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Spain issues arrest warrant for Ukraine oligarch
Spanish police have announced an international arrest warrant against a powerful Ukrainian oligarch, identified by media Friday as controversial gas magnate Dmytro Firtash. Judicial authorities in Barcelona ordered "three European arrest warrants issued against Ukrainian citizens considered the leaders" of a criminal organisation involved in money laundering, police said in a statement late Thursday. "Among them was a major businessman in the gas sector in Ukraine," the statement said. Approached by AFP, a police spokeswoman refused to identify the oligarch. But Spanish media named him as Firtash, one of Ukraine's richest men, who made a fortune importing gas to Ukraine from Russia and Central Asia via his group Rosukrenergo in collaboration with Russian gas giant Gazprom. ABC said Firtash was accused of "close links with organised crime and having laundered 10 million euros ($10.6 million) in Spain that came from suspected criminal activities". Firtash was arrested in 2014 in Austria before being released on bail set at 125 million euros. Austrian authorities refused a request for his extradition in April last year to the United States,
where he was accused of corruption and membership of a criminal organisation. He was suspected of bribing civil servants in India in 2006 in order to secure titanium mining licences. Spanish police, announcing the arrest warrant, also said five suspected members of the same network had been arrested Thursday in Barcelona and in the southern resort of Marbella. A police spokeswoman told AFP they were all Spanish nationals, describing them as "second-tier collaborators" in the enterprise -- three lawyers and two bank employees who allegedly facilitated the money laundering. In an initial operation against the network in July, 12 people were arrested including Stepan Chernovetsky, son of colourful former Kiev mayor Leonid Chernovetsky, who founded major bank Pravex. Police said the network had laundered illicit gains from companies based mainly in Cyprus and the Virgin Islands. "The capital had been invested in the hotel business and in real estate worth 10 million euros," the statement said thelocal
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SERVING THE SAMARITANS SERVING THE COMMUNITY
Samaritans In Spain are available to support not just the local community, but provide help in various other parts of Spain, and are expanding to further areas. The latest fund-raising night at El Alto La Dolores was organised to raise money for this very worthy cause, and a fantastic night with Woody, ended with 965 euros being raised. The cruise, donated by the Restaurant owners, was won this time by Alan Chew, from El Raso. On Wednesday, 14th December, a special Christmas Party night has been organised, in aid of
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The Children’s Care Home Elche. Entertainment will be provided by Paula ‘B’, one extremely talented lady, with her tribute show. This is one not to miss, and early booking is advised, as these nights are so popular, that we always sell out early, and have to disappoint so many people. Tickets for the Christmas Party are 15 euros, which includes a 3 course meal, and are available from Restaurante El Alto La Dolores; The Card Place in Benimar, The Post Room Benijofar, and REDZ cafe bar in Quesada.
Cruise winner Alan Chew with Restaurant owner Berna, and Lynda Brettle and Glenys Palmer from Samaritans In Spain
November 2016
Spain seeks answers for Israel's drone gift to Russia
Spain said Friday it had requested clarification from Israel after its agriculture minister gifted visiting Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev a Spanish-made drone without the necessary authorisation. Earlier this month, as Medvedev visited an Israeli agricultural research centre, Uri Ariel gave him the drone used for crop inspections in an apparently spontaneous, unexpected gesture -- a move only allowed if Spain agrees, due to the sensitive nature of the product. The gift, which may have contained technology not meant to be shared, comes as tensions are high between the West and Russia over the war in Syria and the Ukraine conflict. Medvedev willingly accepted the helicopter drone made by Spanish company Alpha Unmanned Systems, which its chief executive Eric Freeman said sells for 50,000 euros ($53,000). A spokesman for Spain's foreign ministry told AFP the sale to Israel's Volcani Centre came complete with "an export licence in which this centre is listed as the final user". The licence, according to the spokesman, also "stipulates that it is expressly forbidden to cede the equipment to third parties without the prior consent of Spanish authorities." "Spain's government was not asked for this authorisation," he said, adding that the foreign ministry had sent an official note to Israel's embassy in Madrid "seeking clarifications on the issue." Ariel's ministry earlier this month issued a statement acknowledging that the drone was given to Medvedev, but said the gift had been approved by "the relevant professional officials". Freeman's firm sold two such gasoline-powered helicopter drones,
which the Volcani Centre fitted with cameras made by an American firm. It is unclear, though, whether Medvedev received the drone with or without its remote control or thermal camera, with Haaretz newspaper reporting that staff at the centre had refused to give the components away. According to Freeman, the cameras -- not the drones -- have potentially sensitive technology. But his company's helicopters can also be put to military or police use, for surveillance tasks. - Gift 'surprised everybody' Ariel's decision was "completely spontaneous," Freeman said. "It surprised everybody, especially the people at the Volcani Centre, who after a long wait of getting all the necessary approvals, had finally just got the OK to fly this. "They have two of them, and one of them has just been given away as a gift." Israel's agriculture ministry said it would quickly purchase a new drone to replace it -- though some pointed out that this would have to come at taxpayers' expense. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel called for Ariel to pay for the drone from his own pocket, while opposition politicians slammed Ariel's largesse. Nachman Shai of the opposition Zionist Union said the minister, from the far-right Jewish Home party, had been duped into handing "knowledge and technologies to the wrong countries." Stav Shaffir, a lawmaker also from the Zionist Union, called for Ariel's resignation. Israel's embassy in Madrid was not immediately available for comment. expatica
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Spanish villagers blow froth off reports of Corona baron's bonanza Cerezales del Condado residents say local man who became beer boss did not leave them €2m each – but they’re not bitter All too often, the only enduring legacy of beer is a pounding head, a rebellious gut and an imprecise yet nagging sense of shame. For the 77 residents of the Spanish village of Cerezales del Condado, however, it has had far more agreeable consequences. The late Antonino Fernández – who left the village for Mexico in 1949 and went on to become president of the Grupo Modelo brewing giant that produces Corona beer – spent millions of euros reversing the decline of his home town, resurfacing its roads and restoring its church. But this extraordinary largesse did not extend to leaving each villager €2m (£1.7m) in his will. The inhabitants of the village in León province awoke on Friday baffled by media reports that Fernández, who died in August, had made them millionaires overnight. “He left money to his family in his
will, but he didn’t leave any to the people in the village,” said a spokeswoman for the Fundación Cerezales Antonino y Cinia, which was set up by Fernández and his wife. “We’ve read the articles but we’ve got no idea how it got around. We think it came from an article in the Diario de León after he died, which said he’d left more than €200m to his relatives.” She added: “The village isn’t celebrating – it’s still in mourning for a muchloved neighbour.” Maximino Sánchez, the owner of the village’s only bar, Cantina, also confirmed, a little ruefully, that neither he nor his neighbours were suddenly rich beyond their wildest dreams. “Have all the neighbours been given a lump sum? No, that’s not true,” he said. “But we’re all very
happy with all the work that’s been done to benefit the village and turn it around.” According to those in Cerezales del Condado, his generosity over the years has helped reverse the village’s slow decline and dramatically improved the lives of its inhabitants. “This is a really small village: there’s only two kids and just 30 of us here during the winter,” Sánchez said. “There’s not much here – no industry – so it’s hard to make a living. But thanks to Don Antonino’s selfless gifts, we now have clean, running water in all our homes. All the roads in the village have been resurfaced, and the church, which was in a bad state, has been completely restored inside and out.” F e r n á n d e z ’ s munificence does not end there: the village square has been renovated; its Christmas
Cubans for and against Fidel Castro clash violently in front of embassy in Madrid
PRO-CASTRO and anti-Castro demonstrators had to be broken up by police after they came face to face outside the Cuban embassy in Madrid within hours of the former leader's death being announced. Insults were traded, against opponents of the Castro régime living in Spain, and against those who supported the government of the communist Caribbean nation. The Cuban flag flew at half-mast from the embassy on the Paseo de la Habana, and numerous reporters had gone there in person to seek quotes from and views of Cubans on the loss of their former and controversial president, who passed away aged 90 in the early hours of this morning. About 150 of those outside were pro-Castro, with only another dozen or so anti-Castro. Among these was the chairman of the association Cuba Democracia Ya ('Cuba Democracy Now'), Rigoberto Carceller, who had brought bottles of champagne to raise a toast – 'not to Fidel's death, may God forgive him, but to today being the start of a new era for the Cuban people'. Riot police confiscated the bottles in case they were thrown when the gatherings got out of hand. Officers worked mainly in a mediating role, trying to persuade the more aggressive of the demonstrators to 'stay calm' and keep their gathering 'peaceful'. “Cuba, Fidel and Che, the revolution lives on,” chanted some of the Cubans who conglomerated outside the embassy, with many speaking highly of the social progress in terms of education and healthcare seen during the Castro régime – for example, university education on the island has always been free of charge, meaning practically every Cuban takes a degree. Luis Pérez, chairman of the Cuban expat organisation Girón Beach, was wrapped in a flag of his home country and stressed that thanks to Castro, Cuba had no problems with illiteracy or lack of access to healthcare – indeed, the Caribbean island is known for its sophisticated medical
November 2016
nativity scene is attracting visitors from far and wide, and the cultural centre is thriving. “Two new people have come to live here permanently – they wouldn’t have come if things weren’t the way they are,” Sánchez said. “That would have been impossible before.” Fernández, who left school at 14 to help his family in the fields and eventually rose to the top of Grupo Modelo, appears never to have forgotten those he left behind. “Don Antonino’s always been seen here with great respect and lot of affection,” Sánchez said. “He was a really humble, nice and goodhearted man. This was a powerful businessman, but when he came here he would hug all the kids and talk to everyone in the village about the way things used to be. There aren’t a lot of people like that.” Asked what kind of beer Cantina offers its customers, Sánchez laughed: “Only beers from Grupo Modelo: Corona, Modelo black, blonde, and Pacífico.” https://www.theguardian.com
Dutch passenger caught in Madrid airport with €180,000 in cash in heels of her shoes
research. But others, who recalled that poverty was rife under the Castro régime, called the late leader a 'dictator' and criticised Spaniards who supported the Cuban government and yet whose only experience of the country was to 'go there to lie on the beach'. Despite its isolation from the rest of the world, tourism has always been huge in Cuba, with travel agencies in Spain offering excellent all-inclusive deals at beach-side hotels in Varadero and La Habana year-round. Yuniel Jacomino, one of the 'antis' in the crowd and spokesperson for one of the many Cuban expat associations, said with Fidel Castro's death 'goodness knows how many dissenters' lives have been saved'. Police managed to get the demonstrators to stay on either side of the road on different pavements, and they eventually dispersed after the ambassador and other diplomats came out of the building, greeted them collectively and accepted two large bouquets of flowers in the colours of the Cuban flag. Cubans remain thin on the ground in Spain, despite the genetic connection – exiles from the early 20th century from Spain to Cuba who never left created families now in their third and fourth generations – but partly due to relaxation of the communist régime after Raúl Castro took over from his ageing brother and partly due to the end of the political 'cold war' between Cuba and the USA, Cubans are now the fastest-growing expatriate group in their mother country on the European side of the pond. thinkspain
A PASSENGER due to fly to Colombia from Madrid's Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport was carrying €180,000 in cash in her shoes, says the National Police. The 29-year-old Dutch woman also had €5,950 in cash in her purse, although this amount is permitted and does not have to be declared. She had flown in from Brussels and was due to catch a connecting flight to Medellín, Colombia, from Madrid, but was pulled over when she appeared to be 'acting suspiciously'. Her high-heeled shoes had been 'labouriously manipulated' to create a double layer inside the heel part, and two small packages had been hidden in each. The packets all contained €45,000 each in €500 notes, folded up very small. Sums in cash of €10,000 or over carried in hand luggage or checked baggage have to be declared in customs with proof of its origin as part of international money-laundering laws. High-heeled shoes nearly always have to be taken off at the security gates and placed through the X-ray machines. thinkspain
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Botulism cases in Alicante and Germany linked to brand of dried salted fish TWO cases of botulism in the province of Alicante and another in Germany linked to a brand of dried salted fish produced in The Netherlands has led to it being withdrawn from sale in various parts of Spain Salted r o a c h (r u t i l u s rutilus, known in Spanish and branded as such in supermarkets as rutilo), stocked in refrigeration cabinets and bearing the identification number NL-6114-EG, distributed by Monolith Alimentos España Sur (in Valencia) and Norte (in Catalunya) has been taken off the shelves after two consumers in the province of Alicante reported having been apparently affected by the bug. Both showed ‘very similar symptoms’, although it has yet to be confirmed whether they caught
botulism from eating dried roach. All supermarkets and delicatessens in the towns of Dénia, Altea, La Nucia, To r r ev i e ja, Benidorm, Orihuela and Alicante city have taken it off the shelves, as have those in the province of C astellón, G a n d i a (Valencia p r o v i n c e) and Valencia city. In Catalunya, shops in Barcelona, Badalona and Sabadell (Barcelona province), Salou (Tarragona province) and Lleida have withdrawn it from
Experts in the judicial and health ambit have coincided in that Brexit will not affect British residents in Spain, and they are also convinced the current system will remain for visiting tourists. This was one of the conclusions from the III Forum of Health Tourism which was held on Wednesday in the Quirón Hospital in Torrevieja (Alicante) and was titled ‘Considering the health attention to foreign residents’. Several experts from various areas attended, including the general director of the said hospital Francisco Fiestras, the general director from La Verdad (co-organiser of the event) Antonio González and the member from Alicante Provincial Tourism, Eduardo Dolón. The lawyer’s office of Heredia & Pellicer and expert on international law Pedro Heredia, the director of the Alicante Provincial Immigration Observatory and professor in the Elche University Alfonso Ortega, the person responsible from Quirón Victoria Abad, and the coordinator from the British Associations of the Vega Baja and president of Help, a NGO, Michelle Masson.
sale. The Spanish Consumer, Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AECOSAN), part of the ministry of health, says it has received a European alert after a case of botulism in Germany thought to have been caused by the same product.
Spanish shelter head on trial for 'killing' over 2,000 cats and dogs
The head of an animal shelter is on trial in Spain, accused of killing over 2,000 dogs and cats in a way that provoked a "slow and painful agony," judicial authorities said Tuesday. Prosecutors charge the woman and the janitor of the Parque Animal centre in Torremolinos on the southern Costa del Sol injected the drugs without any previous sedation and directly into muscle tissue, instead of intravenously as recommended. They also accuse the pair of using a smaller dose of the euthanizing drugs than is advised, to save money. "The animals were submitted to a slow and painful agony, which was totally unjustified and which the accused were aware of since the animals contorted in pain in front of them for hours," prosecutors wrote in charges obtained Tuesday. They accuse the pair of having killed 2,183 animals between January 2009 and October 2010 when the alleged slaughter of the animals first came to light during an inspection of the facilities. The pair would allegedly disconnect security cameras when they carried out these "mass extinctions" and would play loud music over a megaphone to mask the "howls" made by the animals, prosecutors added. Both defendants have denied the allegations. The majority of animals
Brexit will not affect medical attention for the Britons living in Spain
that were allegedly killed by the pair were young and in good health, and in some cases were put down just days after being dropped off at the shelter, which was founded in 1996. Prosecutors allege a man dropped off two puppies at the shelter in June 2010 and the animals were killed later that same day. The man had paid the shelter 60 euros ($64) to take in the puppies. They believe the pair killed the animals to "reduce costs" and make room for the centre's for-profit activities. The shelter for abandoned animals also provided paid grooming services as well as a private animal clinic even though the director did not have a veterinary diploma. The woman, Carmen Marin Aguilar, told the court in the southern city of Malaga at the start of her trial last week that she "loves animals". "I don't even dare to cut their nails," she added, according to the Europa Press news agency. She also said she could not have injected the animals since she has a "phobia" of needles. The trial is expected to wrap up on December 9. Prosecutors have asked that she be given a four-year jail term for animal abuse, document falsification and the illegal exercise of the veterinary profession. expatica
All of them wanted to issue a message of ‘calm’ to the British population resident in Spain and also on the Costa Blanca after the ‘hysteria’ which some of those for Brexit had provoked. According to Heredia, the European norms will guarantee the rights to health material and will not be ‘restricted or eliminated’, while the tourists will be dependent on the guarantee of a reciprocal health agreement being reached. On that last point, Ortega added, all European citizens have the right to emergency health attention which also covers children and pregnant women, and he agreed for greater coverage a bilateral agreement between the UK and Spain will be needed to ensure correct repayments for the health services offered. In concrete, Spain is the second health provider for the United Kingdom for which the NHS paid Spain nearly 281 million € last year. There is an imbalance here as the NHS paid Spain just over 4 million € for attention to the Spanish residents in the United Kingdom, for which Ortega noted ‘the figures provoke an agreement’ as both countries are ‘condemned to understand each other’. In any case, this expert believes that Brexit ‘ will be decaffeinated’ and finally may not be produced, but if it is ‘nothing would happen to the European Union’s 27 countries with the United Kingdom acting ‘like a satellite’ in a status as seen in Norway and Island. He also considered the reason for the British public living in Spain is they have not been properly informed, given such as separation has not yet happened. Francisco Fiestras agreed and warned about making any precipitated decisions and suggested a new campaign of information to reassure the British residents and tourist that ‘they must know their health will be covered, in one way or another’ he added. The British representative agreed about the lack of information, given she has been in contact with many of her compatriots and blamed the British media for generating doubts and uncertainties, because the expats read British papers. Some have been so worried they have already returned home and put their property on sale. Despite it all Eduardo Dolón underlined hotel tourism has not yet seen any Brexit effect despite the large currency change and he suggested everyone should work together ‘to dissipate doubts’. As a conclusion, all were in agreement of the importance of better promoting correct information, in both countries, ‘to ensure future healthcare is stable and totally covered’ http://www.typicallyspanish.com
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Income inequality up in Spain despite recent economic growth
After Portugal, Spanish low-wage earners suffered the greatest salary cuts of all OECD countries Inequality is one of the biggest consequences of the economic crisis in Spain. The latest Income Inequality Update by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that between 2010 and 2014, Spanish workers with the lowest salaries suffered the greatest wage cuts of all OECD member states after Portugal. An improving economy has not translated into benefits for everyone. An improving economy has not translated into benefits for everyone. / Massimiliano Minocri (EL PAÍS) “In Spain, despite the prolonged period of strong job creation, stimulated by the 2012 labour reform, persistently high levels of long-term unemployment, falling real wages and persisting labour market segmentation translated into a sharp fall of labour incomes, especially at the bottom,” reads the report, which was released on Thursday. Spain also has the highest rate of poor workers after Turkey and Chile. Higher-income households benefited more from the recovery than those with middle and lower incomes “Higher-income households benefited more from the recovery than those with middle and lower incomes,” states the study. “The fruits of the economic recovery have not been evenly shared.” In Spain, inequality grew in 2014 even
though the economy was growing at a rate of 1.4%. The reports finds that the average Gini coefficient of disposable household income – “a standard measure of inequality that takes the value of 0 when everybody has the same income and 1 when one person has all the income” – reached 0.346. In 2007 that figure was 0.324 while in 2012 it was 0.335, according to the OECD. In 2014, the bottom 10% of workers in Spain earned just 2% of all income in the country while the top 10% earned 24.7%. Fiscal policy and social transfers are two of the top instruments to fight inequality. The OECD report analysed redistribution of wealth through subsidies and taxes, and found that in Spain, redistribution grew at the beginning of the crisis, but stalled beginning in 2010. Less purchasing power Salaries have been harder hit by the crisis than statistics had suggested to date. Recent data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) show that between 2008 and 2014 salaries retreated 0.7%, while prices rose 8.5%. This resulted in a 9.2% loss of purchasing power, a figure which topped 10% at the height of the crisis. A drop in prices coupled with wage raises in 2014 have helped lower that figure somewhat. The latest INE figures confirm what Spaniards had been saying all along: that the decline in purchasing power has been a lot more intense than what statistics had showed. elpais
November 2016
Government admits it will be forced to raise minimum salary if bill passes
Minority government opposes move but has no power to veto it; PM to meet union leaders on Thursday The Spanish government admits that if a bill put forward by the leftist group Unidos Podemos to raise the minimum wage gets greenlighted by parliament, it will have no choice but to apply it. Although the ruling Popular Party (PP) opposes raising the minimum salary from €655.20 a month to €800 on January 1, 2018, there is no legal way to stop it, given that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is heading a minority government with no power to impose its views in a fragmented Congress. The bill was introduced on Tuesday and will now go to committee, undergo amendments, return to the lower house and be referred to the Senate. If the text passes in both houses, the government will have no choice but to enact it into law, admitted sources at La Moncloa, the seat of government. The bill still needs to overcome a series of hurdles If so, it will be the first opposition-sponsored initiative to be approved against the PP’s wishes and affecting economic policy. Although the Constitution allows the executive to veto bills that could throw the budget off balance, Rajoy cannot fall back on this option because the wage hike would go into effect in 2018, and therefore does not affect the current public accounts. Once the law is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), the PP could lodge an appeal with the Constitutional Court, but this would not stop its going into effect. Union leaders Pepe Álvarez of UGT and Ignacio F. Toxo of CCOO have repeatedly asked for a wage raise. Union leaders Pepe Álvarez of UGT and Ignacio F. Toxo of CCOO have repeatedly asked for a wage raise. / EFE Partial amendments The bill still needs to overcome a series of hurdles, including differing viewpoints by the various opposition parties. At the amendment stage, the Socialist Party (PSOE) will ask for the wage raise to be more gradual, while regional pro-independence parties will request leeway to apply a different index depending on the region. Rajoy and Labour Minister Fátima Báñez are scheduled to meet with union and employer representatives on Thursday to discuss the matter of minimum wages. Spain’s two major labor unions, CC OO and UGT, have been repeatedly demanding a quick hike to €800, followed by a more gradual raise to €1,000 (spread out over 14 monthly payments). elpais
CHATTERS CHRISTMAS CHEER The final meeting of Chatters for this year will take place on Wednesday 14th December at The Pasty Shack in Rio Nalon, close to the Mercadona, in Los Alcazares. All are welcome and as usual the meeting will be preceded by complimentary refreshments from 10.15 until 10.45 The Meeting will start at 11am. Please note that this is a week earlier than usual due to the proximity of Christmas. Instead of a customary Guest Speaker the meeting will feature a return visit by Billy Aviles, the well-known local magician. This year he will be accompanied by a colleague on guitar. Music as well as magic! Together with a Christmas themed Quiz and Picture Quiz this is a great opportunity to get straight into the Christmas spirit. After the Meeting those with tickets will be able to enjoy a Pasty Shack Traditional Christmas Carvery. A very few tickets are
still available and any remaining can be purchased directly from the Pasty Shack from Thursday 8th December. There will be no meeting in January whilst the Team at The Pasty Shack take a well-earned rest but Chatters will resume in February on the third Wednesday of each month. Why not come along? Meet old friends and perhaps make new ones. Everybody is welcome and there is no charge. Chatters is sponsored by Help At Home, a local charity who specialise in providing a little extra help to those in temporary need in and around there own home. New Volunteers are especially welcome. Follow us on Facebook, or find out more by visiting www.helpathome.es.
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A touch of 'Game of Thrones' magic on small Spanish town
When the mayor of the small southern Spanish town of Osuna called Jesus Cansino to tell him "Game of Thrones" was coming to shoot part of season five, he wouldn't believe it. "She said, 'They're coming to film a series, I'm not sure you know it'. I started laughing," says the 43-year-old town hall employee and long-time fan of the multi-award-winning series, sitting at a sundrenched cafe. But it was no lie. Princess Daenerys Targaryen, her dragons and crew descended on Osuna's centuryold bullfighting ring in October 2014 to film what is regarded as one of the season's best scenes, and the town nestled deep in arid Andalusia has not looked back since. With Cansino now in charge of promoting Osuna to "Thronies", or fans of the series, visitor numbers have soared and foreigners are regularly seen wandering round the town of white-washed houses, monasteries and Roman ruins -- once a draw mainly for Spaniards. In the first 12 months after the shoot, the number of tourists to Osuna shot up 70 percent, and while it slowed down in the second year, it was still up around 35 percent, says tourism councillor Rafael Diaz. This compares to a 10 to 15 percent rise in years prior to Game of Thrones, a series so popular that shooting locations in Spain, Malta, Croatia and Northern Ireland have become a draw for "set-jetters", who visit destinations seen in films or series. Review site TripAdvisor analysed the number of people visiting pages dedicated to "Game of Thrones" locations between May 2013 and May 2015 and found that Osuna came top, with a 35 percent rise in interest, followed by Mdina in Malta. - 'Have to work on it' The influx in Osuna has yet to change the fortunes of an 18,000-strong, mainly agricultural town surrounded by olive groves with 22 percent unemployment. But it has helped create jobs and put the town
on the international tourist map -- so much so that the local newsagent now stocks the Daily Mail, Bild and Le Monde newspapers. "A few years ago, there was just one company that did guided tours, now we have two and two others are in the works," says Diaz. The tourism office is now staffed with four employees rather than just one, and authorities have opened previously closed buildings such as the 467-year-old university, taking advantage of the visitor influx to show off the rest of the town. The local museum has also launched a permanent exhibition devoted to "Game of Thrones", complete with photos of the shoot. And some restaurants and shops in town have capitalised on a series many in Osuna were once unfamiliar with. Teresa Jimenez, the bubbly 53 year old who runs the Casa Curro restaurant where actress Emilia Clarke celebrated her birthday during the shoot, has had to double her staff since then. With a wall adorned with pictures of the series' stars, she also has dishes named after the characters. "Gnomas", for instance, is a grilled cinnamon apple named after Tyrion Lannister because both the character and the piece of fruit are "small", she explains. The allure of "Game of Thrones" will not last forever, though, and the town has to keep thinking up ways of attracting visitors in a bid to expand a tourism sector it hopes will bring more money in. "Many people think that when a film crew comes, money is going to fall from the sky," says Cansino. "But you have to work on it." Plans are afoot to give visitors in the bullfighting ring a virtual reality headset with which they will fly through the air like a dragon, looking down on
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the natural sites around Osuna in the hope of getting them to visit those too. Cansino is also planning a national competition of medieval combat in the very arena where Khaleesi was saved by her dragon. And as "Game of Thrones" crew descend on other parts of Spain for season seven, several towns have called Osuna for advice, like Zumaia in the northern Basque Country. The tiny seaside town known for its unusual rock formations had already been overwhelmed by visitors after a popular Spanish film was shot there, Diaz explains. The prospect of Thronies descending on them had them positively "scared", he adds. Even well-established tourist destinations have reaped the benefits, such as Peniscola on Spain's eastern shore -- the scene of Daenerys Targaryen's city of Meereen. "'Game of Thrones' was a real gift for us," says Laura Hidalgo, spokeswoman for the city hall. "From July 2015 when the film shoot was announced up to now, there have been more than 5,000 news items in the international press," she says -- free publicity estimated to be worth more than 35 million euros ($38 million). Back in Osuna, meanwhile, residents like to recall the time when actors like Clarke, Peter Dinklage and "the good-looking one" -- also known as Michiel Huisman -walked through the streets. People would congregate outside their hotels like it was "Hollywood", recalls one resident. "It was great," says Dolores Padilla-Cuervo, 64, walking down the street dressed in colourful, flowery trousers. "And there's much more atmosphere now, more people from outside town." But as for the series itself... not so much. "It's very violent, a lot of war -- not for me." http://www.expatica.com
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November 2016
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www.soltimes.com When you are preparing your home for cold weather you should find each area in the home that has a draft or space between the door and frame. Most of the older homes have doors that tend to sag with age and the weather stripping on windows and doors begins to weaken. The first thing you will need to do is replace the weather stripping. You can hire a professional or save a little money and buy the weather stripping yourself. You will want to make sure you are placing the new weather stripping in the exact spot of the old stuff to make sure you are plugging the holes in the frame. You may also want to re-caulk around the windows to make sure you have stopped the drafts. If you are still experiencing problems with drafts when the wind blows hard or your still have cold air seeping in you can do two things. Number one is to buy heavy curtains. The curtains will help block the drafts from seeping into the entire house. While it may not plug the draft completely it does help to keep the cooler air out and the heat in. You can also create fabric snakes. Fabric snakes are just long tubing filled with cushioning that can be place in front of windows and doors to keep the air from seeking in with the drafts. They
also add a décor to the home. If you have a larger crevice you will want to use a foam spray with straw to plug the hole. The spray will expand in the hole to keep the air from getting through. You may need to scrap around the area to make sure it is clean of debris before spraying the foam into the areas. You also want to make sure not to spray too much. Overflow will look nasty and it can be hard to cover up with paint. Older homes usually have wood burning fireplaces. Using the fireplaces instead of the electric heat can save on your energy bill. Also keep in mind that heat rises so if you block off the upstairs rooms you are not using during the day you will keep most of the heat downstairs at a more comfortable level. Heat will still get upstairs, but you won't lose as much. Preparing your home for cold weather can include several options from window coverings, caulking, weather stripping, replacing older boards or windows, and making sure your pipes are wrapped with insulation. http://www.eyeonspain.com/
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November 2016
Things You Didn't Know You Could Dye
You've dyed it all: table linens, tea towels, cotton blouses, and you mastered the art of shibori like a pro. So what's left? You'd be surprised. Beyond fabrics, take on these one-of-a-kind dyeing projects. And suddenly, your entire home will be awash with new colours. These dime-a-dozen pillars were dipped in beeswax tinted with crayon shavings -- raid the kids' art supplies and your colour options will be virtually endless. Group candles of different sizes, with wax bands of varying heights, for a striking scene on a sideboard or as a centrepiece.
materials
White pillar candles, assorted sizes, jamaligarden.com Bleached beeswax beads (for melting), sculpt.com Double boiler or slow cooker Vegetable peeler or knife Crayons, in various colours Wooden spoon Taper candle Ceramic plate or baking sheet
steps
Candles
These dime-a-dozen plain pillar candles were dip-dyed into a cohesive, cooltoned collection. And here's the magic: all you need are candles, a slow-cooker, and a secret ingredient to bring color to the dye bath.
Buttons
You bet, even buttons! It's a perfect solution to replacing a button in a certain colour. These are wood, fabric, and mother-of-pearl (the last one requiring a more concentrated dye bath).
1. Place wax beads in a double boiler or a slow cooker with a non-stick insert, filling about a quarter of the way. Melt wax, adding more chips for a higher wax line. 2. Use vegetable peeler or knife to shave bits of crayon into wax (totalling about a quarter of a crayon). Stir to blend. Let any bubbles settle, and dip a taper candle into wax to test the colour (once beeswax dries, it can be broken off, so you can use the taper for the next batch). Add more shavings for darker colour. Remove wax from heat. 3. With a slow, even motion, dip base of 1 pillar candle to the desired height. Hold candle in melted wax for 5 to 10 seconds; remove, and set candle, tinted end down, on plate or baking sheet to dry (once wax hardens, the candle should be easy to remove). If making multiple candles, return wax to heat as needed to maintain proper consistency. 4. Let leftover wax solidify, and it will pop out easily. (Wash the pot or insert well afterward to use it again for food.) ˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
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What's better than a handwritten card? A card you made yourself. Dipdyeing is one of the easiest ways. Different papers will take dye differently, but heavier textured cardstock will soak better than coated paper.
Steps
1. Fill plastic bin with hot water to a depth of at least 6 inches. Stir in dye, starting with a small amount and adding more as desired. Dip a sample strip of paper towel to test the colour. If too dark, add water; if too light, add dye. Let solution settle, so there are no bubbles at the surface. 2. Holding your paper as straight as possible, dip into dye solution to desired line. Keep paper in dye until it turns the desired colour. Hang to dry.
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www.soltimes.com
How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Everything
Are you too hard on yourself? Learn to cut yourself some slack with this selfkindness plan.
Constantly feeling guilty gnaws at your emotional well-being and causes negativity to snowball. “It can make you feel defeated, anxious, or even depressed,” says Susan Krauss Whitbourne, PhD, professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. And we often beat ourselves up for no good reason, she adds: “Most of the time, we manufacture guilt in our minds simply because of the ridiculous expectations we set for ourselves.” Yank yourself out of the spiral with this three-week plan to being your own best friend.
Week 1: ID your guilt triggers
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of the week, pinpoint the issues that incited guilt more things out of proportion." Practice short-circuiting your than once or weighed on you more heavily than others. regret when it’s truly unnecessary. (You’ll deal with the lesser regrets in week three.) Reframe a fail: Look at it with a practical eye. Instead Week 2: Change your perspective of "I shouldn’t have left the office early today with my "You don’t want to try to just be ‘over’ a guilt that’s current workload," tell yourself, "I needed to cut out in coming up a lot for you," says Whitbourne. "Pull it out, order to attend this doctor’s appointment that was long look at it and come up with some alternative interpre- overdue." tations." Laugh it off: "Humor is one of the greatest antidotes to Envision a redo: Think (or even talk out loud) about guilt," says Whitbourne. Poke fun at yourself: You ran what you wish you were doing differently—maybe you out of time to bake and brought a store-bought dessert want to have a better attitude at work, or you think you to the holiday party? How dare you even show up! should reel in your spending by creating a budget. “It Find a silver lining: Let’s say you’re upset because you doesn’t mean you have to go out and make some dras- slapped together your gift wrapping this year. "Well, tic change right this minute, but you’re talking about it, you also didn’t go to the department store and have and that’s productive,” says Susie Moore, a life coach them wrap it for you," says Whitbourne. "You’re showin New York City and the author of What If It Does ing the person that you love them enough to put in Work Out?. the effort." Pick a different emotion: "Guilt and sadness and anxi- http://www.health.com ety are all on a continuum in a way,” says Whitbourne. “And when we’re stressed, it’s easy to be self-critical." Try asking, "Wait, does it really make sense to be feeling guilty at this moment? Or am I letting stress get benefits consultancy to me?” Do you suffer from mobility problems, Realize you’re human: "Perfectionism is often what breathlessness/pain or falls/stumbles? drives guilt," says Whitbourne. "At some point, you Do you need help washing / dressing or supervision? have to just accept your limitations." Moore adds that You could be entitled to extra income by it can even help to tell yourself, "No mom or wife or claiming UK sickness / disability benefits while living in Spain employee is doing everything flawlessly."
“If you can learn to pause and recognize when you feel guilt coming on, you’re halfway toward fixing the problem,” says Whitbourne. So right off the bat, get to the bottom of what makes you feel the most remorse. Pay attention: Notice any moments you feel guilty, as well as what prompted the pangs (you missed a deadline, you spent a lot of money). It may help to take some notes, either on paper or in your smartphone. Check the frequency: Did you get ticked at yourself Week 3: Shake off the small stuff each time you bought a $15 lunch this week? Do you lie in bed every night wishing you’d been more patient "To say you will never feel guilty again about somewith your kids? Track how often specific subjects leave thing silly would be ridiculous," says Whitbourne. "But you regretful. Group the majors and minors: At the end it’s important to recognize when you may be blowing
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November 2016
The Railway Man by Eric Lomax
“Sometimes the hating has to stop.” Engraved on Eric Lomax’s tombstone. The film was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2013 and released in the UK in January 2014. Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and starring Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Jeremy Irvine ( War Horse) and Stellan Skarsgard. The book was published in 1995 and it was a lifelong ambition of Lomax’s to retell some extremely harrowing stories of POW beatings and torture during the second world war. The film captures some of his enthusiasm for the railway and his childhood fascination with locomotives but fails to show his passion although the book is far more successful. In other ways too. Eric was an officer in Singapore until its fall and then he became one of many POWs to be sent by the Japanese to work on the Thai-Burma railway, known as death railway because of the high number of fatalities. I was fortunate to visit the area a few years ago and travel on the same line up to the bridge over the River Kwai. Perhaps fortunate is rather misplaced here? Eric and his mates have to repair the machinery used to construct the railway. Initially they have a lot of freedom and life is not particularly difficult.
They find parts easily and make a rudimentary radio which allows them to follow the allies’ victories. It doesn’t take the Japanese long to realise what is happening and they discover the radio. The mechanics are treated brutally, including Lomax. Two of them die from their beatings and Lomax is left physically broken as well as mentally traumatised. The men are taken to Outram prison where disease is rife. In the film it is Irvine who is subjected to the waterboarding torture and his screams for mother are disturbing. Takashi Nagase was the Japanese interpreter responsible for Lomax’s nightmares. After the war it was always Lomax’s intention to track him down and kill him for subjecting him to so much abuse. He meets Patti and falls in love. Without her tenderness it is unlikely he would have pulled through. Post Traumatic Stress was not recognised and therefore not treated. Just like Laura Hilenbrand’s Unbroken we learn about the power of forgiveness and how it can heal. The film only touches on these issues. If you can cope with the torture then the book is a must to read.
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REVIEW it by Carol Naylor.
Hello and welcome to CanDu Computer Bytes. If you need professional computer help that comes from over 38 years experience, you can contact me to make an appointment to come to my workshop, or I can come to you, by calling 689 892 745 or by Email: canducomputing@ hotmail.co.uk! Last week we looked at what ‘Phishing’ scams are and how to spot and avoid them! This week we can, for completeness, look at another scam (easier to spell than ‘Social Engineering Confidence Trick’) which may have come from the word ‘scamp’ (19c English slang for rogue). This scam is a slow, careful and deliberate. Each step taken when the previous step has proven safe. You are slowly moved, emotionally, to a final objective and that is to part you from your money. Call me cynical but this is very much like the method used by poor ‘Elizabethans’ to find a marriage partner that can give them the ‘easy’ life that they desire. The method is simple: Offer something that someone wants, but doesn’t have, and in return get something that you want but don’t have. Sounds very business like! The goods ‘offered’ in the ‘Girlfriend’ scam is her ‘heart’ (yeah right!), and usually, an extremely attractive face and body of someone far younger. The pay-off comes much later! I love puzzles! That is why I went to College and then University to study computers – to be paid for solving problems and this presented me with a puzzle that I couldn’t pass up. I received an email from a young lady asking me to contact her. It appears that she was a young (26) Russian girl (with a very English name). Now let’s have a clear understanding, I’m a very ordinary looking 50 something Yorkshireman that couldn’t understand how an apparently stunning 26 year old woman could find me attractive!!! This is where my alarm bells started ringing (actually it was more like ‘Big Ben’), but I was intrigued, even curious and wanted to see where this
journey would take me, so I played along with it keeping in mind that there was something very wrong with this! As part of the build up she was very willing to tell me all about herself and attach pictures of herself dressing informally (nothing to raise suspicion but I still scanned the pictures for viruses and malware – just in case!). At first the emails were light and fluffy all about day to day things and huge amounts of information about her. This developed into a weekly exchange of emails where information (false on my part and probably on hers too) was exchanged and a rapport was developed. After several months there was a subtle shift in the tone of the emails from friendship to overt affection. This was the point where I started asking very direct questions about things that she had said, for example, who was taking the photos. First clue: they stick to the ‘script’ avoiding any improvisation as this will allow them to be tripped up. In other words, I didn’t get an answer! I let these questions drop as I didn’t want to make them suspicious, but by now ‘Big Ben’ was in full peal! After several more months she suggested that we should meet and she would fly to England to meet me (I didn’t correct her assumption of where I lived)! After our ‘courtship’ (what a lovely but underused word), when she was convinced that I was ‘softened up’ enough, came the sucker punch that she would need $500 for the flight and $760 for the Visa to visit. Note the currency was American Dollars! So, If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! If something feels off, it probably is! Finally, if you don’t know the sender or haven’t asked for whatever they are ‘selling’, delete the email and go get a full English breakfast :-) Have a trouble free week, but if you don’t, remember my skills, qualifications and experience when deciding who to get to fix them for you.
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14 Film Review
15
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Spanish police publish 10 fugitives' photos, including one Brit
NATIONAL Police in Spain are hunting for 10 criminals on the run – one of whom is British – and have published their photos to enlist the public's help in tracking them down. All of them are wanted for very serious crimes, and anyone who thinks they may have information possibly leading to their capture should email fugitivos@policia.es or call 91 582 41 36. Among them is 25-year-old Gareth Bryan Edwards from Aylesham in Buckinghamshire, who fled the UK to escape sentence for various violent burglaries. He is said to be 'a very dangerous person', probably armed and in possession of drugs. One woman is among the escaped criminals – 32-year-old Hayet Boughanmi Ep Abbas, also known as Hayet Kaubisch, from Tunisia - who, along with a Moroccan male friend, stabbed a German man 53 times leaving him for dead. Hayet could be in Andalucía or Catalunya, and may be pretending to be Moroccan. Giuglielmo Cirillo, 27, from Mugnano, Naples, is a member of the Polverino Clan, a dangerous Italian mafia involved in drug-dealing, and may be in the Balearic Islands. Rafal Czerwoniek, 46, from Poland, was sentenced in Germany for belonging to an international drugs racket, and may be living in the Canary Islands. Ishak Merenvouri, 50, from Algeria but with Finnish nationality, is sought for a sexual assault on a fiveyear-old child in Helsinki, and may be living in the
Canary Islands or Comunidad Valenciana. The other five fugitives on the poster are Spanish. They are Antonio Jesús Barge Valdés, 48, from Madrid, said to be about 5'11” to 6'0” (1.8-1.85m) with 'tribal' tattoos on his right arm and back, wanted for a break-in on a Toledo jeweller's which left the owner, a security guard and three police officers seriously injured with bullet-wounds; Rafael Rubén Núñez Cencerrado, 41, from Sagunto (Valencia province), 1.9m (6'2”) tall, who used front companies to import lorry loads of cocaine and was in direct contact with Colombian cartels, similar offences to those which Vicente Lamarca Sánchez,
53, from úbeda (Jaén) committed in Majadahonda (Madrid) and who fled prison during a weekend leave pass to see his mother in January; Francisco de Paula Martorell de la Capilla, 61,from Barcelona, sentenced to 15 years in jail for the ongoing rape of his underage daughter over several years; and Esteban Vacas García, 47, from Salamanca, who raped his partner's underage daughter and is facing 14 years in prison, and who may be living in the centre-northern region of Castilla y León.
an Argentine Tango. Another Wow! moment. Superbly performed, moody, extremely complex gancho hooks and lifts with beautiful leg shaping. A very deserved 10 and a mean 36 from the judges.
Strictly Come dancing week 10
8 and the judges for me over-marked on 39. I still hold firm that the dance you are performing needs to be at least 75% of that dance and not 25%! I’m sure that if that had been any other professional than a Clifton, Len would have commented about all the ‘messing about’ Social media is also picking up on comments from a large number of viewers with the same opinion as mine.
By Lyn Aspden of ‘Strictly Dance’ Class Info 635 584 431 With a place in next week’s quarter final and a second dance in the form of the Cha Cha Challenge performed this week it was double training for the celebrities and still some excellent dancers in the mix. Opening the show were Danny Mac and Oti with a Samba. This had a tribal feel and again Wow! Wow! Wow! Hot! Hot! Hot! with his hips moving throughout this Samba and totally in control of his partner Danny really does look like a professional dancer. I awarded him another 10 and the judges the first ever 40 for a Samba in Strictly’s history. Ore Oduba and Joanne then danced a Paso Doble. Paso - really? He stood still for nearly half of this performance, had no high hips, no leg shape retention and was skipping the chasses ugh! I gave him 7 and the judges overmarked yet again on 36. Louise Redknapp and Kevin then did a Waltz. I love Louise’s ballroom dances but unfortunately the choreography was out of hold more than in hold so it was very difficult to judge her performance as a Waltz! I awarded her
A Rumba with Judge Rinder and Oksana was next. Despite this
being nicely danced, I didn’t feel Judge got into this dance, it was too staccato and not fluid enough for my taste but that was probably what Oksana taught him to do. Unfortunately it didn’t work, I wish these professionals would realise it is extremely difficult for amateurs to try to pull off what they can do without all the years of background training. I have a feeling it could cost him dearly! I gave him 8 and the judges a low 29. Ed Balls and Katya with a Tango were next. Sorry Ed your time is well and truly up! I have enjoyed his performances up to last week, but this week his posture was poor with his shoulders up all the way through and despite plenty of Tango content it wasn’t well danced. I awarded 6 and the judges 23. Closing this part of the show were Claudia Fragapane and AJ with
thinkspain
That closed that part of the show but then a Cha Cha Challenge was introduced. All 6 couples on the floor at the same time allocated a space which changed half way through the performance. This is how a dance competition is normally run but is very difficult for me to truly judge as you can’t see all 6 couples dancing at the same time when the TV cameras select just 1 couple at a time and it is comparison which gives you the result as you are judging normally from 6th place up to first. The marks which were added to the first scores were as follows: Ed Balls 1 point, Judge Rinder 2 points, Claudia Fragapane 3 points (I awarded her 5!) Ore Oduba 4 points, Danny Mac 5 points (I awarded 6) and Louise Redknapp 6 points (I awarded her 3!) Hmm looking at these and with previous comments?? The bottom two were Ed and Judge Rinder with Ed finally leaving after the dance off and a unanimous judges’ decision. So next week is quarter final week - let battle commence - who will step up to the plate? My winner is still Danny, do you have your winner? I can’t wait to see what is going to happen. In the meantime come and join one of our classes to keep up with the strictly gossip, but until next week.
Keep Dancing!
16
November 2016
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17
SOLTIMES PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT
Foreign buyers and investors drive recovery in two-speed market say CaixaBank Research
A report this month from CaixaBank Research explains why the recovery in demand for housing in Spain is so skewed towards the coast. In a report titled ‘Demand for housing: Uneven growth’ CaixaBank research explain that the “recovery in the real estate market is getting stronger by the month” but go on to say that “the recovery is particularly strong in some zones” They point out that economic growth, improving financial conditions, “a more dynamic labour market”, and improving credit conditions due to “more solvent banks and the ECB’s accommodative monetary policy” are all helping to lift demand for housing. But the growth in foreign demand is a key factor driving the recovery in certain areas, they argue. “At the same time, more localised factors are pushing up demand for housing in certain zones, and particularly foreign demand,” the report explains. “Foreigners buying second homes lie behind a large proportion of the sales recorded on the Mediterranean coast and Canary Islands. Specifically, these account for more than 30% of the total purchases made in the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Malaga (Costa del Sol) and Murcia.” The map, prepared by CaixaBank Research, clearly illustrates how important foreign demand is in this recovery. All the provinces where the housing market grew more than 10% in Q2 of this year were on the Mediterranean coast or the islands, where foreigners buy holiday-homes and invest. In all other Spanish provinces growth was below 10%, including Madrid. FOREIGN INVESTORS Large cities like Barcelona and Madrid are also in the fast lane of the housing market recovery, and foreign investors are playing a key role in that too. “The purchase of housing as a means of investment is also becoming more significant given its attractive return compared with other alternatives, already accounting for 20% of all sales. This phenomenon is particularly significant in large cities, which also attract international investors.” They conclude that “the combination of these factors, both common and local, is responsible for the uneven growth in sales recorded in the current expansionary cycle. This heterogeneity in demand is passed on to prices, whose trends have also differed throughout Spain. The extent of the recovery comes down to each region.” BARCELONA IN THE CROSSHAIRS Barcelona is in the crosshairs of all groups – lifestyle buyers and investors, foreign and local – which is why the market here is recovering the fastest of all. This weekend I spoke to some local friends who have just bought an investment property in the city because, like everyone else who isn’t a hedge fund manager, they have nowhere else to put their money that makes any sense to them. They reported seeing properties go fast and prices rising almost on a weekly basis, as if the market was boiling. I’m not sure this is welcome news, but that’s what people in the market are starting to see. by Mark Stücklin Everything you need to know about property in Spain http://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com
18
November 2016
House of Fraser CEO to leave in the new year
propert y services
House of Fraser CEO Nigel Oddy has stood down and will be leaving the department store group after the crucial Christmas trading period. Oddy, who has been heading the company for almost two years, leaves amid rumours of tensions between House of Fraser’s Chinese owner Sanpower and its management, however this was downplayed by a company spokeswoman, according to the The Times. “Since the acquisition, Sanpower has committed to support House of Fraser in the event that the business development plans required them and the board had requested them,” the spokeswoman told The Times. “There is an ongoing dialogue between management and the shareholder on possible capital expenditure programmes. Since the beginning of 2015, there has been no request from the board of House of Fraser as the business is self-funding through the bond issue last year and its own cash,” she added. Oddy was appointed to replace House of Fraser’s long-standing former CEO John King in February 2015. He has been with the company for almost ten years having joined as executive director of homewares in 2007 and was promoted to chief
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operating officer in 2013. House of Fraser was acquired by Nanjing Cenbest, a subsidiary of Sanpower, in 2014. Last year it issued £175m worth of bonds on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange as part of a £300m refinancing, however due to concerns about the state of the UK retail market the bonds have dropped in value leading to aggressive American hedge funds, including Apollo Global Management, to buy up the bonds. It is not thought Apollo’s motivation was an aggressive take-over at this stage as the bonds were bought by its trading desk – as opposed to its private equity arm – which buys and sells bonds for profit. In September House of Fraser posted flat interim sales of £573.5m for the six months to 30 July 2016 but warned that trading had been challenging and, in the ensuing eight weeks until 24 September, sales had dropped 2%. The group, who operates around 60 stores, has undertaken a number of significant store refurbishments since the Sanpower acquisition and next year will open its first store in China, in Nanjing. theindustrylondon.com
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CAMPOSOL LOWER C LONG TERM LET €525 + BILLS PCM
Ref RefNo: No:0217 0217
• • • •
2 bed/2 bath Rosa style villa. Fully glazed front terrace. 10m x 4m private pool. Log fire plus much more.
CAMPOSOL D LONG TERM LET €475 + BILLS PCM
Ref No: 0212
• 2 bed/2 bath Rosa style villa. • 8m x 4m private pool. • Glazed front terrace. • AC, log fire & much more.
CAMPOSOL D LONG TERM LET €550 + BILLS PCM.
Ref No: 0031
• • • •
3 bed/2 bath Carmen style villa. Well furnished. 9 x 4m Private Pool. Log fire plus much more.
• • • •
2 bed/1 bath Fortuna style villa. Secluded private pool. Great views to golf course. UK TV, AC & wifi. CAMPOSOL B HOLIDAY LET FROM €110 per day
Ref No: 0172
• 4 bed/3 bath executive villa. • Amazing pool & terrace area. • AC, wifi & much more. • Furnished to exceptional level
CAMPOSOL D LONG TERM LET €450 + BILLS pcm.
Ref No: 0219
• 3 bed/2 bath Extended Fortuna style villa, • Separate Bedsit. • Log fire, A/C & much more. • Furnished to exceptional standard. CAMPOSOL LOWER C HOLIDAY LETS FROM €65 PER DAY.
CAMPOSOL UPPER C LONG TERM LET €300 + BILLS pcm
Ref No: 0184
• 2 bed/1 bath Classico style villa. • Fully furnished. • Quiet street. • Close to Camposol Golf Club.
Ref No :0108
• • • •
Ref No: 0215
• • • •
3 bed/2 bath Cibeles style villa. Luxury villa, sleeps 7. 10m x 5m private pool. UK TV, AC & wifi.
Ref No: 0110
• • • •
CAMPOSOL C SOUTH HOLIDAY LET FROM €80 per day
Ref No: 0087
• 3 bed/2 bath executive villa. • 9m x 4m private pool. • AC, wifi & much more. • Furnished to exceptional standard.
2 bed/2 bath Rosa style villa. Large private pool. Close to Camposol Club De Golf. UK TV, AC & wifi. CAMPOSOL D HOLIDAY LETS FROM €70 PER DAY
CAMPOSOL D HOLIDAY LETS FROM €90 PER DAY.
CAMPOSOL B HOLIDAY LETS FROM €50 PER DAY.
Ref No :0198
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3 bed/3 bath Neptuno Deluxe style villa. Log burner & AC. Large free flow private pool. Close to all amenities. CAMPOSOL D HOLIDAY LET FROM €55 PER DAY
Ref No: 023
• • • •
3 bed/3 bath luxury villa. Bespoke outside dining/bbq area. Kidney shape private pool. Wifi, AC & much more.
MANY MORE PROPERTIES CAN BE SEEN ON OUR WEBSITE
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SOL Y MAR
November 2016
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Leaving your home empty for long periods of time can attract vandalism, hassie for you as well as deteriorating both your homes condition and value, we offer a real solution that protects your home value and provides peace of mind. Our service includes: ▪ The Undertaking of monthly inspections outside to ensure no maintenance issues eg broken tiles , loose guttering, wind issues, no leaks etc. ▪ The undertaking of monthly
internal inspections to ensure no leaks, dampness, loose plastering etc. ▪ Checks to verify no external damage after severe weather conditions. ▪ Favourable rates with local tradesmen in case of any repairs required. ▪ Adhere to any specific instructions outlined by you. ▪ Pre cleaning and landscaping service prior to your return to your home.
SM042
now at a reduced fixed price of 78,500€ first to offer will secure SM050
DELIGHTFUL COUNTRY VILLA
ALMANZORA
▪ Peace of mind for you. Our property service could save you money in security and maintenance costs and upkeep. We include properties that are already up for sale. This service starts from less than 1 euro per day. Personalised quotes available depending on the size and distance of your property
78,500€
Delightful character home at a fantastic price. 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom home in need of some modernisation hence the low price. Highly sought after location on the outskirts of the many amenities of Almanzora and a short drive to the market town of Albox. Features many extras including 3 outbuildings, 8000m2 of land including your own mountain backdrop and a garage. Must be viewed to appreciate the value for money and the opportunity.
Albanchez
87,500€
Delightful country villa set on a plot of 143m2 in a beautiful country setting. The property is located just 2 minutes drive from the town of Albanchez which has bars, shops, bank, medical centre etc. The property is in a quiet location and enjoys excellent views of the surrounding countryside. The property comprises of:- 2 double bedrooms, 1 bathroom, kitchen (fully fitted including white goods), and lounge/diner. Outside there is a good sized patio area for outdoor eating and sunbathing and also included in the price is a Jacuzzi. Viewing is recommended.
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950 064 584 609 199 394
Avenida 28 de Febrero Nº 44, Albox
Email: info@solymarspain.com │ www.solymarspain.com zurgena
SM052
viewing highly recommended
99,000€
Detached 2 bedroom property set in a small hamlet of houses in a peaceful location. Lovely views. 2 beds, 2 well appointed shower rooms, inner and outer lounges, large well fitted kitchen with centre island unit & breakfast bar. The master bedroom has en-suite shower room. The garden is paved with planted mature borders. The separate garage (with additional covered parking) is accessed from the garden. Viewing is highly recommended.
partaloa
SM041
169,950€
Large detached 4 bed villa with extensive grounds and log cabin, in a quiet location. Ample parking. Large walled patio with fixed BBQ, great views of distant mountain range. Large enclosed porch forms summer living room and dining. Large lounge with pellet burner, doors to the covered porch. Fully furnished kitchen. 4 double bedrooms two with fitted wardrobes. A/C & CH radiators in most rooms. Good quality log cabin with lounge/kitchen, bathroom, double bedroom and loft space could provide sleeping for another two. Private pool. Fully walled garden has many aspects affording a variety of views and peaceful spots where you can enjoy life in Spain.
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mar971
partaloa
stunning views
RSM011
550€ PCM RENTAL saliente bajo
This villa has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with an additional guest house that consists of 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen and living area...perfect for guests. Great location with stunning views across the valley. This home also features a private terrace area with swimming pool. Based in Retamar in the Partaloa area, very close to all local amenities. This property is unfurnished and is available for long term rental and will allow pets. Must be viewed to be appreciated.
idyllic setting
450€ PCM RENTAL
Detached 4 bed, 2 bath country house with stunning views across the valley, features garage, 1200m2 of land. Separate fitted country kitchen and log burner. In an idyllic setting yet only 5 minutes to local amenities and 15 minutes to the local market town of Albox Available for long term rental, fully furnished. Not suitable for dogs.
22
November 2016
Costa del Sol holiday rental home rule breakers
Barcelona ramps up pressure on Airbnb with €600,000 fine
Home sharing site accuses authorities of “going in the opposite direction of most cities in the world” Barcelona City Hall has fined home sharing websites Airbnb and Homeaway €600,000 each for advertising and renting out apartments to tourists without a license as part of a crackdown on unregulated tourism in the city, where home rental sites have allegedly marketed apartments without listing them on the Catalan Tourism Register. Airbnb said it was saddened by the decision and would appeal. “Barcelona is the only city in the world to have fined us,” noted Airbnb in a statement on its website, adding: “Barcelona is going in the opposite direction to the majority of cities in Europe and the world, and unlike those cities, has shown no real interest in exploring a constructive dialogue with Airbnb in recent months.” “Less than a month ago we met with officials and Airbnb committed to work together in the best interests of the city. Airbnb is part of the solution in Barcelona,” the Catalan division of Airbnb said in the statement released on Thursday. It is not the first time the city has fined San Franciscobased Airbnb, one of the fastest-growing start-ups of the so-called sharing economy valued at around $25 billion. Barcelona City Hall reported that Airbnb and Homeaway were repeat offenders, and were both fined €30,000 in August for failing to follow regional tourism laws. Homeaway paid the fine, while Airbnb appealed against it but both continued to publicize unlicensed apartments said left-wing Mayor Ada Colau justifying her decision to impose the new €600,000 fines. Airbnb is blamed for pushing up rents and depriving locals of accommodation Colau, who took over in June 2015, has frozen the granting of new tourist licenses for homes and hotels, and this summer launched a plan to stop people from letting out their homes without a license via home sharing websites. She has blamed the sharp rise in Airbnb’s popularity for tension among residents who fear an increase in ‘binge tourism’ and have protested against rowdy visitors. The number of people using Airbnb in Barcelona has tripled to 900,000 in the three years prior to 2015, its own data
shows. Barcelona City Hall has now created a multi-lingual website that invites residents to identify and report unlicensed tourist accommodation, along with a free telephone number allowing locals to expose neighbours that break the rules. Barcelona City Hall reported that Airbnb and Homeaway were repeat offenders Owners who wish to rent out property to tourists must apply for a license and display it on any online advertisement. A team of 20 inspectors set up by city hall is tasked with rooting out those who do not obey the new rules. “It shouldn’t be possible that thousands of apartments are operating without a license, illegally, without paying tax and at the peril of neighbouring residents,” Colau said on a local radio station on Thursday after the fine was announced by the Catalan regional government. A growing number of European cities, among them Berlin, Paris and Barcelona say home-sharing websites for tourists deprive locals of apartments for permanent rental and push up prices for homes remaining on the market. Barcelona has seen a surge in tourism and attracts around 7 million visitors a year. A report published in September by Barcelona City Hall showed found that nearly 40% of home share lets were unlicensed, saying that the practice was reducing the quantity of apartments on the market and driving rents up. The report also said almost 8% of the city’s total rental accommodation is now made up of tourist apartments. Owners of these properties earn 2.3 times to 4 times more than they would do so through conventional rental arrangements, the study added But Airbnb this week described the situation in Barcelona as “contradictory.” “It favours commercial operators and apartments used only for tourism in tourist areas to the detriment of people who want to share their home,” said the firm, noting that many families housed tourists to supplement their income. http://elpais.com
THOUSANDS of holiday rental homes in Malaga have failed to be registered since the new regulations came into force. Data released by the Junta de Andalucia has shown that of the 8,000 requests to register a property as ‘for tourist use’, 4,000 so far have met the requirements and been given their code number. However a study by the Malaga Tourism Department before the law came into force in May estimated the number of holiday rentals advertised on the Costa del Sol to be 26,847, meaning thousands are choosing not to register. Marbella has seen the most apartments and villas registered for tourist use, listing 693 homes with capacity for 4,229. Torremolinos, however, which sees 40% of the coast’s tourist-related income, has registered just 197 homes with space for 866 people. expatica
Murcia Property Services Sales, Rentals, Management & Insurance Services Contact Andy 658 318 438 email: andyh.mps@gmail.com www.murciapropertyservices.es “Properties urgently required, we have clients waiting”
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AMAZING SKI RESORTS
From the Pyrenees to the Sierra Nevada, We looks at some of the best places in Spain to hit the slopes and enjoy the après-ski. With snow already falling across Spain's mountains, many of Spain's ski resorts are already promising to open in time for the December puente with some, including Baqueira Beret, Formigal and the Sierra Nevada started the season on November 26th.
Here are eight of our favourite resorts: 1. Benasque Nestled within the Posets-Maladetas nature reserve in the Spanish Pyrenees, Benasque is perfect for those who prefer skiing of the cross country variety. There are routes to suit all tastes from experienced to beginners that wind through scenic oak, birch and beech forests. And unlike downhill ski resorts, you don't have to pay anything to cross country ski.
2. La Molina
Less than two hours by car from the beaches Barcelona, this is a busy, bustling resort with a lot of history. The home of Spain's first ski-lift and ski-school, it now offers top facilities built to host the 2011 Snowboarding World Championships: 61km of pistes divided into 54 runs, a park for beginners and the biggest half-pipe in the Pyrenees.
Barcelona. The resort has 65 pistes of all levels, spread over 75km.
4. Baqueira-Beret
Spain's biggest and most visited ski resort, with 153km of pistes, is found less than four hours from both Barcelona and Zaragoza, in the Aran and Àneu Valleys of the Pyrenees. Skiers flock here because of the resort's good snow record and to enjoy more than 50 local, rural villages of stone and wood houses, many of which feature beautiful Romanesque churches.
5. Navacerrada
3. Masella
Located 52km (32 miles) outside Madrid, Navacerrada is the closest ski resort to the capital, making it perfect for a day trip. It is divided into two areas, the upper area with intermediate/difficult pistes and the lower area with intermediate pistes. The resort also boasts a slalom stadium and ski jump.
Close to the French and Andorran borders on the northern slope of Tosa d’Alp overlooking the Cerdanya Valley, Masella is located only 90 minutes away from
A resort in the Aragon Pyrenees, Formigal offers 137km of pistes over 90 runs. Its north- and west-facing slopes
6. Formigal
give it a good snow record and its location within driving distance of a number of cities in the northwest of Spain and southeast of France drives its popularity. Formigal has snow gardens and facilities for younger skiers, and hosted the 2008 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships.
7. Sierra Nevada
The most southerly ski resort in Europe, the Sierra Nevada ski station is located outside Granada, on the northern slopes of Veleta, the third highest peak in peninsular Spain. It is the highest ski resort in Spain; the season can last from late November until early May. The resort has over 100km of alpine ski runs. Just a short drive from the Mediterranean coast makes it one of the few places in the world where you can ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon!
8. Valgrande-Pajares
If you fancy discovering a lesser known part of Spain, then Asturias has a resort with 25km of pistes within an hour's drive of both Oviedo and León. Ideally suited for beginners. thelocal
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November 2016
Millions fail to report crime in case it affects property prices
One in 10 adults have witnessed or been a victim of crime, but won't report it for fear of the impact on their home's valuation The true extent of the British obsession with property means millions of adults wouldn't report a crime in case it appeared in crime stats in their neighbourhood.
With around half of all prospective buyers checking how a particular postcode fares before signing on the dotted line and an estimated 24 million of us refusing to live in a high-crime area, 4.5 million British adults have or would turn a blind eye rather than risk the possibility of devaluing their home or making it more difficult to rent, new research from Direct Line has found. A third of prospective buyers would look for a
discount on a property or reduction in rent that turned out to be in a high-crime area. Newcastle residents fear the crime stigma the most with 15 per cent saying they wouldn't report crime, ranging from anti-social behaviour to arson and robbery, including violent or sexual offences. Birmingham, London and Glasgow residents are also those least likely to call the police. They would also encourage their neighbours to do the same. But it may come back to bite them when it comes to insurance claims. “We are a nation obsessed with property and this has even filtered through to how we report crime with some homeowners concerned about doing anything that could devalue their home," says Rebecca Clapham, head of household products at Direct Line. "It’s frightening that people are turning a blind eye to crime, with some going unreported as a result. People need to remember that the purpose of a crime map is to analyse crime to help law enforcement and to evaluate crime prevention strategies, not to devalue a property. “Our homes contain some of our most prized possessions and so it’s important to make sure they are properly protected. It’s concerning that burglary is one of the top three unreported crimes, especially as you need a crime reference number during the claims process when the loss or damage is as a result of a crime. If you haven’t reported the crime you won’t be able to have this and you may find your claim is rejected.” Most common unreported crimes Anti-social behaviour / public order offence 33%, Vehicle crime 25%, Burglary / shoplifting 24%, Robbery / theft from person (including bicycle theft) 21%, Drugs 21%, Criminal damage / arson 20%, Possession of weapons 19%, Violent or sexual offences 15%, Other crime 6%. independent.co.uk
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Looking for the right property at the right price? Wishing to sell your property? Leave it with us, we have contracted two more professionals for our team to help you get this achieved without delay. Tel: 968 159 631 - 636 529 085 C/ Pedro Guererro 14, 30320, Fuente Alamo, Murcia e: farmhouses@oldfarmhouses.es - www.oldfarmhouses.es
John MacDonald (El Sordo) www.caratacus.eu
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viewpoint
Mata Mata Poyato Mata
Antonio Poyato lives on a smallholding to the west of Alqueria’s Hill People’s Barrio. The Huerta Pongo, as Poyato’s smallholding is called, produces a fine crop of Remitroot in fact it is the only site in the entire world known to produce the plant. The properties of Remitroot are well known and will be familiar to students of Alquerian flora and fauna. Just why the plant grows here and nowhere else is something of a mystery but the soil conditions and the subterranean water, which naturally irrigates the Remitroot fields undoubtedly have something to do with it. The original Huerta Pongo was constructed, in post Roman times, on the site of a legionary fort. Waste water from the fort was allowed to drain into what are now the Remitroot fields, this produced a soil rich in nitrates and the contents of Roman squaddies bowels and bladders for some five-hundred years, this being the length of the Roman occupation of Alqueria. The bad drainage of present day Alqueria adds a richness and lumpiness to the water as it rises from the depths of the earth to bring life, albeit foul
smelling to the Remitroot crop.
Poyato has a wife, Mata Mata Poyato Mata. Both of her parents where called Mata, so armed with a sense of humour and natural stupidity they gave her the given names Mata Mata. She was supposed to marry a not too distant cousin so she hurriedly married Antonio to stop herself being a Mata cubed. Married life appeared to suit and she grew more and more contented as her marriage to Antonio Poyato matured. It wasn’t until she visited Dr. Deepo Cuto with a case of Río Verde foot rot, a common complaint in the Village, and had blood taken for analysis. The results showed a high level of a rare sedative in her bloodstream. Antonio knew of no medication his wife was taking and so kept on eye on here in case she had an addiction. Poyato discovered the cause, Mata had long used crushed Remitroot leaves as a cosmetic. This kept her skin young and smooth, so much so that she kept it a secret, not wanting other women of the Pueblo competing in the youthfulness stakes. However, and I hope ladies reading this are paying attention, it mixes with the natural feminine body oils and produces the sedative. Poyato was in high glee having discovered another use to add to the already ubiquitous uses of the plant. Mata was oblivious to the sedative effect, but Poyato cashed in, selling the cosmetic to male customers who had the more wilful of wives.
The Japanese Tea Party
The day was chilly and overcast, and the vast stretch of cafeteria at the motorway services were empty apart from the staff, us and one other couple. As we ate our comfortingly warm meal overlooking the coach parking a full load of Japanese tourists disembarked and headed for the café. That‘ll keep the staff occupied, we thought! The Oriental crocodile filed through the door and headed without exception to the loo, in due course emerging in ones and twos to bag places at the vacant tables. We were impressed by their organisational forethought; obviously some were getting the tables while their counterparts queued for the food, thus minimising their impact on the serving staff. But then this was to be expected - the Japanese are a very ordered race. We watched them, fascinated to see what delicacies they would choose which would appeal to the Japanese palate. More and more of them exited the loo and joined their fellow countrywomen at the tables (there were only 2 men in the whole group) leaving the food counters unvisited. Perhaps they are going to take some photos, and then get their food, we thought - they are Japanese, after all! It was at this point that it began to go from fascinating through unbelievable to weird. Each one of them opened their respective camera bag and brought out a thermos flask and an industrial sized kitchen roll. This was followed by plates, cups and cutlery –not
By Jos Biggs editor@soltimes.com
plastic, but the proper sort. Food of various types was then produced from within the inner recesses of the bags, divvied up and served onto the plates. Unbelievable! They were going to picnic – they were not even going to picnic outside, but inside, right under the noses of the expectant staff, who would doubtless seek managerial guidance on the situation. What a collective brass neck, we thought. Just try doing that at a motorway services in England! However, they weren’t finished yet – the thermos flasks were now deployed. For what? For hot drinks? Oh no! Tiny one-cup teapots appeared from the bottomless bags, and into which hot water from the thermos flasks was poured. It gets weirder – having swilled the pot to satisfaction each person then poured the water back into the thermos, took the teapot to the coffee serving area and filled it with boiling water – then the teabag was inserted! I can’t help wondering if they also brought their own loo rolls!
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November 2016
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5. Which race is known as ‘The Publicans’ Derby’?.......
country?.................................................
6. Which trainer, who died in 1983 aged 95, saddled 13 Classic winners?..................
6. What country has a currency called Zloty?.................................................... 7. What people are known as Eskimos
7. Which trainer’s autobiography was called ‘The Glorious Uncertainty’?.. PERTH PLATYPUS PRIME MINISTER QUEENSLAND RAINFORESTS RUSSELL CROWE SEAFOOD SHRIMP SURFING SYDNEY TASMANIA VEGEMITE VICTORIA WOMBAT
8. Which was the first horse to win two Grand Nationals? 9. Which was the first racecourse equipped with a photo-finish camera?........... 10. Who is the St Leger named after?.......................
Answers
squiggle SUDOKU
8. Urdu
3. Afrikaans
7. Inuit
2. Japan
6. Poland
1. Pygmies
CRYPTIC crossword
9. Belgium
4. 25%
CROSSWORD
EUCALYPTUS TREES HUGH JACKMAN KANGAROO KEITH URBAN KOALA KOOKABURRA KYLIE MINOGUE MARSUPIALS MELBOURNE MONARCHY NEW SOUTH WALES NICOLE KIDMAN OCEANS OUTBACK PARLIAMENT
standard SUDOKU
10. From Egypt
SOLUTIONS
5. Monaco
Answers
easy SUDOKU
name?....................................................
ADELAIDE AUSSIE BEACHES BOOMERANG BRISBANE CANBERRA COMMONWEALTH CONTINENT CORAL SEA CROCODILES DESERTS DIDGERIDOO DINGO DOWN UNDER EMUS
6. Cecil BoydRochfort 7. Jenny Pitman 8. Abd-el-Kader 9. Epsom 10. Lt Col Anthony St Leger
even though they hate to be called it?....
10. How do the Romany gypsies get their
1. Which jockey riding Shergar in 1981 won in his first Derby ride?...................
3. Which jockey won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from 1985 to 1987 on three different horses?.................
3. What was the name of the 17th
9. Walloons come from which country?...
soltimes horse racing quiz
2. Which jockey won the 1970 St Leger on Nijinsky?...
which country?.......................................
Pakistan?...............................................
4
Answers
8. What is the national language of
3
1. Walter Swinburn 2. Lester Piggott 3. Pat Eddery 4. 2000 Guineas 5. Epsom’s Great Metropolitan
on this day 30th November
1. American Airlines 2. Air Canada 3. British Airways 4. Emirates
3340 BC – Earliest believed record of an eclipse. 1936 – In London, the Crystal Palace is destroyed by fire. 1967 – The People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen becomes independent from the United Kingdom. 1982 – Michael Jackson’s second solo album, Thriller is released worldwide. It will become the best-selling record album in history. 1995 – U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Northern Ireland and speaks in favour of the “Northern Ireland peace process” to a huge rally at Belfast City Hall; he calls terrorists “yesterday’s men”.
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puzzle pages
27
To advertise in this space Contact our sales advisors on
950 121 936 or email: sales@soltimes.com
Our puzzle page is one of our most popular pages. You can advertise accross our group of newspapers (Roquetas de Mar, Costa Almeria, Costa Calida & Costa Blanca) for as little as €75pw Across 1 Marmoset (6) 4 Expecting (8) 10 What some people give (9) 11 Plans or schemes (5) 12 Acquires deservedly (5) 13 Preach (9) 14 Disappointment (7) 16 Circuits around a race course (4) 19 Pierce (4) 21 Large rock (7) 24 Reversal (9) 25 Piloted a vehicle (5) 26 Jargon (5) 27 Belittled (9) 28 Protective coverings or structures (8) 29 Principally (6) Down 1 Without warning (8) 2 Create (8) 3 Seizure (5) 5 Squanderer (7) 6 Spur-of-the-moment (9) 7 Wry (6) 8 Vapors (6) 9 Decline in condition (6) 15 Not innermost (9) 17 A city in Alberta Canada (8) 18 Affable (8) 20 Blinkers (7) 21 Having two parts (6) 22 Cedes (6) 23 Express (6) 25 Belief (5)
standard CROSSWORD
SUDOKU PUZZLES
easy
squiggle
name the landmark
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
ACROSS 8 Went fishing, wasted time with “A World Without Love” (lame ending) (7) 10 Prepared (almost) to produce “Love Me Do”? Not for nothing! (7) 11 Closed book - “My Way” - with entertainer’s first lines (7) 12 Alternative number taking most of “Get Back” with a herb (7) 13 Sentenced men coded new “Changes” (9) 15 Half of “Woman” centrally churns to the bone (5) 16 “Bohemian Rhapsody” lacking means to create rabies (11) 20 At first, “Days” lost middle at parties (3) 21 “Penny Lane” initially to turn doctor? Precisely! (5) 22 With first tune dropped, better “Lola” version is passable (9) 25 Illuminated without mime, “Release Me” is as far as something can go (5) 26 Examination of accounts of “Goldfinger” removed soldier (5) 28 “Starman” misses mother, switching two letters and bringing back example that’s alien (7) 29 Good ending of “True” - note repeated with stable’s first horses (3-4) Down 1 A cat I put before beginning of “Cars” is minute (6) 2 Fruit of “Father and Son” - replacing daughter with maiden (6) 3 Lacking the beginning and end, “Move Closer” for Bush (4) 4 Centrepiece of heavy metal without final tune from “Ten Thousand Years Ago”, perhaps (3-3) 5 Adore “Crazy”, a key riff for romance (4,6) 6 Starts to entertain many bands - “Alright” led musical extravaganza, dignity preserved (8) 7 Not one for “Help!”, writer leaves out a list and head of station puts it off to another day (8) 9 Senior member of lair - “Without You” nearly coming up (5) 14 Social worker goes after former “Gold” piece that’s excessive (10) 16 Spirit holder’s folk opening, with “Heart Of Glass” initially having disrupted kip outside (8) 17 Those providing the rhythm for start of “Millennium” taken in by shocking murders (8) 18 Peculiar two taken in by one who can’t stand “Trouble” (3,5) 19 Twice left track embraced by “America” after British animals (8) 23 “Born To Be Wild”, losing BT’s island (6) 24 Repeals shuffle, with “Runaway” to go by (6) 27 So, “The Final Countdown” (4)
famous birthdays on this day
standard
1944 – George Graham, Scottish footballer and manager 1955 – Billy Idol, English singersongwriter 1960 – Gary Lineker, English footballer and sportscaster 1966 – John Bishop, English comedian and actor 1987 – Dougie Poynter, English singersongwriter and bass player
Quote of the week...
28
November 2016
food & entertaining Tel: 950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com
Slow cooker recipes
From smoky pulled pork to meltingly tender lamb shanks, set the slow cooker for effortless crowd-pleasing recipes.
Slow cooker chipotle pulled pork This pulled pork recipe is great for feeding a crowd and cooking it in a slow cooker couldn’t be easier. chopped (about ½ lime) Ingredients
1.5kg/3lb 5oz pork shoulder 2 tbsp chipotle sauce
For the fresh tomato salsa
6 tomatoes, chopped ½ red onion 1 tbsp lime juice
small handful chopped fresh coriander ½ garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tsp olive oil
For the guacamole 2 avocados, peeled,
½ garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tbsp lime juice (about ½ lime), plus more to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper 12-16 flour tortillas, to serve
Method
Season the pork shoulder with salt. Place the pork shoulder into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Meanwhile, for the fresh tomato salsa, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and season, to taste, with salt, freshly ground black pepper and more lime juice.
Slow cooker beef curry
For the guacamole
mash the avocado pieces and garlic together until smooth, then stir in the lime juice and season, to taste, with salt, freshly ground black pepper and more lime juice.
To serve,
remove the skin and fat from the pork shoulder and shred the meat with two forks. Place the meat into a bowl. Mix the chipotle sauce with two tablespoons of the cooking liquid and pour the mixture over the pork. Mix until the pork is coated in the sauce. To serve, arrange the pork on a serving plate and spoon the salsa and guacamole into separate bowls. Warm the tortillas according to packet instructions and serve alongside.
Ruby’s UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT NEV & PAT WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL CUSTOMERS, NEW AND OLD URBANISATION EL RASO, CAMPO DE GUARDAMAR, JUST OFF THE CV895 LEMON TREE ROAD, 03140
TEL 865 662 543 Opening times 10am till Late daily
Full Main Menu 6pm - 9pm Sunday Lunch Available 2pm - 7pm 3 Course 9.95€ / 2 Course 7.95€ Ha p p y Ho u r 4 p m - 6 p m Wednesday is quiz night with Nick Marshall
with our great 5€ meal deals for quiz players Last person standing, winner takes all
GREAT FUN NIGHT OUT
Use your slow cooker for this simple beef curry - it’s full of flavour and guarantees meltingly tender beef. Serve with rice and naan bread.
Ingredients
4 tbsp sunflower oil 800g/1lb 12oz beef braising steak, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces 2 onions, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 chillies, finely chopped, plus extra to taste 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root
Method
Heat half of the oil in a frying pan and fry the beef pieces for 4-5 minutes, or until browned all over. (You may need to brown the meat in batches.) Tip the browned meat into the slow cooker. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the onions for five minutes, then add the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the spices and fry for another minute, then tip the mixture into the slow cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes to
ginger 4 tsp ground cumin 4 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes 2 tsp garam masala 200g/7oz natural yoghurt small handful fresh chopped coriander (optional) the slow cooker, then fill one of the empty cans with water and add the water to the slow cooker. Stir everything together, pressing down so that everything is covered in liquid and cook for 8-10 hours on low. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the garam masala and yoghurt and season to taste with salt and a little more chilli. Cook for a further 30 minutes, then stir in the coriander.
Recipe Tips
Alternatively, you can cook this curry on the hob for 2-3 hours on a low heat, or until the beef is very tender.
29
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Last Call for Winter Wonderland Charity Ball There are just a few tickets left for this spectacular event on Saturday 3rd December 2016 at La Finca Golf and Spa Resort Hotel. For fun, entertainment and laughter in this stunning 5* location and tickets at €35 for a Cava Reception followed by a 3 Course Meal with Wine Coffee and Chocolates this event is hard to beat. Winter Wonderland 2016 was once again a SELL OUT but sadly due to illness a few tickets are now available. Please email sueinthesun@hotmail.co.uk if you would like to reserve tickets - all proceeds from this event are given to The Children’s Home in Elche.
Open 7 Days a Week 12noon till 10pm
QUESADA FISH & CHIPS
Menu of the Day 12noon till 5pm
Cod or Haddock Chips, Peas, Bread and Butter
€7,00
Sunday Special Fish, Chips & Peas
€6,00
All Day
Takeaway Also Available Quesada Villamartin Plaza
966 719 136
966 764 441
ebbie o D & Sara me you t Welco
Cat’s Bar CHRISTMAS EVE 1-5PM MARTIN ROSS ALL YOUR CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SONGS “The Best for Food, Drinks, Entertainment And Sports”
Camposol sector A
Tel: 634 322 729
F O K L A T N W O T E H T
30
SPECTACTULAR PRODUCTION OF SLEEPING BEAUTY Girls from Totally Dance School will be joining in the fun of The Rojales Pantomime Group production of Sleeping Beauty. There will be Goblins, Dancing Jelly Fish and keep your eyes open for a slight sighting of a Shark and watch out for the Panda coming to life. If you are quick you will also see Punch and Judy... Tickets are now available 7€ adults 5€ for children and can be bought from the following outlets in SAN LUIS CHRISTMAS SHOP... HIRE SHOP ... REFLECTIONS BAR (Check back often for more ticket Outlets in your area)
Contact: Christine 678 212 034 or Thelma 634 339 588
www.rojalespantomime.com
A lively Christmas Fayre in Calpe
A Christmas Fayre in Calpe, from 8 to 11 December, in the old town centre, with stalls selling arts and crafts, live music, workshops for children, craft demonstrations, a lot of local stands and all sorts of what the Spanish call espectáculo - processions, dancing, music and performances. Few people living on the Costa Blanca realise that Calpe has, besides the Peñón de Ifach (the big rock sticking up out of the sea) and all the tall flats around it, a really nice old town centre, with impressive residences suitable for the local gentry and lovely stair streets with tiny little houses for the less fortunate, well worth an excursion with a camera and some small change for coffee or tapas. So on that long weekend (Thursday to Sunday) Amata will be setting up some 30 craft stalls in the plaza (you can’t really call it a square) round the church and next to the remnants of the old city walls. With live music, donkeys on which young children can cruise the streets, small farm animals to look at, decorative lighting, a small bicycle-powered merry-goround, all sorts of goodies to eat and Father Christmas has promised to drop by and will place a special letterbox for the Christmas wish list of
Vega Baja Garden Club The Vega Baja Garden Club’s meeting earlier in December was crowned by a presentation given by Anna Gevers and Jacqui Ford about Jacqui’s garden in Torrevieja. There were lots and lots of interesting photos showing how Jacqui and her partner, David, have turned a bare plot into a beautiful garden in the space of 8 Years. It wasn’t at all easy but it is now a little bit of paradise, with an array of beautiful scented climbers and many interesting features. They have shown what is possible, with the poorest of soil and some very difficult conditions (neighbour’s high hedges and walls for example). The photo shows Jacqui and her friends relaxing in her garden, enjoying the fruits of her labours! Our Christmas meeting which will be held on Monday 5th December at Bar Trasgu’s in Formentera del Segura. Members have been
November 2016
young visitors. The craft fair part of it will be organised by Amata, the regional craft association, which checks out the stalls - it’s all original and handmade by the people at the stall (no imports, no “small factories”). You can watch people at work, such as a smith, a glass blower, a sculptor, a book binder and a potter. Pepa makes incredibly decorative candles and Toni, using a 200 kg (440 lbs) mortar and a huge iron pestle, shows how to make the genuine turrón (a sort of soft nougat that’s the big item at Christmas in Spain). Anybody looking for an original and exclusive Christmas present could do worse than take a look - ceramics, wooden toys, leather hand bags and painted T-shirts, furniture from re-cycled wood, caricatures from a photograph or sit-andpose. And of course jewelry in glass, paper, wool, stone, iron, wood and silver. The Fayre runs from 8 to 11 December, from 11 in the morning till about 10 at night, although the last day (Sunday) it finishes at about 2 pm. Phone for more information on 639 979 678 (Elvira speaks English) or look at other fairs Amata organises on their web page (also in English) on www.amata.es asked to bring along some traditional Christmas nibbles for our party. We will also have a garden related quiz. Most of our members have small terraces and balconies, so you have to own a huge plot to come along and enjoy our meetings – the emphasis is very much on the love of plants and gardens. Anyone interested in more information, please email: vegabajagardenclubmail.com or visit our Facebook page: Vega Baja Garden Club.
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Tel: 950 121 936
COSTA COBRAS RFC
- community news -
I n t e r na t i o nal SPIRITUALIST BENIJOFAR
new rugby club training on Guardamar Christian Assembly beach in front of the restaurants. Junior and senior training on Monday evangelical church, and Wednesday 18.30-20.00. Calle Urbano Arregui 23, Torrevieja For more details contact Garry 692 767 03185. Meets every Sunday, 11am, 242, or Whatsapp, includes Sunday School for children. or Robert on 697 286 416 Prayer meetings, craft and computer ROYAL BRITISH LEGION, clubs, Bible study groups. Also house Orihuela Costa Branch, covers the groups at La Siesta: Tuesdays, 3pm. area from Punta Prima to San Javier Call 674552754 for details. La Zenia: and inland. The branch meets on the Wednesdays, 3pm, call 620318964. 3rd Thursday of every month at the Torrevieja: Thursdays 5.30pm. Call Olympia Restaurant in Mil Palmeras 608283661, and in church building, at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. You do Tuesdays, 6pm call 617591399 and not have to be ex-military to attend Thursdays, 5.30pm call 608283661. For or to join. Everyone is welcome. More other church matters call pastor, Rafael information can be found at the branch Restrepo, on 966799273 or mobile website - http://branches.britishlegion. 660127276. org.uk/branches/orihuela-costa
Casa Tom Community 50+ SOLOS IS open to ladies and gentlemen who Choir: find themselves on their own but would 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.
THE ROYAL ASSOCIATION,
NAVAL
Torrevieja Branch, meet at 1700 on the first Wednesday of each month at the Restaurante El Paraiso, Urb. Jardin del Mar 3, (behind Carrefour), Torrevieja. Contact Paul Edwards, Chairman, 618 644 934 or Margaret Forshaw, Secretary 966 921 996.
BADMINT0N AT PILAR DE LA HORADADA
Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs. 10-1pm. For information ring John McGilvray on 966 786 774 or Mobiles 634 658 506/695 871 707 or e mail carolejohn_3@hotmail.com
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
Table Tennis Torrevieja.
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at
Held Tuesdays and Thursdays 13.30 to 17.30 at Casa Ventura. Equipment and coaching provided if required. All standards catered for. If more information required contact Del on 653564831
Pilar Christian Community Church
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 background or none. For further information contact PilarChristian.CommunityChurch@gmail. com. 966 849 448 - 966 848 806
TABLE TENNIS AT PILAR DE LA HORADADA
Sports Centre every Monday at 10am Five tables equipment supplied, coaching given if necessary, all standards welcome. Contact George on 965 326097 or Gordon on 966 848304 or e-mail drewgeorge49@yahoo.com.
CENTRE,
Meets at Hamilton´s Bake House, 62 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 03178. We hold a Sunday Service at 11.30 a.m., a Tuesday Evening of Mediumship at 7 p.m. And every alternate Thursday from 22nd September, there is an Development/ Awareness Circle where you can develop your skills commencing at 6.30 p.m. Spiritual healing is available every Sunday and Tuesday after the service. The Divine Service with Mediumship, on Sunday, 27th November, will be taken by Annette Rogers. Anna Marie will take the Evening of Mediumship on Tuesday, 29th November. The Divine Service with Mediumship, on Sunday, 4th December will be taken by Ray Bailey. We will be holding our Carol Service on Tuesday 6th December. Tickets only. AFTER THIS SERVICE WE ARE CLOSED UNTIL TUESDAY, 10TH JANUARY, 2017. Contact Wendy on 965323028. www. spiritualistcentre-benijofar.com New email is phoenixchurch23@gmail.com or info@spiritualistcentre-benijofar.com Identificacion Fiscal G54713789.
like to get out and meet people through a difficult time. No Fees or Subs just a get together normally twice a month for a meal. chat and perhaps a quiz at different locations in the Torrevieja CHESS club area. We have run this little group for Friendly Chess group looking for 1.00 PM some 10 years and more such events more players. FRIDAYS - REFLECTIONS BAR SAN LUIS are needed, 966 789 063. (Lakeside) Tele: John 966 786 774 or 634 658 506 (M) ‘Strictly Dance’
A u t u m n / W in t e r ALMORADI MONDAY CLUB The “Almoradi Monday Club” meet every Schedule Every Monday Emerald Isle Rock & Roll Beginners & Improvers Tuition 6:307:30pm Every Tuesday, The Country Club, Quesada, Beginners & Intermediate Ballroom & Latin Tuition 8-10pm Every Thursday, The Madhouse, Pueblo Principe, Beginners & Intermediate Ballroom & Latin Tuition 8-10pm Christmas Dinner Dance QCC Saturday 17 December, New Courses every 3 weeks, Singles Welcome. You’ve seen the show now come and learn how its done with the professionals and join in the ‘strictly’ gossip. For futher information contact Lyn on 635 584 431, 966 188 430 or email strictlydancelyn@ gmail.com
Amigos Group
Friendship
FIRST and THIRD MONDAY of the month at 4PM in “ The Centro Social Rooms, The Plaza, Calle Antimo Illescas, off Calle Comunidad Valenciana in Almoradi “ which is the same road as the Theatre Cortes in Almoradi. The idea of this modern and progressive club is that people who speak ENGLISH and live in Almoradi or the surrounding area can meet one another on a regular but informal basis to talk together and enjoy life in this Spanish community. The club activities will include social events, club lunches and evening meals in and around the local area, with guest speakers at meetings and entertainment when possible. We will also try to associate ourselves with other local clubs that hold other events including coach trips and anything that may be of interest to members. If you are interested and would like to have a wider circle of friends then come along to one of our meetings. For more information contact davedanie@gmail. com The Almoradi Monday Club is an ENGLISH speaking club and is open to people of every nationality living in or just visiting Spain
We meet at Rayz Bar El Raso every Wednesday at 3.00pm. For a social get together and fun quiz. We arrange lots of activities including day trips, meals out walks and holidays. You are welcome to join us and widen your circle of friends. Just turn up and The Royal British Legion you will Spain District North be made welcome • The Royal British Legion provides lifelong support or for for the Armed Forces community – serving men and f u r t h e r women, veterans and their families. • If you feel we can help you, please ring 676 451 780 info Call Ann (9-5 weekdays) or email assistance.rbl.dns@gmail.com. tel. 642 • Any general enquiries to 648 860 251 (10-4 weekdays) 774 399 or Ken tel. 642 To the memory of the fallen and the future of the living 703 488
31
ANGLICAN CHAPLAINCY OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL TORREVIEJA
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SERVICES 2016 In addition to the normal Services (see Footnote) the following special Services are planned over the Advent and Christmas period: LA SIESTA Wed 30 Nov 16 Chaplaincy Advent Service 11:00 am Mon 5 Dec 16 Ecumenical Carol Service 6:30 pm Sat 24 Dec 16 Midnight Mass – Holy Eucharist 11:30 pm LOS BALCONES Thu 8 Dec 16 Carol Service 7:00 pm with ‘Phoenix Band’ followed by refreshments Sun 18 Dec 16 Christingle Service 10:30 am Sun 25 Dec 16 Christmas Day - Holy Eucharist 10:30 am LAGO JARDIN Sat 10 Dec 16 Carol Service with Holy Eucharist 6:00 pm Sat 24 Dec 16 Vigil Mass with Christmas Carols 6:00 pm CAMPOVERDE Sun 18 Dec 16 Community Carol Service at the ‘Rusty Nail’ 6:00 pm (Replaces service in Campoverde Church) Sat 24 Dec 16 Midnight Mass – Holy Eucharist 11:30 pm Sun 1 Jan 17 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols 6:00 pm LA MARINA (SAN FULGENCIO) Sun 11 Dec 16 Carol Service 6:00 pm Sun 25 Dec 16 Christmas Day - Holy Eucharist 10:15 am LA MANGA (OWNERS CLUB – LA MANGA CLUB) Fri 16 Dec 16 Carol Service 6:00 pm Sat 24 Dec 16 Christmas Eve – Holy Eucharist 6:00 pm CRISTO RESUCITADO (LA REGIA) Thu 22 Dec 16 Holy Eucharist 11:00 am FOOTNOTE For more information on the workings of the Chaplaincy - and other planned activities and events – please view their web-site: - http://c-of-e-torrevieja.com/ The specific location of the various Church Centres together with their normal Services can be found here: http://c-of-e-torrevieja.com/where.php Also follow them on their Facebook pages too: https://www.facebook.com/Chaplain cyOfStPeterAndStPaul?ref=hl and more specifically here: https://www. facebook.com/CampoverdeChurch The Anglican Chaplaincy extends a very warm and friendly welcome to all denominations who live in or are visiting our area and our Church Centres
Ruby’s
URBANISATION EL RASO, CAMPO DE GUARDAMAR, JUST OFF THE CV895 LEMON TREE ROAD, 03140
TEL 865 662 543
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P o wa k a d dy F r eew a y Titanium Golf Trolley. In good condition one lady owner a bargain, no battery or charger hence low price of only 85€ Tel: 650 570 234 (Camposol Mazarron) White gloss b a t h r o o m cupboard 53 x 30 cms - as new. 25€ Grohe Start kitchen tap 15€. Microwave/ grill/oven 15€. Bosch extendible inox hob extractor 15€ Italian round adjustable table - 60cms - and 2 adjustable swivel stools 50€ Tel: 966 713 707 - Quesada. Wheelchair, collapsible for car boot, detachable foot rests, good runner 45€ Tel: 690 772 178 (Urb La Marina) Gaes brand new hearing aid for sale 300€ Los altos area Tel: 615 530 730 B l u esky spinner dryer for sale very good condition 130€ Tel: 0044 785 299 5400 ask for Dave Area South Costa Blanca Dining table and 4 chairs -square glass top table with black and gold iron work legs. Matching chairs with cream cushion pads. Text or ring +44 7809 441 957 for photos, 40€ Punta Prima/La
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PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT We are looking for a talented artworker to work remotely for our production department. You must be able to use
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November 2016
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Ideally you will have business to business sales experience and be able to work to weekly deadlines in a fast paced environment. Strong communication and administration skills are required for this role. You will need to be self-motivated, success driven & able to achieve weekly targets. In return we offer-Basic salary, Commission, Mobile telephone and Flexible hours. In-House training will be given. If you tick all of the boxes above send your CV to
sales@soltimes.com For the at tention of Paulet te
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Call Jane on: 950 121 936 or 950 680 007 or email: sales@soltimes.com
www.soltimes.com motoring
For re-registration of cars, motorbikes and motor homes contact Graham Shelton Who after re-registering over 1800 vehicles will put you on the right side of the road.
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animal corner Valentino and Valentina are looking for a home together. He is 9 yrs old, vaccinated and castrated. She is 14 yrs old and vaccinated.. Both only small , dog friendly and really deserve a loving home to spend the rest of their lives.
Contact Margaret at Santa Clara, Tobarra 697 495 315
Mountain View
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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
APAH are appealing for a long-term foster home for a very needy cat. Heidi has been in APAH’s care since 2010. She is a mature, very affectionate cat with a life-long medical condition. It isn’t contagious and is kept under control by medication; which she is well used to and takes without a problem. Her medical needs will be maintained by APAH, but she needs a loving home for her later years.
To advertise here call: 950 121 936
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630 422 563 or 616 210 850
Pets In Spain
Jess and Yogi are beautiful Yorkshire Terriers looking for a new home. Jess on the left is 10 months old and weighs 3.6 kilos; Yogi is 18 months old and weighs 4.2 kilos. Both dogs have a wonderful, sweet nature, love to be around people and are good with other dogs. Call: 645 469 253 www.petsinspain.com info@petsinspain.info
Sancho is a beautiful male pointer about 5 years old. He is very friendly and loves people and other dogs but does not like cats. Like all pointers, he is very lively and would benefit from a reasonable amount of exercise. If you are able to give Sancho his forever home, please contact us.
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November 2016
Christmas dinner hacks to save you time in the kitchen Stay focused on having fun this Christmas with these seriously helpful food hacks. 1. Chill drinks quickly Chill your drinks quickly by wrapping the bottles in damp paper towels and popping in the freezer for 10 minutes. Use a timer so you don’t forget to take it out - if left in there, the bottles could crack. 2. Warm plates in the dishwasher Check your dishwasher for a platewarming setting, and save your oven for the food. When you’re catering for lots of people, using the dishwasher’s rinse cycle to wash all your veg at once is another smart move. 3. Stop pans boiling over With so many pots and pans to worry about, it’s easy to let one of them boil over. Easily prevent it by placing a wooden spoon across the top of each pan.
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950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com
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Ultimate Christmas Countdown Check list Christmas is getting closer, 24 days to be precise. Have you got everyone’s presents, are all the Christmas cards written and the turkey bought? Don’t worry if you haven’t. But getting organized is the best way to ensure you’ll have more holiday cheer, less holiday stress. This time line will help you keep track of the big tasks. 3 WEEKS TO GO (From 1 December) Start gift wrapping Get a head-start on the present wrapping now. You’ll be thankful come Christmas Eve. Deck the halls Time to put the Christmas decorations up. Choose a Christmas tree There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh pine in the house to signal that Christmas is here. Buy yours now. No room for a fern? Then an artificial tree will do just the same. Order the turkey Don’t leave it until the last minute to get your turkey and risk the shelves being empty. Get down to your local butchers or supermarket and order your turkey. Post UK Christmas cards Send them now and keep your recipient list for next year, adding extra names for any surprise cards you receive. 4. Cook the turkey evenly Turkey breasts cook faster than the rest of the bird and can easily become dry. Prevent them from overcooking by placing a zip lock bag of ice cubes onto the breasts for 30 minutes, then coat the whole bird with vegetable oil and cover tightly with foil before roasting in the oven. 5. Pre-cook the veg Cook your carrots, parsnips and Brussels sprouts ahead of time. Just pan-fry to reheat when your Christmas feast is nearly ready. You can par-boil the potatoes the day before too, ready to roast in the oven once the turkey has finished cooking. 6. Keep drains fat free Make a basic cup shape from foil and pour your fat into that instead of down the drain to avoid blocking it. When the fat has hardened, just chuck it in the bin. 7. Serve ice cream easily Your ice cream will be easier to scoop if you store it in a zip lock bag in the freezer, which stops the frozen dessert from getting too hard. Source:www.tescoliving.com
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CEREMONIES FOR YOU …….your ceremony your way HELPING YOU CELEBRATE YOUR SPECIAL DAY Ceremonies For You helps people experience the joyful moments of marriage, renewal of vows or to celebrate their lives with a personal and tender memorial. Our two main services... Ceremony Creation is set around a framework of readings, vows and statements which you can deliver yourself or with friends and family. Or we can create a poignant and personal ceremony which we share together on the Costa Blanca in Spain. We’ll create a unique ceremony for your special day and afterwards present you with a keepsake of all the day’s highlights. With realistic pricing for everyone depending on your needs and budgets.
Call today for more information Tel: 667 817 546 www.ceremoniesforyouspain.com
A MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM BEAUTIFUL YOU CLINIC
Christmas is one of my favourite times of year, the lights, the tree, and the presents to unwrap, big or small it’s definitely the love that is given with it, and that someone has taken the time to think about you when buying a gift. Precious is the time that is spent with family and friends making memories together that will last forever. Love joy and peace are the best
ingredients for a merry Christmas and we at Beautiful you hope you find them all this festive season. I would like to wish all my clients old and new for their loyalty over the years you are all precious to me. Gift vouchers are available up until 23rd of December, they can be personalised for each individual’s needs.
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November 2016
sports SHORTS with Tony Matthews
• Lewis Hamilton won the final F1 Grand Prix of 2016 in Abu Dhabi but finished second behind champion Nico Rosberg in the driver’s championship. • In the Champions League last week, Leicester and Real Madrid both won; Arsenal and Manchester City drew but Celtic (v Barcelona), Tottenham and Sevilla all lost. • Borussia Dortmund beat Legia Warsaw 8-4 - the highest goalaggregate ever scored in CL game. • In the Europa League, Manchester United beat Feyenoord 4-0 but Southampton and Dundalk both lost and Villarreal drew. • There were PL wins last week for Arsenal; leaders Chelsea (2-1 v Spurs); Liverpool; Southampton; Stoke and Swansea, the latter 5-4 v Crystal Palace. Manager José Mourinho was ‘sent off’ again as Manchester United drew with West Ham. The Hull-WBA and LeicesterMiddlesbrough games also ended level. • Championship leaders Newcastle lost at home to Blackburn; Scunthorpe still head FL1 and Carlisle are now top of FL2. • Celtic beat Aberdeen 3-0 in the Scottish LC final to claim the 100th prize in the club’s history. • Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as La Liga leaders Real Madrid beat Sporting Gijon 2-1 • Steven Gerrard has retired from competitive football. • The EFL quarter-finals this week feature Arsenal-Southampton, HullNewcastle, Liverpool-Leeds and Manchester United-West Ham. And this weekend’s PL games include Bournemouth-Liverpool, EvertonManchester United, Manchester CityChelsea and West Ham-Arsenal… There are also 16 second round FA Cup-ties. • Spain’s public prosecutor wants Barcelona’s Neymar sent to prison on a corruption charge involving his
transfer from Santos. • Thousands of young footballers could have been abused by a nationwide paedophile ring. Several police forces and the FA are now investigating. • Ex-Luton, Manchester City and England U23 defender Paul Futcher has died, aged 60. His twin brother Ron also played for Luton. • Recent rugby friendlies saw wins for England 27-14 v Argentina; Ireland 27-24 v Australia; Scotland 43-16 v Georgia and Wales 27-13 v South Africa. • Elliot Daly became only the fifth Englishman to be sent-off in an international, red-carded after five minutes for a foul v Argentina who also finished with 14 men. And Ireland’s win over the Aussies earned them their first-ever treble over the three southern hemisphere countries in the same year. • Saracens beat Gloucester 24-20 to go top of Rugby’s Aviv Premiership. • Ali Carter, Stephen McGuire, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Matthew Stephens and Mark Williams all started the second week of the UK Snooker championships in York.
• Native River, ridden by Colin Tizzard, won last Saturday’s Hennessey Gold Cup.
A MUST SEE! Aussie Derek Herron has set a world record for the highest basketball shot, netting from 180 metres while standing on Switzerland’s Manvoisin Dam. Watch it on the BBC sport website – it’s amazing.
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Antoine Griezmann admits he would prefer Premier League move if he decides to leave Spain
• And the 2001 Grand National winner Red Marauder has died, aged 26.
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past Barcelona players facing legal problems in Spain. In July, Lionel Messi and his father were sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud, although they were not sent to jail because sentences of less than two years for first offences are usually suspended in Spain. Neymar and Barcelona are dealing with the Spanish authorities because of the player’s transfer from Brazilian club Santos in 2013. Prosecutors on Wednesday announced that they are seeking to punish the Brazilian player and his club, as well as his parents, his Brazilian club and its former president because of an investment group’s claim that they concealed the value of the star’s transfer fee. In June, Barcelona paid a fine of $5.8 million after acknowledging to Spain’s tax authority it made “an error in the fiscal planning of the player’s transfer.” The 35-year-old Eto’o played for Barcelona from 2004-09. The Cameroon striker is currently playing with Turkish club Antalyaspor. bbc.com
• Norfolk-based boxer Kuba Moczeyak, 22, has died after being knocked out in an amateur bout last Friday.
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Samuel Eto’o facing jail
Spanish prosecutors are seeking a prison term of more than 10 years for former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o for alleged tax crimes committed when he played for the Catalan club. In addition to a sentence of 10 years and six months, prosecutors are also demanding a fine of $15.1 million for the four counts of tax fraud for supposedly defrauding Spain’s tax authority of almost $4 million from 2006-09, according to court documents released Thursday. Prosecutors are seeking the same punishment for the player’s representative at the time, Jose Maria Mesalles Mata. The administrator of a company that facilitated the deals, Manuel de Jesus Lastre Abreu, is facing more than six years in prison and a fine of $2.3 million. Prosecutors also want Eto’o to relinquish any possible fiscal incentives for a long period. Eto’o and his lawyers could not be immediately contacted for comment, but in the past the player denied wrongdoing, saying he was not directly involved in his tax matters. Eto’o is among other current and
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Antoine Griezmann has admitted he would prefer a move to the Premier League, if he decides to leave Spain. The Atletico Madrid striker insists he has no desire to leave the Calderon, but is a fan of the English top flight. Speaking to French publication Telefoot, Griezmann said he would prefer a move to England than a switch to Ligue 1, but that he is happy with Atletico. T h e forward h a s established
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himself as one of Europe's premier marksmen, scoring 22 La Liga goals in each of his last two seasons. He has six strikes so far in the current league campaign, as well as three goals in the Champions League. Griezmann moved to Atletico for €30million from Real Sociedad two years ago. He fired France to the final of Euro 2016 with six goals in seven appearances in the tournament, but couldn't prevent Portugal from winning the final in Paris. mirror.co.uk
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Manchester United eyeing Barcelona star: Spanish giants desperate to keep £43m-rated man Jose Mourinho is eyeing a raid on Barcelona for youngster Carles Alena. The 18-year-old midfielder has been dubbed ‘the new Iniesta’ by coaches at the Spanish giants.
And that’s caught the attention of Manchester United boss Mourinho, the Sunday People report. Barcelona are desperate to tie the player down to a new contract. They want to keep him for a least another four years and include a huge £43m buyout clause. Barca have lost a host of top talent from their academy to the Premier League - including to United when Gerard Pique moved in 2004. The Nou Camp club had to fork out £5m to get him back in 2008 and he’s since become one of the world’s top defenders. Arsenal also pinched the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin from their youth ranks. They don’t want a repeat with Alena, but Mourinho may have other ideas. United scouts are keeping an eye on the player, and they could follow up their interest with a bid. Mirror.co.uk
EL RASO GOLF SOCIETY AT LA MARQUESA On Friday 25 November the El Raso GS played the monthly Stableford game on our home course, La Marquesa. There was a good turnout of 32 members, including our four new members, a warm welcome to Fred and Monique Reeve and Tony and Sue Forbes. Competition results were as follows:
NTP’s: hole 5 Gordon Bourne hole 11 Denise Jenkins hole 15 Tony Forbes and hole 17 Debbie Weedon. Bev Fairhurst won the best front nine on c/b with 18 pts and best back nine went to John Fairhurst with 18 pts. There were excellent scores amongst the top scorers with three players all achieving 37 pts and a countback decided the order, which was third Phyllis Venables, second Malcolm Foskett and the winner Robin Richards. Presentations and refreshments were held at the Olde 9th in Quesada and our thanks to Grant for the welcome hot meal. Our next game at Las Colinas on 16 December is now fully subscribed.
25’95 €
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Nico Rosberg wins F1 title as Lewis Hamilton wins in Abu Dhabi
Nico Rosberg won his first Formula 1 world title despite Lewis Hamilton disobeying Mercedes orders not to back his team-mate into rivals. Hamilton won the Abu Dhabi GP driving slowly in an attempt to bring other drivers into the battle, knowing he needed Rosberg to finish below third. Hamilton was repeatedly told to speed up but told the team: “Let us race.” Rosberg came under pressure from Sebastian Vettel but held off the Ferrari driver to finish second. Rows over the radio Hamilton controlled the race from the front but was under instruction from Mercedes management not to try any strategic games to delay Rosberg. However, he disregarded message after message to speed up and prevent Vettel and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen from closing on Rosberg. The German in turn complained on the radio to the team to “consider doing something” and the tense title battle will do nothing to improve the cool relationship between the two drivers. At one point, as Vettel homed in on Rosberg in the closing laps, Mercedes executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe, who only speaks to the drivers on the radio in extreme circumstances, told Hamilton: “Lewis, this is Paddy. We need you to pick up the pace to win this race.”
Hamilton replied: “I’m in the lead right now. I’m quite comfortable where I am.” But his tactics were not enough and Rosberg whooped with delight as he crossed the line and, after wife Vivian congratulated him over the radio, did doughnut spins on the pit straight before climbing on to the nose of the car to take the cheers from the crowd. A positive end to an intense battle “It’s a childhood dream come true,” Rosberg, 31, said over the radio. “Thank you for everything.” After the drama of the race, Hamilton congratulated Rosberg on his world championship and the two men embraced and shook hands on the podium. Rosberg said he had not decided whether to take the number one on his car as is his right next year or whether to stick with the number six, which he chose as his race number because his father Keke won the 1982 world title with it. The Rosbergs are only the second family in which a father and son have won the F1 world title, after Graham and Damon Hill. A very tense race Rosberg started the race 12 points ahead of Hamilton, and knew a podium finish would be enough to secure the championship regardless of what Hamilton did. Bbc.com
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November 2016
Barcelona’s Real Sociedad draw was ‘worst game’ under Luis Enrique
EUROGOLF MEMORIAL MEDFORD Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique says the performance in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad was their “worst game” during his time in charge. Barca were lucky, with La Real having a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, as well as hitting the woodwork twice. “This is the first time I’ve seen a team walk all over us since I became coach,” said Enrique, boss since 2014. “If we look at the result, it is the best of the season. The opponents were far superior.” Barcelona’s next La Liga game is against leaders Real Madrid next Saturday, and the champions are six points off their rivals going into El Clasico. “I’m sure we’ll see a different Barca in the Clasico,” said Enrique. Barcelona trailed deservedly to Willian Jose’s header, but Lionel Messi
equalised six minutes later. Barca, who have not won in their past eight away games against Real Sociedad, were dominated on possession for the first time this season, with only 47.7% of the ball. Fifth-placed La Real should have retaken the lead when Juanmi tapped home, but it was harshly disallowed, while Carlos Vela hit the crossbar and post. “Most teams try to get the better of us by defending but they played a good game, trying to play with the ball, and they deserved the three points,” added Enrique.
On Thursday 24th November 60 players took part in Europolf’s Chuck Martinez memorial Medford. Chuck was an active member of Eurogolf many years ago serving as Captain 20012002 but on returning to England passed away shortly after on his local golf course. The Medford format is you play the first 9 as a medal/stroke play then the 2nd 9 as a stableford then you deduct the latter points from the medal strokes for your score. The results were as follows Cat 1 1st Robin Richards 17 2nd Paul Manning 22 3rd Sue Forbes 22 Cat 2 1st Bert
“We are in week 13, you can’t discount the champions from the past two seasons. There is still a long way to go.” Bbc.com
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Lawson 18 2nd Steve Sayers 22 3rd Clive Peck 25 Cat 3 1st Ken Enever 25 2nd Gordon Bourne 26 3rd Ken Brett 28 Cat 4 1st Norman Woods 23 2nd Ed Sylvester 24 3rd Eamonn Divine 26 Winner of the the Chuck Martinez plaque Robin Richards NTPs 5th John Barraclough 11th Paul Manning 12th in 2 David Blanchette (eagle) 15th Robin Richards 17th Norman Woods Best front 9 John Barraclough Best back 9 Bill Martin 19 Football draw Steve Sayers Sue Forbes Clive Horne Fred Reeve and Ray Porter.
A FIRST FOR EUROGOLF On Monday 21st November one of our younger members Bert Lawson and his lovely wife Debbie had a baby boy Edward Albert Leslie a brother for Isabella. Eurogolf presented them with a bouquet of flowers and a card signed by the members to congratulate them.
TUESDAY TOFFS On Tuesday 22nd November Toffs played in pleasant and mild conditions considering the early morning rain and the results were Cat 1 1st Ian Pegg 37 2nd Pete Gartside 36 3rd Piuno Perito 35 Cat 2 Stan Low 35 2nd Alan Venables 34 3rd Steve Tombs 34 c/b Cat 3 1st Phyllis Venables 34 2nd Ray Porter 33 3rd Ken Brett 31 Cat 4 1st Claire Daye-Gretton 35 2nd Norman Woods 33 3rd Kevin Bonser 29 NTPs 5th and 11th Malcolm Foskett 15th David Valentine 17th Stan Low Best front 9 Franco Gentilli 20 Best back 9 Arty Crammon 19 CBA -.0 Overall Toffs winner ian Pegg Football draw George McCallum Mary Sanderson Pete Cleaver John Fairhurst and Pete Gartside. If you would like to play with Eurogolf at La Marquesa Tuesdays and Thursdays please visit the website www.eurogolfquesada.co.uk
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COSTA CALIDA/MAR MENOR Trudy : 950 680 007 (EXT: 1331) email: calidasales@soltimes.com STACEY: CLASSIFIEDS 950 680 007 EXT:1332 Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent of political parties, private investment and government. Our policy is to provide readers with a news and information service that is fair, accurate and balanced. Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent publications. Published weekly and produced exclusively in Murcia & Blanca. Sol Times News Group cannot be held responsible for claims made by advertisers, nor can it be held responsible for errors in advertisements caused by poor quality text, photographs or layout instructions. Furthermore, no responsibility can be accepted for any loss or damage resulting caused by any error, inaccuracy or non-appearance of an advertisement. Deposito Legal Sol Times Calida AL 851-2010. Sol Times Blanca AL 852-2010
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•ford sierra cosworth 1986, 17,000km............................... €47,950 •range rover evoque dynamic 2015, AUTO, 2.0 diesel.€43,950 •bmw 428i coupe 2014, 17,000km............................................€36,950 •MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2016, AUTO, NEW.........................€34,950 •MERCEDES E220 CDi, 2013......................................................€34,950 •toyota fj cruiser 4.0l petrol, auto, 2009, 87,000km.........€poA •MITSUBISHI L200 INSTYLE 2016, AUTO, 0km................€27,950 +IVA •nissan juke 2016, 1.6, petrol, auto, 2,800km................€18,950 •Citroen DS4 2015 1.6HDi, 30,000km............................................€poa •vw transporter t4 camper Van, 1998, 1.9Tdi...................€14,950 •opel astra st, 1.7 cdti, 2013, estate, 113,000KM..................€12,450 •hyundai i30 1.4 Crdi 2013, 5-doors, silver........................... €11,950 •Dacia Duster 1.5DCi, 2013, 83,000km...........................................€11,950 •Opel Astra 1.6 16v, 2012, 51,000km.............................................€11,950 •kia sportage 1.6GDi, petrol, 101,000km,........................€11,950 •Mini Cooper Clubman 1.6D, 2011,166,000km....................... €10,950 •VW TOURAN 2.0L TDi, 2008, 7 Seater, 139,000km.................€9,950 •kia sportage 1.6 petrol, 2009, 50,000km................................€9,950 •Mercedes A160 CDi, 2008, Diesel,Avantgarde, 88,000km....€8,450 •hyundai tucson 2.0l crdi, 2005, diesel, 48,000km..........€8,450 •honda civic 1.8, 2008, auto, 110,000km...............................€7,950 •Renault Scenic 1.9DCi Diesel, 2009, 135,000km,..............€7,950 •renault grand scenic 1 owner 2006...................................€7,950 •dacia sandero stepway 1.5dci, 2012, 85,000km..............€7,950 •ford fiesta 1.25 petrol, 2010, 150,000km....................................€6,950 •Seat Altea 2005 1.9TDi, 164,000km..............................................€6,450 •peugeot 207 1.4 petrol, 2006, 101,000km....................................€5,950 •Kia Rio 1.5crdi , diesel, 2006, 99,000KM..........................................€5,450 •Chrysler Sebring 2.0i Cabrio, 2005,152,000km..................... €4,950 •kia picanto 1.1, auto, 2004, 60,000km............................................€4,450 •bmw 320 cabriolet 1988, 150,000km........................................... €3,950 •Ford KA 2002 1.3 Petrol, 102,000km........................................... €1,950
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peugeot 5008 1.6 hdi, 2013, 7 seats, 69,000km €16,950 mercedes clc 200 1.8CDi Diesel, 2008, 89,000km €13,950 Toyota Yaris 1.3 V VTi, 2012 40,000km €12,950
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peugeot 301 1.6, auto, 2015, white 6,000KM €12,450 renault kangoo 1.5dcI, 2013, 36,000km €11,950 Opel Astra 1.6 16v, 2012 51,000km €11,950 AUDI A3 2.0TDI DSG, 2006, AUTO, SPORTBACK, 149,000km €9,950 opel corsa 1.3cdti, 2012, 130,000km €8,950 citroen jumpy 2.0hdi, 2005, Diesel, 183,000km €5,950 chrysler sebring 2.0i, cabrio, 2005, 152,000km €4,950 Renault Megane Scenic
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SOLTIMES november 2016
www.soltimes.com
Tel 950 680 007
We’re a good estate agent in Sweden. So we’re a brilliant estate agent in Spain. Hurrah for relativity! In Spain, you don’t need any particular qualification to call yourself an estate agent. You can just set up shop and off you go! So it’s no wonder that some people have had bad experiences finding a property in Spain. But that’s where we come in. We’re Sweden’s leading estate agent and we take a completely different approach. Our starting point is always to find out who you are and what you’re looking for. We’re members of the AIPP trade body and hold liability insurance that covers our work. So please feel free to contact a real real estate agent in Spain. FASTIGHETSBYRÅN TORREVIEJA / 966 925 281 / TORREVIEJA@FASTIGHETSBYRAN.SE / FASTIGHETSBYRAN.SE/OVERSEAS