oven for 75-90 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick.

Cool thoroughly, then put in the fridge (preferably overnight) so any fat will solidify – it can then be skimmed off and discarded.

In the morning - return the pastry to cool room temperature, then roll it out thinly on a wellfloured surface. Invert a 28-30x23cm, 6.5cm deep pie dish on to the pastry. Mentally add an extra 1cm all round, then use the dish as a guide to cut out the pastry lid.

From the remnants, cut out enough 6cm-wide strips of pastry to go round the dish – they should cover the flat rim and about halfway down the insides.

Lightly butter the rim of the dish and line it with the strip(s) of pastry, sealing any joins with a little dab of water. Butter the shoulders of a pie raiser or an upturned egg cup and stand it in the middle. Spoon in the meat mixture to come level with the top of the dish. Don’t overfill: reserve any excess gravy to serve hot with the pie.

Brush the pastry rim with a little water, then drape the pastry lid over it, pinching the edges to seal. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge if not baking immediately.

Finally, an hour before serving - preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/ fan 180C. Make four slashes in the lid of the pie, then brush with the egg wash. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, turning the heat down 10-20º after about 20 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and leave it to rest for around 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Ingredients ( Suitable for Vegetarians) 700g potatoes, sliced & 400g sweet potatoes, sliced 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 red chilli, finely chopped 1 thumb-size piece ginger, grated 1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and garam masala pinch dried chilli flakes 200g frozen peas juice 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve small bunch coriander, chopped 25g butter, melted 275g pack filo pastry ½ tsp poppy seeds

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, salted water, then bring to the boil. Turn down and simmer for 5 mins, add the sweet potatoes and continue to cook for 8 mins until just tender. Drain really Fry the onion in the oil until soft, add the cumin seeds for 1 min, then stir in the garlic, chilli and ginger with the remaining spices. Cook for a further 2-3 mins, then turn off the heat and stir into the potatoes with the peas, lemon juice and coriander.

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Halve the filo sheets, and use two-thirds of them,

overlapping, to line a 22cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a little overhang. As you lay in each sheet, brush with melted butter and keep the rest covered with a clean tea towel. Spoon in filling and press down lightly. Cover with remaining filo, then fold up overhanging sides and scrunch up pastry near the edges.

Poke several slits in the top of the pastry and brush with more butter. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Bake for 40-45 mins until golden brown.

Serve either hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

29

www.soltimes.com

Tip: Pot pie A pot pie is a type of meat pie with a top crust, generally made of flaky pastry. An easy alternative to a pie case, put your filling of choice into a pie dish, top with puff or filo pastry and bake for 25 mins until golden Heat 25g of the butter in a large saucepan until foaming. Add the onion and fennel, and cook gently for about 10 mins until very tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 min more.

Add the tomato purée, cook for 1 min, then add the white wine and simmer for a few mins until reduced by half.

Tip in the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 15

FOOD & ENTERTAINING...

Ingredients 100g butter mins until you have a rich, thick sauce.

1 onion, finely chopped Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped cream, fish, prawns and herbs, then season.

1 garlic clove, finely chopped Spoon the mixture into a 2-litre baking dish.

1 tbsp tomato purée 200ml white wine When ready to cook, heat oven to 180C/160C 400g can chopped tomatoes fan/gas 4 and melt the rest of the butter. Unroll 150ml double cream the filo pastry and brush 6 sheets all over one 300g sea bass fillets, skinned and cut into large pieces side with the melted butter.

250g halibut, skinned and cut into large pieces Gently scrunch up the pastry and lay on the top 200g large raw prawns small pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped of the pie filling, covering completely.

2 tbsp chopped tarragon Bake for 25 mins in the middle of the oven until 6 sheets filo pastry measuring 30 x 25cm the pastry is golden and crisp.

Filo-Topped Fish Pie

Serves 6

Sweet Suggestions: Use Filo, Puff Or Sweet Pastry To Make These Delicious Desserts Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Peel, core rim of the pie with milk. Lift the smaller circle of quarter the apples, then cut into 1cm slices. pastry on top. Press down to seal the pie, then Spiced Apple Pie 1½ kg apples (Braeburns or Granny and Toss together with the lemon juice, then dab Smiths are ideal)

Serves 6-8

dry with kitchen paper so that the pie isn’t too watery. If you are using whole cardamom pods, squeeze lemon juice split open the shell, remove the seed from inside and grind using a pestle and mortar. Mix 2 cardamom pods or pinch of ground into the apples with the flour and sugar, then toss to get everything coated.

2 tbsp flour, plus extra for rolling Cut away a third of the pastry to divide into two pieces. Dust a little flour over a work surface, 25g golden caster sugar, plus extra for then roll out the larger piece to roughly 28cm wide and as thick as a £1 coin. Lift the pastry sprinkling up (try loosely wrapping around a rolling pin) and spread over the bottom of a 22cm pie dish.

500g pack shortcrust pastry Roll out the smaller piece of pastry a little larger than the top of the pie.

2 tbsp milk Pile up the apples inside and paint around the

Ingredients Place the flour and butter in a bowl and rub together to a crumb consistency. Add the sugar and the egg, and mix together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and fold until the pastry comes together, be careful not to over mix.

Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 10 mins.

Scoop the mincemeat into a bowl and add the satsumas, apple and zest.

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick. Using a round cutter

Butternut, Maple & Pecan Lattice Pie

(about 10cm), cut out 16 bases and place them 1 large jar mincemeat (about 600g) 2 satsumas, segmented into muffin trays. Put 11⁄2 tbsp mincemeat 1 apple, finely chopped mixture into each. Brush the edge of each pie zest 1 lemon with a little beaten egg. Re-roll out the pastry little icing sugar, for dusting to cut 7cm lids and press them on top to seal.

For the pastry Glaze with the rest of the egg, sprinkle with 375g plain flour caster sugar, then make a small cut in the tops.

260g unsalted butter, softened Bake mince pies for 15-20 mins until golden 125g caster sugar, plus extra for brown. Leave to cool before releasing them sprinkling from the muffin trays and dusting with icing 1 large egg, plus 1 beaten egg for sugar. Serve. (Freezable) glazing

Mince Pies

Serves 16

Ingredients 700g chunk butternut squash

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the

for 20 mins.

or pumpkin

squash into several large pieces, remove any

Meanwhile, roll the remaining pastry to a

1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

seeds, then toss with the oil in a roasting tin.

rectangle about 16 x 30cm, then cut into 8

175g light muscovado sugar

Roast for about 35 mins or until golden and

long strips about 2cm wide. Weave the strips

250g tub mascarpone

soft.

under and over each other on a floured, rimless

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon 1 heaped tsp ground ginger 2 eggs 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to serve 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 x 375g packs chilled dessert pastry

Serves 10

trim around the edge of the pie with a sharp knife and discard the excess pastry.

Use your fingers to indent around the pie and form a crimped edge.

Make a few slits in the pastry so that steam can escape, then brush all over with milk and sprinkle with extra sugar. Bake for 20 mins, then reduce oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and cook for 50 mins-1hr until the pastry is golden and crisp. If it starts to darken too much, cover with tin foil, but make sure you cook it uncovered for the final 10 mins so that the pastry can crisp.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, ice cream or custard.

When cold, peel the skin away, then put the flesh into a processor with the sugar, mascarpone and spices. Whizz until smooth, then add the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt. Whizz again.

Cut one-third of the pastry from one block and

baking sheet to make a lattice large enough to cover the top of the pie. Put in the fridge to chill.

After 20 mins, the filling will be starting to set.

Take pie out of the oven, brush pastry rim with milk, then slide the chilled lattice off its sheet and onto the pie. Press the edges down a little to seal, then scatter over the pecans and return

plain flour, for rolling

squash it into the other block. Shape the larger

milk, for brushing

block into a smooth round then, on a floured

Bake for 15-20 mins more or until the lattice is

handful pecan halves,

surface, roll out to line a 23cm fluted tart tin.

golden and the filling has risen with just a faint

very roughly chopped

Line the tin, leaving some overhang, then lift

wobble in the middle. Cool completely, then trim

icing sugar and whipped cream, to onto a baking sheet. Pour in the filling, then

the edges and dust with icing sugar. Drizzle with

serve

carefully slide the pie into the oven and bake

to the oven.

maple syrup and serve with whipped cream.

30

November 2015

Man writes hilarious complaint Don't tell Bond – but it might be better to to Cadbury's after his sharing garnish your martini with a strawberry The classic martini is conventionally bag contained just eight sweets garnished with an olive or a twist of

A man has written a hilarious complaint to Cadbury’s after he was left disappointed when a “sharing bag” of chocolates bought for his pregnant girlfriend contained only eight sweets.

Despite not previosuly being a fan of chocolate, Daniel Nugent’s girlfriend Aisling developed huge cravings for Cadbury’s Heroes during her pregnancy.

With the pair's baby due in the New Year, Mr Nugent, from Ireland, said his girlfriend's pregnancy has become "more uncomfortable" and her "cravings more severe", meaning he was devestated when the "sharing bag" of chocolate he bought for her held only a handful of Heroes.

“To my friends at Cadburys,” wrote Mr Nugent, “Let me begin by telling you the story of a pregnant woman.

Until it was discovered that my darling girlfriend was carrying our first child, she had no real inclination to eat much chocolate.

"That all changed in March when we became blessed with child (not at all a scary prospect, honest) and ever since her tooth has become just as sweet she is.

"Considering that she had been so adverse to most of your products previously, it took a while for her to settle on a favoured treat once the cravings kicked in.

"So I did my best to show her what was on offer. I suppose it’s to be expected that a heavily-pregnant woman can get a bit Flaky, but when I took her out for a Picnic she gave me a Snack in the mouth after taking a Chomp on the chocolate provided.

"I just didn’t know what would really do it for her and push her Buttons. I tried to buy her a bunch of Roses to make amends but there was no joy.

"Then came the breakthrough when, by sheer luck, we discovered Heroes. She found what she had longed (chocolate) for and so did I

(peace and quiet).

"And so to today, and why I am writing this status. With our baby due early in the New Year, the pregnancy has become more uncomfortable and cravings more severe.

"Today was not a good day for my girlfriend. She needed comfort and she needed chocolate. She needed a Hero. I thought I would be just that when I stopped into the shop on the way home to pick up those six little soldiers (Fudge, Caramel, Dairy Milk, Wispa, Twirl and Twisted)."

He added: "I strode through the front door, chest out like a Spanish matador, but when we peeled back the packaging on the Small and Mighty and poured out the contents, I then felt as if I was dangling a red flag in front of a bull.

"As you can see from the attached picture, there were just eight pieces inside. Now I’d like to think I’m an easy-going and reasonable kind of fella, but that’s a major let-down.

"Until this Heroes fiasco has been resolved, I fear we may have to take a Time Out from purchasing any more of your products.

"I only wanted to be a Hero. Please send help. Yours in chocolate, Daniel Nugent."

Replying to Mr Nugent’s plea, Cadbury’s experimented with some chocolate puns of their own.

“We’re delighted to hear that our chocolate has been able to bring some comfort and joy to your girlfriend during this very special time,” said Cadbury’s, explaining that Cadbury Hero sharing bags always contain eight sweets to give customers a sample of the range.

“We’re sorry to hear that your Starbar girlfriend was upset by the experience and would love give her a much needed Boost and ensure her cravings are kept at bay!” they added, promising to send Mr Nugent’s girlfriend some chocolate in the post.

- The Independent

lemon – but new research suggests that James Bond’s favourite drink might be better served with a strawberry.

Scientific mixologist Stuart Bale, from drinks agency StrangeHill, claims that olives' strong flavour mask the delicate flavour of gin, and that fans of a ‘dirty martini’ (in which the cocktail is served with an olive and a little brine from the jar) would be better to simply add salt to the drink.

“It has long been known that salt works as a flavour enhancer. Our bodies crave salt but it also reduces the surface tension of liquids, allowing more aromatic compounds to escape and our perception of aromas to increase,” he said. “For the ultimate martini experience add a drop or two of salt solution, therefore releasing the flavours without masking the taste.”

Mr Bale used a scientific process known as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry to analyse the flavour chemicals of the Mediterraneaninspired gin, Gin Mare – which commissioned the research - and found that a strawberry complimented the gin's notes of thyme, rosemary and basil best.

He said that gins with a strong citrus component could work as well with an orange twist as lemon, while dry gins were complemented by pickled onions

(as in the classic cocktail The Gibson).

Floral gins, such as the popular Bloom or Berkeley Square, could be lifted by a sprig of lavender.

Although martinis can be made with vodka, the research suggested that gin provides the best foundation for a good martini, as its complex botanicals help to balance the other main ingredient, vermouth.

And, although James Bond liked his martinis “shaken not stirred,” the research confirmed that stirring (as any cocktail enthusiast knows) produces a better drink. Shaking, said Mr Bale, “overdilutes”, adding as much as 10 per cent extra water to the cocktail.

One suspects, however, that any bartender who tried to cajole 007 into drinking a stirred martini with a strawberry might not live very long.

- The Telegraph

Ruby’s

URBANISATION EL RASO, CAMPO DE GUARDAMAR, JUST OFF THE CV895 LEMON TREE ROAD, 03140

TEL 622 434 912

Opening times 10am till Late Tuesday - Sunday

Insects In Baby Food Spark Product Recall

Cow & Gate has recalled a batch of muesli baby food after some customers complained of finding insects in the product.

Sunny Start My First Banana Muesli (from 10 months) which has a best before date of 27 September 2016 should not be eaten, the company warned.

"Just opened a bag of @cowandgate muesli and found a spiders web. Took it back to Tesco and they found a maggot in it," tweeted Alex Bianco, who also posted a photo.

A statement on the Food Standards Agency website said: "This product is not suitable for consumption because the presence of foreign bodies such as insect.

"Cow & Gate has recalled the

affected batch, notified its customers and displayed point-of-sale recall notices in stores."

Customers are being advised to return any of the 330g muesli packs to where they were purchased, or contact Cow & Gate on 0800 977 4000 for a refund.

No other products from the company are affected.

"We are very sorry that this has happened and would like to reassure parents that we maintain strict standards at our factory and we are committed to providing the highest quality products," said Cow & Gate.

"We have launched an immediate investigation and we will be taking all necessary steps to prevent this happening again.-Sky News

Menu Del Dia 12.30pm - 4pm Tuesday - Friday 4 Course 7.95€ Full Main Menu 6pm - 9pm Sunday Lunch Available 2pm - 7pm 3 Course 9.95€ / 2 Course 7.95€ Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm Wednesday is quiz night with Nick Marshall with our great 5€ meal deals for quiz players PLUS Karaoke with guest singers Last person standing, winner takes all

GREAT FUN NIGHT OUT

www.soltimes.com

Tel: 950 121 936

50+ SOLOS

Is open to ladies and gentlemen over 50 years of age who are on their own and wish to get ‘back into the social scene.’

We meet normally twice a month at different restaurants for lunch and a chat at 1.00-1.30 hrs.. There are no subs or fees, just the cost of the meal. There may be a fun quiz or a raffle. For information and to book please contact Ruth on 966789063

Casa Tom Community Choir:

Casa Tom Community Choir meets every Monday at 2.00pm for 2.30pm.

It is a mixed choir and all levels are welcome. No auditions, no solos.

Make new friends and have a good time. Location: CASA TOM, Avenida JACA 31, San Luis, Torrevieja.

Phone or email Terry for further details. Phone: 647-189-135. Email: casatomsanluis@gmail.com.

CASTILLA AMIGOS

We are a friendship group for single people. We meet every Wednesday from 3pm at RAYZ Bar on El Raso urbanisation (off the Lemon Tree Road, Guardamar) ANN – 966 717 390 - 666 747 398

art club

Art Club, all mediums, no charge, in the Playa Flamenca area. Anyone interested, please contact Lyn tel: 966 189 118

COFFEE MATES

If you would like to have a coffee and a friendly chat, please join us at the La Laguna Hotel, Lo Marabu every Friday morning from 11am ANN - 966 717 390 - 666 747 398

- community news -

sales@soltimes.com

PASO A PASO MODERN FRIENDS FOREVER- WE CARE Friends Forever-We Care is a non profit JIVE DANCE FUSION PASO A PASO MODERN JIVE DANCE FUSION NOVEMBER UPDATE Calling Benidorm to earth.

Well that was a weekend to remember, hope those that went had a fantastic fun time although having seen the photos on face book there is no doupt in that, thanks to Terry and Linda for the lovely photo album.

There are already plans for a bigger and better event next year, so hope you put it in your diary when things are confirmed.EL CASTILLO RESTAURANT, AV SAN FULGENCIO (FOREST ROAD) LA MARINA URB. TUESDAYS 11am BEGINNERS 12pm IMPROVERS 1pm INT/ADV (this class will be repeated on Thursday nights) Please when you attend just join in even if a class is half way through... this will help any new dancers.

LOS ROSALES RESTAURANT, LEMON TREE ROAD CV895.

GUARDAMAR. THURSDAYS 7pm Doors open freestyle practice 7.15pm BEG / IMP 8pm freestyle practice 8.15pm IMP/ADV 9pm Social Dancing till 10 or 11 depending on numbers.

All sessions are still only €5 If you like swing and rock n roll there is a really good 7 piece band on at Los Rosales on Saturday 7th November €14 (including a two course meal) anyone interested purchase your ticket at Los Ros on Thursday let me know and i will try and arrange it that we all sit together.Maxine and Adam 670711408 / 638330342

Strictly Dance Torry Army Social Ballroom and Latin Events

making mixed club that meets the 2nd and 3rd Thursday afternoons 2-4pm at “The Club” Quesada.

We play Bingo, have a speaker and go to different restaurants for Menu del Dia on the 4th Thursday of the month.

If you would like to make new friends and have a fun afternoon come along and join us. You can phone JOHN on 626 905 853 for more information.

Pilar Christian Community Church

31

Welcome to A.C.T.S.

We are a new drama group made up of novices and some folk from the now disbanded Dramatic License. As from Thursday 5th November A.C.T.S. will be rehearsing every Thursday evening commencing at 7.00 p.m. at Benijofer Cultural Centre. Following the success of our Murder Mystery evenings at both Quesada Bowls Club and The Tropicana restaurant in Algorfa we are now rehearsing our first “proper” play called DONT DRESS FOR DINNER, a 2 act comedy which will performed in Benijofer Cultural Centre early in 2016. A.C.T.S. is a drama group whos profits will go to Benijofer Social Services who in turn will distribute them amongst locals in need in either cash or goods as they fell is appropriate. We are all ways looking for new members, either acting or back stage, so if you would care to either come along any Thursday evening or contact me on newleaf2014@hotmail. co.uk , you would be most welcome

Calle Canalejas 3. Pilar de la Horadada.

Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday at 5pm for Prayer and Praise and Worship Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, background or none. For further BENIJOFAR information contact PilarChristian. Meets at Hamilton´s Bake House, 62 CommunityChurch@gmail.com. 966 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 849 448 - 966 848 806 03178. We hold a Sunday Service at 11.30 a.m., a Tuesday Evening BADMINT0N AT PILAR of Mediumship at 7 p.m. And every DE LA HORADADA Thursday there is an Open Circle where you can develop your skills commencing Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs. 10-1pm.

For information ring John McGilvray at 6.30 p.m. Spiritual healing is available on 966 786 774 or Mobiles 634 658 every Sunday and Tuesday after the service. The Divine Service with 506/695 871 707 or Mediumship, on Sunday, 8th November, e mail carolejohn_3@hotmail.com will be taken by David Sinclair, (UK TABLE TENNIS AT PILAR Medium). David will also take the Evening of Mediumship on Tuesday, DE LA HORADADA 10th November. Anna Marie will take Sports Centre every Monday at 10am the Divine Service, with Mediumship, Five tables equipment supplied, coaching on Sunday, 15th November. Contact given if necessary, all standards Wendy on 965323028. www. welcome.

Contact George on 965 spiritualistcentre-benijofar.com New 326097 or Gordon on 966 848304 or email is phoenixchurch23@gmail.com e-mail drewgeorge49@yahoo.com. or info@spiritualistcentre-benijofar.com La Bamba’s - Ballroom Identificacion Fiscal G54713789.

/ Latin / Sequence Dancing

Los Rosales Restaurant, Guardamar CV895 [near Lemon Tree Sunday Market] Monday - SOCIAL DANCE 8.30pm 10.30pm [SEQUENCE CLASS 7.30pm - 8.30pm] Friday - SOCIAL DANCE 7.30pm 10.30pm Wednesday - New Beginners Class [new beginners welcome every Wednesday] 2pm -3pm Intermediate Class 3pm - 4pm Intermediate Plus Class 4pm - 5pm Andrea Murphy [0034] 616 478 157

COME SEQUENCE DANCING

In the air conditioned Olympia Restaurant, Mil Palmeras Monday evenings at 8pm in a very congenial atmosphere. Programme and music change weekly. New dances introduced at 7-30pm. For further details contact Sina and Terry. Tel. 96 676 9420

This will be held at the Casa Ventura, San Luis on Saturday 7 November 2015 starting at 9.00 pm. The cost will be 7€ for members & 8.50€ for non-members which includes a hot & I nternational cold buffet. Christmas Dance to the Christian Assembly popular group “Timeless” with Buffet evangelical church, This will be held at the Casa Ventura, Calle Urbano Arregui 23, Torrevieja San Luis on Saturday 12 December 03185. Meets every Sunday, 11am, 2015 and will include a hot & cold includes Sunday School for children. buffet. The cost is 12€ for members Prayer meetings, craft and computer and 14€ for non members. clubs, Bible study groups. Also house If you would are interested on going groups at La Siesta: Tuesdays, 3pm.

THE ROYAL NAVAL on/attending any of these events put Call 674552754 for details. La Zenia: your name/s down at the Torry Army ASSOCIATION, Wednesdays, 3pm,. call 620318964. office in San Luis or ring the office Torrevieja Branch, meet at 1700 on Torrevieja: Thursdays 5.30pm. Call on 966784111 or Pat Stewart on the first Wednesday of each month 608283661, and in church building, at the Restaurante El Paraiso, Urb. Tuesdays, 6pm call 617591399 and 966786352. All are welcome.

Jardin del Mar 3, (behind Carrefour), Thursdays, 5.30pm call 608283661. For COSTA COBRAS RFC Torrevieja.Contact Paul Edwards, other church matters call pastor, Rafael new rugby club based on the beach. Chairman, 618 644 934 or Margaret Restrepo, on 966799273 or mobile Training juniors Monday and Wednesday Forshaw, Secretary 966 921 996.

660127276.

20.00-21.30, seniors 20.00-21.30 For more details contact Garry 692 767 ROYAL BRITISH 242 or Robert on 697 286 416 LEGION, Orihuela

Costa Branch, covers the area from Punta Prima to San Javier and inland. The DATE ARTIST VENUE AREA INFO branch meets on the 3rd 4th Lynden B The Park Inn Quesada 4th Danny ray The Tavern Lo Crispin Thursday of every month 4th Andy Jones TJs Benimar at the Olympia Restaurant 5th Dee Evolution Bar La Fuente 8.30pm in Mil Palmeras at 7pm for 6th Debbie Slater Summers Bar El Galan a 7.30pm start. You do 7th Samantha Curtis Inn at the Green Entre Naranjas not have to be ex military 7th Lynden B Bar Horacios Las Mimosas 7th Soul Train Duo Restaurant Roca Aspe to attend or to join.

7th Cherry K Black Bull Castalla International Everyone is welcome.

7th Andy Jones El Mundos Benimar More information can Have A Drop Off Point Here For 7th Troupers Swing Band Los Rosales Restaurant Guardamar Tickets 14e Payments Private Or be found at the branch 7th Ed B Williams Spanglish Bar Balsicas website - http://branches.

8th Sandy Fitz Rusty Nail Campoverde Trade Advertisers, 8th Andy Jones Maggie OBrians Campoverde britishle gion.org.uk / Birthdays Or Other Announcements 9th Richie Alexander Tradewinds La Fuente 10pm branches/orihuela-costa

with the Professionals. ** New Classes Added**.

Every Tuesday at Alfonsos, Playa Flamenca 3-4pm Argentine Tango Tuition commencing 10 November. Tuesday The Club, Quesada 8-10pm Ballroom & Latin Tuition All grades. Wednesday at Alfonsos, Playa Flamenca 1:45-2:45 Jive Tuition commencing 11 November.

Wednesday, The Emerald Isle, La Florida, 3-5pm Ballroom & Latin Tuition All Grades1 Hour Classes Continual, 2 Hour Classes New Courses Every 3 Weeks. Singles Welcome. Come and join in the fun with professional training and keep up with the ‘Strictly’ gossip as a when it happens. Hope to welcome you soon. For more details contact Lyn on 966188430 or 635584431 or email lynatdenelledance@hotmail.com Info: 966 188 430, 635 584 431 or lynatdenelledance@hotmail.com

stars in bars

El Raso c.c.El Campico 657 355 566 622 434 912

SolTimes

32

SOL CLASSIFIEDS

SOLTIMES 950 121 936 www.soltimes.com see us online everyday Advertise all your unwanted items for sale Any single item up to 300€ is

free of charge deadline thursday 5pm

Monday to Friday Between 10am & 5pm

or EMAIL us Send your advert or lineage to

sales@soltimes.com

DEADLINES All adverts Friday at 5pm

solar directa

slash your energy bills with a solar system from

solar directa

tel keith on 659 315 130 www.ecocorpshop.com are you getting frustrated at ever increasing electricity bills do you want a clean, reliable energy alternative if so call ecocorp on 671 716 597 or 950 930 187 for a no obligation quotation

sunlife solar solutions

The finest solar installations on the costa blanca

sl registered company 100% legal installations we will beat any like for like genuine written quotation

tel: 965 271717

artificial grass

top quality artificial grass installed by qualified professionals

MATHEWS mEDIA s.l

Advertise all your JUST ELECTRICS Domestic ● Commercial ● Industrial unwanted items for Graeme Jackson sale in this section Fully Qualified 20+ Years Experience Any single item up All areas covered to 300€ is free of Costa Blanca & charge surrounding areas email: blancasales@ 24 hour callout. graemejack45@yahoo.co.uk soltimes.com snooker tables, table tennis tables, darts.

Tel: 666 933 726 www.spainpool.com

Marshall 100 watt combo, lots of features 130€. P A Speaker and stand 350 watt Thomman box 15 in speaker with tweeter, new 70€ Tel: 966 789 612 / 629 975 378 Hitachi Cordless Rotary Hammer Drill. 20mm Dh24dvc.

New, Box Still Security Sealed. 280€ ono. Los Montesinos Tel: 965 073 270 Cast Aluminium Outdoor Street Light. 3 Globes, 6 Positions. New, Still Boxed.

60€ Los Montesinos Tel: 965 073 270 Nintend0 Wii Sports & Wii Sports Resort Pack. 15 Sports.

Built In Wii Motionplus New, Still Boxed 150€ Los Montesinos Tel: 965 073 270

“Internet Millionaire Reveals Secrets Of Making £1,000 A Week & More Without Any Previous Experience” If you would like to start earning extra money now! Then the internet is definitely the place to do this. You can earn money whilst relaxing by the pool or even earn whilst you’re sleeping. This is the reality for people that are making money online.

Read why you should be cashing in on today’s booming economy and discover for yourself how you can turn your passion into a large monthly wage,

New, Still Montesinos

Boxed Tel: 965

75€ 073

personals “Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the ads in this section offensive”

Spanish lady Playa Flamenca near new Carrefour before La Florida. 37 years, attractive, classy lady, private house, parking. Offers all erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie, prices from 40€. Full discretion. Tel: Ana 865 646 437 ELEGANT slim, sexy, naughty italian lady available home/house visits.

Torrevieja, La Manga, Torre Pacheco & Mazarron, Quesada plus all other areas.

Escort available home & house visits. Tel: 693 357 526

pets

Los 270

Tevion Digital Dvd Hdd Recorder New, Still Boxed. 60€ Los Montesinos Tel: 965 073 270 Wedding dress size 18/20 Alfred Angelo ivory dropped waist beaded bodice 50€, Automated single bed used once buyer collects 50€ Playa Flamenca 966 841 946

english tv

Dino is a 2 year old podenco cross and is such a gentle boy. He weighs around 15 kilos and is great with other dogs.

For More Information Please call 645 469 253 info@petsinspain.info www.petsinspain.com

everything you need we have it

no dish required but a good stable 3mb internet

ring pete 606 297 825 www.aafreeenglishtv.com

insurance

asssa medical

insurances Asssa Mazarron, Diane Nolan

every single month.

968 153 396

www.howtomakemoneyfrommembershipsites.co.uk

mazarron@asssa.es

For Free Information Visit

661 530 372 / 966 184 674

Electrician available for all works Small or large. Call Dave 693 251 562 davendonc@aol.com

Homedics Shiatsu Heated Massager. Suitable For Most Chairs

aa free english tv

business opportunity

made payable to

electricians

for sale

pool tables

call neil on 693 496 510 mands24@googlemail.com www.artificialgrass.pro

transfer & Cheques

Call Jane on: 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 Ext 330

alternative power

prior to publication

PAYMENT VISA ,Paypal, bank

November 2015

Annie around 7 months old and is the most adorable, friendly little girl. She is a staffie cross and is in a foster home with other dogs and cats and is brilliant with them. Annie weighs approx 10 kilos and we don’t think she is going to get much bigger.

For More Information Please call 645 469 253 info@petsinspain.info www.petsinspain.com

33

www.soltimes.com

www.soltimes.com property for sale / rent

VERA APARTMENT FOR RENT

SHORT-TERM/HOLIDAY RENTAL

2 BEDROOM, 2 BATHROOM, pENTHOUSE APARTMENT IN VERA PLAYA ALL MOD CONS, BALCONY & ROOF TERRACE OFFERING FANTASTIC VIEWS cALL 663 977 230 EMAIL: gedfab@yahoo.com Vera Playa Apartment

detatched cortijo reduced

bargain

20mins from mojacar, 4 beds, 2 baths, Open plan living areas, kitchen & diningroom as well as a workshop, courtyard front & back & room for a pool. Mountain views. €125,000 649 186 107 oremail thunderpaul2003@hotmail.com

spas euro spas Spas at factory prices.

Used & Ex display models.

Spares & repairs.

Part exchange Telephone 650 722 905

removals

James & Son Removals / Storage

LWB Sprinter van going from south to North

UK, France & Spain

of the UK & back

personalshoppingfromtheUK (Argos,Screwfix,Wickesetc) Pet Transportation & Competitive Rates

based near Murcia

0034 627 968 434 0044 7874 638 330 Email: jsinternational@mail.com

motoring section

sat/tv services Rainbow Satellites for all your TV needs with clients all over the Murcia Region. Contact Matt or Alan on 686 358 475 or rainbowsats@ gmail.com

every 2 weeks,

for sale

Do you have vehicle, boat or motor bike for sale

Phone Jane on 950 121 936

Looking for a car

We have a good selection of LHD & RHD vehicles for sale or exchange Quality cars purchased all paperwork legally undertaken Telephone 600 726 221 or 965 687 976

www.fwreurocars.com

846 260/ 0044 7519 186 355. or email: van.man@ hotmail.co.uk

Spain - UK Full or Part Loads Pet Transport Tel: 965 071 956 / 659 420 862 UK Mobile: 0044 750 337 1438 www.fullcircleremovals.com email: fullcircle.removals@hotmail.co.uk

This size advert is only 10€

To advertise your vehicle in the motoring section & reach over 32,000 readers

Airport. Tel: 610

Full Circle Removals

Call Jane on: 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 Ext 330 or email: sales@soltimes.com

Selling your car?

4 years old with 33,000km Contact Barbara

965 998 996

go online: www. SOLTIMES.com

€9,750

€10,750

www.fwreurocars.com

www.fwreurocars.com

600 726 221 965 687 976

600 726 221 965 687 976

mobile auto electrics

Top prices paid for nice cars. all paperwork professionally undertaken. www.fwreurocars.com

638 323 499

Telephone 600 726 221 or 965 687 976

Telephone Al - Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm FULLY MOBILE

Vehicles registration

wanted

“RE-PLATE” MATE

CASH CASH CASH

E

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

want to know whats in the news?

Renault Clio 2014 - 5 door hatch 1.5 DCi Eco2 Authentic 32,000 kms 1 owner Full service history A/C (Climate) PAS, ABS, Alloys Front fog lights E. windows/mirrors MP3, Remote locking Cruise / Limiter Isofix White

Mobile Auto Electrician ENGINE MANAGEMENT DIAGNOSTICS fault Finding & Repairs Engine Diagnostics Air-conditioning Re-gas & repairs

GB

5,000€

ToyotaYarris 2014 - 5 door hatch 1.0 City (70 bhp) 26,000 kms 1 owner Full service history A/C, PAS, ABS E. windows/mirrors CD player Alloys Remote locking Rear head restraints Isofix, Bluetooth White

Alan 662 249 159

www.replatematecostablanca.com

Email:info@replatematecostablanca.com

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

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

wanted cars for cash

Best prices paid Spanish English Anythingconsidered

tel: Tim on 662 211 993

34

November 2015

animal corner

To advertise here call : 950 121 936 A few months ago Michael Hack and Rob Roberts fostered a dog named Kia that had been rescued by the Pets In Spain animal charity. When K i a was found a permanent home by the charity’s adoption team Mike and Rob decided to adopt a dog from the charity and subsequently volunteered their services to organise a fund raising event to provide much needed funds to help the charity finance the rescue and rehabilitation of more stranded pets.

The Let's Eat Restaurant in Benimar was the venue and Michael being the host for the evening greeted everybody as they arrived providing them with a glass of Cava and escorting them to their table for an evening that started and finished on a real high.

After three courses of delicious and beautiful plates of food selected from the a la carte menu the atmosphere was electric when Rob Roberts took to the mic to enthral and entertain with his incredible singing voice and interaction with all there at the event to support the charity.

With many great raffle prizes, all thankfully donated, and with a proportion of ticket sales going to the charity, the total amount raised during the evening was 720 Euros.

The Pets In Spain team has many projects to help animals in need and also has great success in reuniting lost pets with their owners. A new awareness campaign has been started with the aim of persuading dog owners to register their dog on an emergency blood donor register.

The charity is totally self funding. Money donations, sponsors and household items to sell in the charity shop in La

APAH

Space for a little one?

In every litter there seems to be one who doesn’t look like any of the others.

Harry’s brothers and sister are have typical Great Dane features, but he decided to be different.

He is the same size as them, but he’s an individual.

Their sister has been lucky to find a home, but Harry, Henry and Oliver are still looking for theirs. To meet the family, please call 630 422 563 or 616 210 850.

Little Ringo is a cheeky, blue eyed kitten and is one of the many kittens being cared for in APAH’s Cattery. They are all different colours and personalities, but if you’re looking for a kitten to take into your heart and your home, there’ll be one for you.

To meet them all please call 630 422 563 or 616 210 850

www.apahrescue.org

Pets In Spain annie

Annie around 7 months old and is the most adorable, friendly little girl. She is a staffie cross and is in a foster home with other dogs and cats and is brilliant with them. Annie weighs approx 10 kilos and we don’t think she is going to get much bigger.

info@petsinspain.info 645 469 253 - info@petsinspain.info www.petsinspain.com

Mountain View

Cat hotel Hondon de las Nieves/Frailes

Centrally-heated houses with large individual runs Love and care will be lavished during your cat’s stay My 29 years of experience in animal and veterinary care will give you piece of mind

Pick up & delivery service offered for coastal areas

Telephone: 966 195 816

Answerphone - we will call back: Mobile 654 155 473

www.mountainviewcathotel.webs.com

Marina urbanisation are vitally needed.

For more information about the Pets In Spain registered charity and the many different animal rescue and welfare projects please call 645469253, petsinspain.com

or

email

info@

Web site www.petsinspain.com.

bertie Fully house trained, good with other dogs and cats. loves his cuddles and playtime.

For more information contact 600845420, 865776348 or visit our web site at www.k9club.es

www.soltimes.com

Book Review

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

www.carolnaylor.blogspot.com - www.carolesleynaylor.wordpress.com - naylorcl@hotmail.es

“Sometimes when I want to be on my own I get into the airing cupboard in the bathroom and slide in beside the boiler and pull the door closed behind me and sit there and think for hours and it makes me feel very calm.”

This is an extraordinary book about being special and cherishing differences in spite of the isolation felt. The title is taken from Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Silver Blazes” and quoted by the maestro himself, Sherlock Holmes. In Haddon’s novel the main character, Christopher, a 15 year old boy wants to be a mystery detective solving the murder of Wellington just like his idol Holmes.

As soon as you start reading it is obvious that Christopher is different and special. He has a photographic memory and thinks logically and literally. He demonstrates his thought patterns by adding illustrations, maps, diagrams and stories. This appealed to Haddon’s younger audiences but the book has been very popular with adults. It won 17 literary prizes and was adapted by Simon Stephens and directed

by Marianne Elliott for the stage. In August 2012 it premiered at the National Theatre (London) before transferring to London’s West End in March 2013. It was broadcast live to cinemas worldwide on the 6th September 2012.

It seems more than likely that Christopher suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome and high-functioning autism. The author didn’t want to simply present a manual on Asperger’s but emphasize the differences in being an outsider like Christopher, isolated and yet one who is remarkably able and capable of seeing the world in a surprising and revealing way. He is absolutely brilliant at maths and sciences and has ambitions of being an astronaut or more realistically, a scientist.

The latter is achievable. What he fails at is understanding people’s emotions. “He can’t read their faces. He can’t put himself in their shoes.”

He can understand literal meanings of everyday things that you and I take for granted but becomes frustrated and confused with metaphors and idioms. Fear usually develops. Siobhan, one of his teachers has advised him to ask people what they mean when he is confused by their emotions and if he doesn’t receive a response that makes sense logically to him he is told to walk away. He cannot cope

Special Offers Visit:

35

with people shouting especially at him and he will groan and scream more like a person having a fit or a person who is insane. Christopher’s behaviour can be violent and worrying.

He carries a Swiss army knife around all the time and this is his protective weapon against anyone who grabs him. Just like selfdefence. Shockingly, he also keeps it there to protect himself from his father thinking that his father might murder him.

Siobhan is the one who encourages him to write a murder mystery novel and the story begins aptly with the murder of Wellington, Mrs Shears’ poodle. When she sees Christopher carrying the dog she screams and this causes an adverse reaction with him. She contacts the police who ask too many questions flooding his mind. He lies face down on the ground, groaning: “They were starting up on my head like loaves in the factory where Uncle Terry works.” The policeman tried to lift him up from the grass and Christopher hit him. It was an instinctive reaction. Back to the self-defence.

It seems impossible to imagine a child who refuses the reassurance of touch such as hugging, especially from his parents who love him.

Any attempt at touching him leads to violence. He was arrested but cautioned, then released.

He lives with his father, Ed, a boiler engineer after the death of his mother. Ed tries his best but there is conflict and frustration sometimes culminating in a fist-fight. He discovers that his mother and Mr Shears were very, very good friends and included this in his “novel.” His father read this and confiscated it. When Christopher was in the detective mode he went searching for his book and discovered a pile of unopened letters addressed to him. Frightening revelations from his father forced Christopher to run away from home, on a treacherous journey to London. The impossible journey is a testament to his determination and it will succeed in giving you goosebumps.

Publisher: David Fickling ISBN: 978-1-849-921763 Also Jonathan Cape.

www.ecocorpshop.com

Oil is a child of the fossil fuel age and prices will trend upwards.

Solar is a child of the electronics age and prices will trend downwards.

Solar Power system to run in conjunction with your home electricity, reduce your monthly bills

from 6995€

including battery bank.

special offer

Victron Multiplus 24/3000/70-50 inverter charger Victron 24V/50A Charge controller 6 x Eurener 250W Solar panels Solar power system with battery Aluminium mounting system for 6 panels back up to run in conjunction with 24V/250Ah battery bank your mains electricity. Save on your electric bills and eliminate those Cables, breakers and fuses. little power cuts.

Only 4995€ plus installation.

We have only 11 systems available!

Solar swimming pool filtration pump kit.

Run your swimming pool on solar

from 2295€

Auto-consumo solar power kits, supplement your electricity bills

from 5995€

Call Ecocorp on

671 716 597 or 950 930 187 for a no obligation quotation

Solar swimming pool heating, extend your swim season or heat your pool all year round.

Solar power system servicing & updating, fault finding & diagnostics Why not consider PX your old, tired system for a new, more efficient one.

La Meseta, Bedar, Almeria

WWW.ECOCORPSHOP.COM

36

motoring

November 2015

review

Japanese carmaker shows its vision for the future of motoring

NISSAN has unveiled the IDS Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, its vision of the future of a car of the future that combines both a clean, green electric propulsion system with self-driving technology.

One part car, one part living room, the IDS promises a different driving experience The company’s president and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, launched the car saying that a number of the company’s vehicles will be equipped with autonomous drive technology by 2020.

He added: “Nissan’s forthcoming technologies will

in the news Eight ways to drive safer in autumn IF it’s not raining the low sun in the morning and early evening can be a real problem for drivers – especially when commuting.

There are quite a few hazards to be mindful of when driving in autumn But a series of tips from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) can help you stay safe.

1. Your’ car’s sun visor often won’t stop the low sun from shining into your eyes through the windscreen, so keep a pair of sunglasses in your glovebox or somewhere that you can easily reach (the pocket of the driver’s door, for example).

revolutionise the relationship between car and driver, and future mobility. Nissan Intelligent Driving improves a driver’s ability to see, think and react.

Nissan hope to be rolling out driverless cars to customers by 2020 "It compensates for human error, which causes more than 90% of all car accidents. As a result, time spent behind the wheel is safer, cleaner, more efficient and more fun.”

Nissan’s system promises that its technology will not just ferry a car’s occupants from A to B robotically, with no relation to the way we humans drive.

Even when the driver selects Piloted Drive and turns over driving to the vehicle, the car's performance imitates the driver’s own style and preferences.

Meanwhile, in Manual Drive mode, the driver has control, but behind the scenes, the car continues to provide assistance, with sensors continuing to monitor conditions and assistance being available to the driver is in control: for example, in the event of imminent danger, the car will assist the driver in taking evasive action.

The car's seats can be adjusted to face a TV screen in the center console The IDS Concept has different interiors, depending on whether the driver opts for Piloted Drive or Manual Drive.

It has space for four adults, but in Piloted mode, the cabin starts to look more like a living room: the steering wheel recedes into the centre of the instrument panel, a large flat screen comes out and all four seats turn to face inward (the driving-related operations are handled by the car’s artificial intelligence, along with voice and gestures from the driver.

In Manual Drive, the cabin changes, turning all four seats to face forward, while the steering wheel and head-up display inform the driver.

An aerodynamic, lightweight, carbon-fibre body helps the electric motor achieve a range greater than current EVs – although Nissan hasn’t said just how far that is. http://www.express.co.uk/

2. The sun can also highlight any dirt and grime on your windscreen, so make sure you keep it as clean as possible. A microfibre cloth is good for wiping down the inside and you can help keep the outside spick and span by ensuring your washer bottle is filled with a goodquality screenwash.

Having a pair of sunglasses is handy to protect yourself from autumn glare 3. Keep to a nice, steady speed and, if a low sun is obscuring your vision of what’s ahead, slow down. This is particularly pertinent when approaching sharp bends: it’s important to have a clear sight of the approaching hazard.

4. Wet road surfaces can be a real nuisance, with the dazzle from the sun increased by the reflection on the water. So take extra care when driving on wet roads and, if necessary, lift off the accelerator.

5. Be aware of more vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists: in bright, low sunshine, they can be difficult to spot. So be extra careful at hazard spots such as schools, junctions and crossings.

Be sure to put your headlights on an hour before sunrise so other road users can see you 6. You won’t be the only person on the road affected by the brightness of a low sun, so pay close attention to the vehicles around you and be prepared for any sudden manoeuvres. As an extra precaution, increase the stopping distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

7. Looking directly into the brightness of a low sun can affect your vision. If this does happen to you, stop somewhere safe and legal in order to take a break from driving.

Wet roads during autumn can be a driving hazard 8. Finally, as the nights draw in – remember that the clocks go back this weekend – make a point of switching on your headlights before the sun goes down and keep them on for an hour after the sun rises to maximise the chances of other road users seeing you. Better still, if you have an automatic function on your lights, use that.

Peter Rodger, the IAM’s head of driving standards, adds: “The key aspect of driving in low sunlight is how it reduces your vision. If you cannot see, you cannot drive the same way.

Don’t continue at the same speed if you cannot see where you are going. It might sound obvious, but many drivers will battle on in near-zero visibility, despite being blinded by the sun. Trust your instincts – slow down and prepare to stop if this happens to you.” http://www.express.co.uk/

www.soltimes.com

TV NEWSLETTER

November 2015

November is here and I always find it strange that plants in the garden seem to be very active in growth – It is not like autumn in the UK where all slows down – but it seems the relief from the summer heat gives a burst of growth before they sleep for winter and restart the cycle in spring. There has been lots of flowering and cutting back with trailer loads of plant debris going to the recycle centre ……. Gardening is a never ending , never finished job !

All the animals are well and even they seem to come to life after the sleepy times of the heat including the goldfish !

perform a “factory reset” in the menu to reload and reset all the system BUT now beware of this procedure on a FREESAT box as when you try to enter the postcode the box may not be able to recognise it from the systems weak signals and the box may just freeze – then you have no option but to take it to a neighbour with a bigger dish and reset it !!!! This only applies to official FREESAT boxes – universal and SKY boxes do benefit from the occasional reset and infact the SKY control frequency is now much stronger than it has ever been !

TV NEWS ………….There have been lots of new channels coming on line – really too many to mention but the A.M.C. drama channel seems to be a popular one many have asked about but it is “SKY” subscription only. These new channels should have arrived in the digibox listings for all official SKY and FREESAT boxes but all other boxes will require a list upgrade or a rescan to get them.

Internet TV has progressed in quality and reliability (no dish required) but I wonder if the internet service providers can cope with the demand of clients swapping to internet TV ………

Before internet TV all they had to deal with was the odd millisecond of use when you pressed “send” for an email or clicked “pay” on a purchase but TV needs CONTINUAL use and whilst in general TV is OK on most systems before you change to an internet system – hoping to get rid of that massive dish – just ask your internet service provider if they can cope with you being on a TV system.

This is one of the advantages of buying an official box – automatic channel and software updates – usually a bit more expensive than a “universal” box but can be worth it in the long run.

Satellite signals seem to be “all over the place” …….. The slight strengthening we predicted with the cooler air initially did not seem to happen – infact they went weaker – but recently we seem to have had some improvement with most installed systems getting an “acceptable” level of viewing. One of the weaker signals is the one that controls the FREESATPLUS recording boxes and lots of clients have reported their boxes doing “odd” things like recording programmes not set to record or recording the wrong channel when a setting is made ………… this is down to the weak control frequency and there is really nothing that can be done about it except to make sure all the reception equipment is in A1 order and then if problems persist a bigger dish !

A word of warning – when there have been “odd” things happening in the past we have always said reboot the box and

We have said in the past that internet TV is the way forward and we stick by that but the internet service providers will have to improve “supply” – and that is happening as fibre optic cables creep across Spain ………… we predict that within 10 to 15 years all TV will be via the internet with no standard antennas or satellite dishes.

Well that’s filled the space for November ………… we at Rainbow always welcome any questions you have about TV in Spain (remember to ask about TV availability in a property before you finally buy it) – email rainbowsats@gmail.com – phone (0034) 686358475 or have a look at our website www.rainbowsats.org .

Sucina Golf Society, Mar Menor, 20th October 2015

37

32 Members & Guests turned out for an Individual Stableford format, counting towards Player of the Year, with the added addition of playing for team prizes using a scoring of 3 -2-1. The course as usual was in great condition allowing for some good scores to be recorded. On the day, rain had been forecast from 2pm but this held off so all players managed the round in the dry!

Our division winners were as follows:- Div 1 Gordon Hutchinson 41pts, Div 2 Christine Comber - 37pts & Div 3 - Roy Kemp - 36pts.

Guest Div Colin Stephenson - 39pts. Our team competition winners were: John Taylor, Vic Spillard, Ray Davies & Roy Kemp with a total of 89pts. Nearest the pin winners were: Hole 2 - Mo Khan, Hole 8 - Phil Watson, Hole 14 - Peter Robinson and Hole 17 - Colin Stephenson. Our competition in November is being held at El Valle on Tuesday 17th November.

Motor Home ECU Remapping

Nearly all motor homes are based on various manufacturers Light Commercial Vehicles chassis and cab, because most of the engines and ECU units are designed for the heavier end of the van product range.

Significant improvements with the modern turbo diesel engine fitted to these vehicles can be made by Re-mapping the engines ECU (Engine Control Unit) Because of the extra weight added to Motor Homes, by the addition of a very large box and the weight of the furniture and all your belongings for comfortable living, the engine power is not always enough. So increased power where you need it would be a great advantage to most motor home owners.

With careful engine tuning, by means of re-mapping the ECU to optimise engine power, quite dramatic increases in output can be made, also the bonus of better fuel economy can be made. This makes remapping a motor home a fantastic and economical way of upgrading your pride and joy.

Pulling a heavy motor home up long gradients on motorways and mountain roads is made much easier and less of an effort for the engine. Also reducing gear changes at the same time. Also making cruising on long journeys more of a pleasure with quicker and safer overtaking.

Here at “Veloc Tuning” we specialise in all aspects of vehicle engine tuning, so your regular car, works van, motor home or high performance sports car can be dramatically improved by remapping the ECU. We offer a 30 day money back guarantee if you are not delighted with the results, also a lifetime guarantee on the tuning software.

We never ask for payment until our technician and our customers have test driven their vehicle after the remapping procedure, and are totally happy with the result.

If for any reason that the vehicle requires returning to standard, then this will be done free of charge at any time.

For more information or to book your mobile remap service, visit our website at: www.veloc-ecu-remapping-spain.com Email: paul@veloc-ecu-remapping-spain-com.

Tel: 950 104 488 or 600 827 517

with Veloc Tuning ECU Remapping Services

MORE POWER MORE MPG MORE RESPONSE IMI Certified Professional Tuner

Tel: 950 104 488 or 600 827 517

paul@veloc-ecu-remapping-spain.com

veloc-ecu-remapping-spain.com

38

November 2015

INTERNATIONAL 7’S COMING TO THE COSTA BLANCA

In less than two weeks time Elche RFC will be holding another international rugby 7’s tournament at Campo Jose Diez Iborra, just behind the Elche RFC rugby stadium, on 13 and 14 November in Elche with teams that will be participating in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brasil.

The teams taking part for the men are:- France, Ireland, Spain and Portugal Teams for the women are:Great Britain, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the Valencian regional team.

On Friday the matches start at 16.00 and finish at around 20.00, and on Saturday from 10.00 to around 15.00.

The tickets for Friday are 8€, Saturday 12€ or for both days 15€.

So come along and watch some rare live international rugby in the area.

For more information and tickets contact Garry on 692 767 242, or on whatsapp, or at Costa Cobras training on Monday and Wednesday at Daya Vieja or at Zoco Market.

Also on Friday 19 November with the help of Victorias Tearooms in Almoradi to raise money for, DEBRA, the Butterfly Children the club are auctioning off rugby memorabilia international and club shirts as well as other items that have been donated. For more details you can connect the tearooms or myself. We also have Dennis Christian been the auctioneer for the event, so looking at plenty of people coming down to

BRADLEY BREAKERS

965 723 270 607 848 332

25’95 €

support this event.

Costa Cobras RFC are also still training on Monday and Wednesday from 18.00-19.30 for the juniors and 20.00-21.30 for the seniors in Daya Vieja at the sports ground.

So come a long and join the revolution with this new rugby club from the start and be part of something new in the area.

We are looking to be able to put a team in at all levels in the league this time next year so come along and join the newest rugby team on the Costa Blanca and join the rugby revolution.

All ages, gender and nationalities are welcome, from beginners to experienced players, the more the merrier, as we are based on the true traditional ethics of the sport.

So come along and join the newest rugby club on the Costa Blanca. Also team bonding after training in the nearest bar for a drink and chat, just how rugby should be.

For more information about the club contact myself, Dutch, on 692 767 242. Also I am back down at Zoco market on Sunday again from 09.00-13.30, so come on down and find more out about the club and rugby in the area. Also for all of your rugby branded clothing and gear including Canterbury casuals and Cotton Traders shirts.

Marabu Lounge Golf Society

For this month’s meeting a group of 23 players visited the established course at Saurines taking advantage of the excellent society deal obtained from Costa Blanca Green Fee Services.

The course was in excellent condition BUT the day was spoilt by a jobs worth course marshall who started pestering our members from the 2nd hole onwards despite the groups keeping pace and with only a 2 ball behind.

This was our Captains day and Dave Bensley provided all the prizes and our thanks go to him for his generosity and support The scoring was exceptional on the day.

The winning scores on the day were as follows: 1st – Steve Davey – 44 points, 2nd – Rod Allen – 44 points, 3rd – Geoff Wetton - 39 points, 4th – Steve Hanaway – 39 points, 5th – Andy Jones – 35 points Nearest the Pins – Steve Davey,Karen Matthews & Terry Drayton Dog of a Day – Peter Leeds Football Card Winners– Mike Probert After the game we returned to the Marabu Lounge, which is located at Pueblo Brava, Quesada for a welcome meal prepared by the bar and the prize presentation and we give our thanks for their continued support.

In addition to Captains Day we also made a significant contribution to the British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Our next interim fixture is at El Plantio on 9th November and the next full society day at Altorreal on 26th November 2015.

Report by Mike Probert of Costa Blanca Green Fee Services on 966 704 752 or 661 345 931 or see us at our web-site at www.costa-blanca-greenfees.com.

SAMM to buy New Support Boat

The current SAMM Support Boat, a Valiant 450DR Rib, was purchased, second hand, in 2011 and has given sterling support to the SAMM Race Programmes and many of the SAMM Groups since then.

Forever looking to the future the SAMM Committee decided that the time had now come to invest in a replacement. The Mar Menor is a beautiful place to sail but because the water is very salty and warmer than the open sea it is a harsh environment for boats and their engines, especially Ribs It was thought that a better solution to another Rib would be a rotomoulded, polyethylene vessel. Considerable research was carried out into various craft by the Race Group Chairman who identified five models and obtained prices for the Committee to consider.

After considerable discussion it was decided that the Whaly 435R best suited the requirements and budget and was available from a local dealer in Cabo de Palos.

The proposal, with a finance plan for both the boat and a new engine at a later date, was put to the members at the October general meeting and approved by an overwhelming majority.

One of the existing 40hp engines SAMM has for the Rib will be used on the Whaly until the funds for a new engine are available.

The photograph shows an example and is not the actual boat purchased.

SOL TIMES

COSTA BLANCA

Sales- : 902 750 190 (EXT: 330) email: blancasales@soltimes.com

COSTA CALIDA/MAR MENOR PAULETTE : 902 750 190 (EXT: 332) email: calidasales@soltimes.com

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

39

www.soltimes.com

new fords available

Calle Mallorca, San Javier Call us: 968 146 158 or 618 628 511

www.specialistvehicles.com

BMW x5 m-sport

40d x-drive, 2014, new shape, 48,000 kms

€67,950

Range Rover Evoque 2015, 2.2TD4, Auto, NEw!

€46,950

Landrover Disco.Sport 2015, 2.2SD4, Auto , NEW!

€POA

BMW 428 COUPE

luxury, auto, 2014, 4,700 kms

€39,950

mercedes clc 200

1.8CDi (Diesel) 2008, 89,000 kms

€15,750

vw golf 1.6tdi, bluemotion, 2011, 5 Doors 67,000 kms €13,450

AUDI A3

2.0TDI DSG, 2006 AUTO, SPORTBACK, ALLOYS, 149,000kms

• BMW X5 M-Sport, 40D x-drive, 2014, New shape, 48,000km ...........................................................................................................€67,950 • BMW 428 coupe Luxury Auto, 2014, 4,700km................€39,950 • toyota fj cruiser 4.0l petrol, auto, 2009, 87,000km....€poA • Audi Q7 S-line, 3.0 TDI, diesel, 2007, 170,000km..............€19,950 • VW Golf 1.6TDi, Bluemotion, 2011, 5 doors, 67,000km ..€13,450 • opel corsa 1.2, petrol, auto, 2014, 5 doors, 16,000km......€12,950 • hyundai i30 1.4 Crdi 2013, 5-doors, silver............................. €poa • Toyota yaris 1.3 V VTi, 2012, 40,000KM..................................... €12,950 • Audi A3 2.0TDi DSG Automatic, Sportback, Automatic, Silver, Alloy Wheels, 2006, 149,000km .................................................€10,950 • VW Beetle Cabrio 1.6, 2006, 101,000km.................................. €9,950 • hyundai i30, 1,6crdi, auto, diesel, 2008, 71,000km..............€poa • FORD C-MAX, 1.6TDCI, DIESEL, 2005,AUTO, 43,000km...................€POA • SEAT LEON, 1.9TDI, DIESEL, 2007, 104,000km..............................€7,950 • Citroen jumpy 2.0, hdi, diesel, 2005, 183,000kms................ €5,950 • ford focus 1.8tdci, 2003, 240,000kms.................................. €3,450 • chrysler stratus 2.0 auto, 1999, 104,000km... .................€2,950 • Citroen xsara 2.0 TDi, Diesel, 2003, 139,000KM................€2,950

• kawasaki eliminator 125cc, 2007, 1,400kms............€1,250

Right hand drive vehicles • rolls royce silver spirit, rhd, 51,000 miles..................€13,950 • honda frv 2.0 petrol, sport, 48,000miles............................€6,950 • CITROEN C3, 1.4, PETROL,CONNECTION, 2011, 38,000miles....€6,950 • KIA SEDONA, 2.9 TD, DIESEL, 2005 ,113,000 MILeS..................€4,250 • renault laguna 2.0i, extreme, 2006 ,83,000 miles....€3,450 • Trailer, 1000kg with Sides....................................................... €795

ford s-max

• CITROEN DS3, 1.4I, PETROL, 2010, 38,000 miles....................€7,950

€9,950

Right hand drive - spanish reg

• toyota hilux, 2.5 diesel, 2004, 105,000 miles...................€5,450 • Vauxhall Astra 1.8, Auto, 2006, 137,000 Miles............... €3,450 • CITROEN C3, 1.4 diesel, 2004, HDI, XTR 92,000 Miles.........€2,450 • MAZDA MX5, 1.8 PETROL, 1991, 174,000 Miles.......................€1,950

~ RHD / LHD Taken in Part Exchange / purchased for cash

~ Full procurement service

1.9tdi, diesel, 2007, 104,000kms

€7,950

Ford Mondeo 2007, Diesel, 171,000kms

€6,950

citroen jumpy

2.0hdi, 2005, Diesel, 183,000kms

€5,950

Toyota Hilux

2004, 2.5D4D 168,981 kms

€5,450

fiat palio 1.9 2002 103,000kms

€3,450

ford focus

motorcycles

€10,950

2.0tdci, diesel, 2007, 164,000kms

Seat Leon

1.8tdi, diesel, 2003, 240,000kms

€2,950

Citroen xsara 2.0 TDi, Diesel, 2003, 139,000KM.

€2,950

AUDI A4

1.9TDI DIESEL, AUTO, 1997, 319,000KM

€2,450

Visit our website Over 40 cars in group stock

www.specialistvehicles.com

N-332 km carretera, Call us: 968 146 18 158 or 618 628 511

pilar de la horadada

●Re-registration service available ●no obligation test drives ●we bring the vehicle to you

40

SOLTIMES november 2015

www.soltimes.com

Tel 902 750 190