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SolTimes issue 277

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Almussafes

A workshop for the unemployed, organised by the Ayuntamiento, has been described as ‘misleading’ by the giant Scandinavian furniture firm Ikea. The Ayuntamiento intended the workshop to be for the unemployed, to prepare them to apply for jobs at Ikea when it opens its new store in Alfafar in 2014. However, they placed an advert on Facebook, which contained the company logo, and which gave the impression that candidates should turn up with their CV’s in hand. It was only at the bottom of the advert, and in small print, that is was made clear that it was simply a workshop, not a recruitment campaign. According to company bosses at Ikea, the firm knew nothing about the workshop, and stressed that all recruitment for the new store will be via its own website. The misunderstanding brought chaos to the Ayuntamiento offices, as over 7,000 people replied to the Facebook advertisement. Queues formed right down the street, and the Ayuntamiento phone lines, which are shared with the Policía Local, were jammed all day.

Sport Elche

The ceremony of First Communion is a milestone in the life of all Catholic Spanish children, and is followed by a huge family celebration. It is regarded as one of the most important days in the child’s life. However, in the case of a mentally handicapped girl from Monforte del Cid, near Elche, the Church is effectively ‘deselecting’ her, by banning her from participating in the First Communion ceremony. As a prerequisite for the First Communion service in church, all children have to go to catechism classes for a minimum of a year. When the child’s mother went to the parish church of Monforte del Cid to register her daughter for the classes, she was asked whether her daughter would understand what was being taught in the classes. With true

Christian honesty she said that her daughter would not fully understand because of her condition. However, she was shocked to learn that because of this admission her daughter would not be accepted to the classes, thus would also not be allowed to take part in the ceremony. However, when she protested to the priest that this was in effect discrimination, the case was brought before the Diocese of Orihuela, which covers the Monforte del Cid area. The Diocese backed the decision of the priest, saying that this was not discrimination, but simply the rules of the Catholic Church. ‘We appreciate that this is a delicate subject, and we are sure that the mother is trying to do the best for her daughter, but with all due respect to the little girl and her family one should remember that, to take Holy Communion a series of requisites have to be fulfilled. These requisites include the fact that the child to be confirmed understands the sense of the Scripture at least to a minimum degree, and the little girl in question does not fulfil this requirement,’ said a spokesman for the Diocese.

Valencia

A gruesome find by a dog walker has led police to trawl through missing persons’ records dating from 2008 to early 2012. The dog walker’s dog found the dismembered remains of a child and an adult in bin bags in the Municipal area of Chiva, close to the Cheste race track and the A-3 ValenciaMadrid motorway. They had been partly unearthed from a shallow grave, probably by a fox or other scavenger, and were of a boy aged no more than 5, and parts of an adult. It seems that they have been dead for a number of years.

Alicante

The Ayuntamiento of Alicante has put out a press release of interest to businesses, especially businesses which cater

for tourists. During May several cruise ships will call into port: 5 May Mariner of the Seas, owned by Royal Carribean, will dock with over 3,000 passengers. On the 11 May P& O’s Aurora is expected, while on the 17th Pulantur’s Horizon will spend the afternoon in dock. The Amadea (Phoenix Serein) will overnight on the 19th, while P&O’s Oriana will spend the day in port.

Alicante

Monday, 6th May the Centro Comunitario Playas (Av. Costablanca, nº 19) showed the film ‘Insidiques’ described as being ‘Género de Terror’. (Terror genre). The film, under the Directors James Wan and Leigh Whannell, with a cast of Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Ty Simpkins, Barbara Hershey, Andrew Astor, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell and Augus Sampson, featured the familiar but ever successful plot of Average Family moving into Old House, followed by Spooky Accident, and Unexplained Things that go Bump in the Night! For more information about future films being shown at this venue, call 965 264 129.

Lorca

The Avenida Juan Carlos I and the Calle Mayor, already thick with traffic due to the Procesión de Papel, were gridlocked by a traffic accident. A trailer lorry overturned at kilometre 598 on the Mediterráneo A-7 Murcia direction, at the Caravaca exit. The driver, who was trapped, but conscious, was rescued by the Bomberos del Consorcio de Extinción de Incendios and the Guardia Civil. The vehicle began to smoke, but was prevented from bursting into flames. The Guardia Civil diverted the traffic bound for Murcia before the tunnels to the Barrio de San Antonio and the City Centre. Traffic from San Antonio was directed to the Caravaca exit, and rejoined the motorway by the entrance to the gas station at Las Palmeras. The traffic flow in the city was already disrupted by the closing of certain streets in Lope Gisbert, due to the Procesión de Papel.

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Murcia

El Corte Inglés organised a ‘Birthday Party For Murcia’, in celebration of its 40th anniversary at the Avenida de la Libertad. The centrepiece of the Party was a giant cake, complete with candles. It was made with 120 kilos of sugar, 500 sugar flowers, 100 litres of crema pastelera, 45 litres of egg whites, 140 kilos of cake mix, took 150 hours to complete, and when finished provided 5,000 portions. The candles were blown out by the Director Territorial of El Corte Inglés, José Dasí, accompanied by the two youngest and the two oldest employees. There was also a 3 hour musical show presented by ‘El Pulpo’, playing the greatest hits of the last 40 years, and featuring the many artists who have visited El Corte Inglés, signed CDs and posed for photos with their fans in Murcia. Live performances were given by the Murcain artists David Andreu and Toni Beteta. This Birthday Party is the launch pad for a series of events commemorating the store’s 40th anniversary. From 3 to May 5 there was a special offer feature under the heading ¡Más de 40 precios irresistibles!On 16 May it will host the Casting Mujeres Reales for the magazine Mía, with the presentation on May 17th with the Murcian actress Pepa Aniorte (‘Águila Roja’), and on 28 May the Feria de la Alimentación de Productos de la Región de Murcia will be held.

Murcia

Pedro López Cano, known as El Boxeador’ will face a jury, with the prosecutor asking for 107 years custody for allegedly killing two acquaintances and attempting to kill 10 police officers. He is charged with: Two counts of murder; 12 years imprisonment. For each of the ten offences of attempted murder; 7 years. For illegal possession of weapons; 2 years. For assault; 4 years. For illegal detention; 5 years, and for false imprisonment, 2 years. The defendant, Pedro López Cano, shall also compensate Elizabeth Martínez Gil 120,000 euros, for the death of her father, and compensate Alejandro Pascual Martín, represented by his mother Cristina Martín Carrión, and Raúl Pascual Aparicio, represented by his mother Ana Vanesa Aparicio Turón, both of whom are sons of Rubén Carlos Pascual Pérez. Among other measures the prosecutor, David Campallo, is asking for a total of 107 years in prison, 240,000 euros in compensation and disqualification of the right to possess and carry weapons for 6 years. This is the start of the trial of 36 men accused of shooting dead on February 16, 2011 in Cartagena two known criminals, Antonio Martínez Zubillaga (‘El Zubi’), 43 years of age, and Rubén Carlos Pascual Pérez, 30. An argument over drugs and refusal to surrender to the police triggered the double tragedy and a night of panic in the lower end of the bottom of the barrio de San Antón. It happened at número 9, Calle Sebastián Feringán, on the left stairway of Piso 2º B. Inside the apartment, which is opposite the Hospital Perpetuo Socorro, what began as a party between four known drug dealers ended with two deaths and one of the tenants killed by a shot by a policeman from a room of the Centro Sanitario. The nightmare was brought to a conclusion by the police, who surrounded the rented accommodation where ‘El Boxeador’ had barricaded himself inside. The siege lasted for 8 hours, with ‘El Boxeador’ firing through the window and door at the officers. To ensure safety during the hearing, especially as it will be attended by relatives of the victims and thirty officers who will attend as witnesses, the police will conduct a special deployment. The trial will take place on the ground floor of the Palacio de Justicia,which has been reserved for the Audiencia Provincial for the entire week.

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‘Poor’ maintenance of Spanish roads due to lack of funding causes accidents, says AEC

Maintenance of Spain’s roads is ‘extremely bad’ and ‘lacking in investment’, leading to a rise in accidents and damage to cars, claims the Spanish Highways Association (AEC). It says only those roads which come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Works have any money spent on them at all, and that even this is not enough. According to a report by ThinkSpain, a total of two per cent of the value of the roads should be invested in maintenance as a minimum every year, the AEC says, which should be 1.6 billion in the case of the Ministry of Public Works, but that the department only spends one billion on highway repairs. And some roads have not been repaired or

maintained in over five years, enough for them to be totally deteriorated – and yet there is not the public funding available to carry out works that have now become much greater and more pressing. Accident rates have fallen more due to the introduction of the points-based driving licence than road maintenance, claims the AEC, which also says it does not agree with the idea of ‘blanket speed limits’ enforced ‘based upon the type of road’. Speed limits should be determined by the state of the roads, the layout and the accident statistics, and apply to individual sections of various highways rather than to the road as a whole, they say.

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

barnes bulletin

just Sport onAnda not wet day! When next visiting the great City Of Alicante, check the street guide, and make your way to Plaza Del Doctor Go’rmez Ulla, and the Museum Marq. Managing Director Sr. D. Francisco Sirvent Belando, of the quite splendid Museum Marq, located in this beautiful Plaza, dropped a note, explaining the new “Events” that are taking place between June this year, and January 2014. The museum is located in the Old Hospital, San Juan de Dios, designed by the much respected architect, Juan Vidal. The museum building was opened by Her Majesty the Queen of Spain, Sophie, in 2002, and took the award of European Museum Of The Year, 2004.

With help from the Museum Of London, the Louvre in Paris, the State Museum of Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, the Museum of The Royal Tombs of Spia’n (That’s in Peru) the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid along with The National Museum of Vienna, it’s going to be quite a show. The displays will be within 8 galleries: Prehistory, that’s begins 100,000 years ago, an Iberian exhibition, along with galleries displaying Roman, Middle Ages, Modern Art, County Archaeology, Urban and Underwater Archaeology. There are also three galleries that house temporary, cultural exhibitions, throughout the year.

Opening times for the Marq Museum are September to June: 10.00 Hrs to 19.00 Hrs., and July to August, 11.00 Hrs to 14.00 Hrs and 18.00 Hrs to midnight. Sundays, 11.00 Hrs to 14.00 Hrs. (Closed Monday’s) About 3 Kms., from the centre of Alicante, is the open air museum of Lucentum. Here are the remains of an IberianRoman City. Known as Tossal De Manises, it is the most important archaeological site in the region of Valencia, and was declared a “Listed Site” in 1961. It is said that many building remains and artefacts, remain buried beneath the numerous blocks of apartment buildings, that can be seen across the site, towards Alicante. Beneath the city streets of Alicante, are many Roman water courses, built to bring water to the grand houses of the period, public and private bath houses and local industries. I remember, a few years ago, it was possible to visit these brick lined tunnels, with a guide. I will ask some questions, but if any Sol Times reader, has knowledge of these subterranean water conduits, it would be good to hear.

“But it was only a little leak, honest Gov.!” Towards the end of April, the good residents of Campoverde, just up the road from Pilar De La Horadada, happened to mention to Mr. Mayor, that it was thought that this very popular pool, at the back of Don Pepe’s Bar, was losing a little water, and would the council check it out please. Now It’s not very often that the wheels of Spanish council bureaucracy move at anything

more than a snail’s pace, but to the astonishment of the “Friends of Campoverde”, with a few days of mentioning this observed problem, the surrounding wall was pulled down, a massive excavator moved on and fired up, reducing the the lido to nothing more than a pile of rubble. “We had hoped to organise a petition, to ask the council to find some

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fun in the sun (hopefully) The San Luis Neighbourhood Watch (Mind how you go!), have organised a “Charity Fun Day”, on Saturday, May 11th., for the benefit of “Alimentos Solidarios” the local charity, supporting families in need. The show kicks off at 10 AM, and runs until 3 PM in

the Plaza De Tolosa, Urb. San Luis. The organisers tell me there will be various side shows and stalls, along with live music, including “Duo Athena”, “El Griego”, “Trio Seranata”, and “El Charro Ramirez”. There was to have been a fortune teller,

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funding to repair the pool, but that’s a little pointless now” said a spokesperson for “The Friends”. Mr. Mayor, along with The Corporation, stated that as there were no funds to investigate the problem, and certainly no euros in the coffer to repair the pool, it had to go! “We will build a nice square though” said a Council spokesman. Well, that’s alright then. but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, she will not be attending. The charity supplies around 900 meals a week to 150 or more families. They are dependent on donations, such as tinned food, soups, pasta, rice and vegetables. With money raised from events such as this in San Luis, they are able to buy chicken and pork, on a day by day basis. Visitors to the show are ask if they could bring some non-perishable food items, nappies etc.. Alimentos Solidarios are always keen to hear of anyone wishing to get involved in any way. Please contact Graham Knight at the Office of Foreign Residents (oari.torrevieja@gmail.com) for for information.

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Council of Europe: Higher credit costs for businesses in southern Europe ‘unacceptable’

Companies in southern Europe having to pay far more than those in the north to get finance is ‘unacceptable’, says Herman van Rompuy, president of the Council of Europe. According to a report by ThinkSpain, he has called for the Central European Bank (BCE) to ‘take more committed action’ to stop this discrimination and make it easier for small and mediumsized companies (SMCs) to obtain credit in accordance with the Spanish government’s request. “Restrictive credit conditions mean recovery is a huge upheaval which affects smaller firms to a much greater degree,” stated Van Rompuy yesterday (Thursday) at a conference in Estoril (Portugal) which was broadcast internally at the EU offices in Brussels. “It is much more expensive today for a company in Portugal, Spain or Italy to take out a loan than for a very similar firm in Austria or Belgium – this is unacceptable, and it is clear that something has to be done.” Van Rompuy says that although national governments can help, as can the European Investment Bank, “the crux of the problem is in the financial

fragmentation between member States, which is putting some of the key achievements of Europe in jeopardy.” He called for the BCE to work with heads of State and other EU organisations in order to reach ‘more decided and intelligent’ solutions, stressing the importance of this teamwork since ‘the BCE cannot and should not have to bear the burden of resolving all Europe’s problems by itself’. Commenting that a balance should be struck and a gradual approach taken when attempting to reduce State deficits, the Council of Europe president said: “After three years of sacrifices, understandably, people’s patience in southern European countries is running out and they are getting weary of constant ‘reforms’. Governments now need to focus on structural measures to bring about long-lasting improvements to the economy, and urgently need to take more steps to revive growth and fight against unemployment. “We will revisit this issue at the Council of Europe in June, during which I shall propose additional measures for immediate action in terms of growth and employment, aimed particularly at young people.”

Over A Quarter Of Electricity Produced By Wind Farms

Wind farms are now the most popular form of energy production in Spain, according to a recent study. They account for a quarter of all electricity produced, generating 31.7 TW per hour. This is the first time wind farms have taken over from all other forms of creating fuel, says the Spanish national grid (REE). Production plummeted in April, due to rising reservoir levels, less wind and reduced demand, by three per cent or 1,009 GW per hour, causing a loss of 85 million euros in the industry. But between the beginning of November and the end of March, enough energy was produced to fuel 18.1 million homes – and Spain has only 17 million homes. It is the growth in the use of wind-generated energy that has partly been what has led to electricity bills falling in April, but the Wind-Farm Companies’ Association (AEE) has called for research by State authorities into why this type of fuel production is the worst-hit by cutbacks, and to seek workable solutions.

New Five Euro Notes Now In Circulation

New-style five-euro notes came into circulation on Thursday, featuring Greece and Cyprus for the first time. These were not EU member States when the five-euro note came into being 11 years ago. The colour of the number ‘5’ has changed to dark blue and is embossed, lined and reflective, to allow people with sight problems to identify them easily. Other features include water marks, holograms, embossed lines so that they are more difficult to forge, and they are coated with varnish to strengthen them so they do not rip so easily. The new five-euro notes will eventually replace the old ones when these are phased out, but the original-style notes can still be used and will be legal tender for quite some time. Eventually, all other bank notes in the common currency – of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros – will be reissued in the same format as the new five-euro ones, but according to the Central European Bank (BCE) plenty of notice will be given beforehand. The timescale for the new notes to come into circulation its not yet known

Naked Man Sings Labourers’ Anthem In The Guggenheim

A 38-year-old man who took off his trousers and pants and started to sing the national labourers’ anthem in the Guggenheim museum is facing a hefty fine. The accused, who lives in Beasain (province of Guipúzkoa) entered the hall known as the Sala Fish at the futuristic art gallery in Bilbao at around 14.00hrs on Wednesday and stripped off from the waist down. According to press reports, standing among the iron sculptures by the American artist Richard Serra, he began singing The International, the anthem associated with the working class, while two or three people filmed him. Security staff called the Ertzaintza – the Basque Country’s answer to the Guardia Civil – who identified the man, ordered him to get dressed and to leave the building, which he did without putting up any resistance. Officers have filed a civil, rather than criminal, offence against the accused for ‘causing public disorder’, meaning he will face a fine but not be prosecuted.

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Cantabiles singing for Torrevieja Church Cantabiles’ last concert took place at Saint Peter & Paul’s Church, Torreta 2, after the evening Mass. An amount of €130 was presented to the church from an attendance of 45. The concert was well received and the songs were announced in both English and Spanish, which was appreciated both by the priest and the audience (about half and half English/Spanish speakers). The choir sang a varied programme which included Gloria in Excelsis Deo, All in the April Evening, Bless This House, Agnus Dei, Let There Be Peace on Earth, Going Home and finished with an Easter Hymn. Soloists were: Phyl Webb – Amazing Grace, Alicia Muddle – Flocks in Pastures Green Abiding, Eve Day – Laudate Dominum, Pat Yardley – Pie Jesu, Patricia Flint & Jen Morton – He Shall Feed His Flock.

‘Grand Design’ Annual Art Competition

The choir thoroughly enjoyed singing for the second time in this venue and are looking forward to a return at Christmas. Next concert, supporting Age Concern, is on 18 May at the Palacio de la Musica in Torrevieja. Starts 7.30. Free entrance. Free coach provided by Torrevieja Town Hall, leaves Age Concern’s office in la Siesta. Details from the office only. Further information about concerts from: www.cantabilesingers.es Email: jen-morton@hotmail.co.uk

All Things Spanish’ Closing date Sat, May 11 ART EXHIBITION & FLORAL EXTRAVAGANZA : From Mon 13 - 19 May 11am - 5pm daily hosted by, Casa La Pedrera, ‘The Grand Design House’ with Proceeds to the Elche Children’s Home You have until Saturday, to get your entries for the Art Competition so do not delay. As long as its Spanish, or inspired by all things Spanish, its in! ie. An event, a time, a place, the people, the lifestyle, the animals or even the wildlife. There are some great prizes to be won PLUS it’ s for a fantastic cause. You can also decide to donate a painting which will be auctioned off and all funds wil go to the Children’s Home.. All the paintings will be on display within the house to be admired throughout the exhibition which runs from Monday 13 - 20 May and the public can have their say by nominating their favourite. There will also be daily craft demonstrations which includes soap making and flower

arranging with native flowers, a beginners art session with one of the judges, Suzanne Stokes, live music and flamenco dancing. so be sure to check on the website at www.thingstodoinspain.info for full details of the program. Entry is 2 euros pp which includes a free entry into the raffle. The tea garden will also be open serving cream teas and refreshments so all in all it will make a lovely day out, which could even include a stroll within the protected Reserve. Entry forms are available by emailing granddesignhouse@gmail.com and completed artwork can be dropped off at the Tea Garden at Casa La Pedrera. You can find the Grand Design House via the CV950, which is conveniently situated just off the CV95, between San Miguel & Bigastro, near the Vista Bella & La Fortaleza Restaurants. Contact Jenni on 660 816 620 for more details and directions.

Liz Steward Counselling Services

Now

633 161 555

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

WHERE ARE WE? GO SATELLITE is based in Ciudad Quesada and covers most of the Costa Blanca. SATISFIED CUSTOMERS! Over the past 8 years the company has installed hundreds of satellite TV systems for individuals, companies and communities. The Go Satellite system uses highest quality

Portuguesemanufactured dishes and r e q u i r e s NO monthly payments. Packages are available to suit everybody´s requirements and budget. GO SATELLITE offer expertise, reassurance and a proven track record, which can be backed up by many a satisfied customer. WHY ARE WE DIFFERENT?

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

We realise that the technology involved can be confusing but we are happy to spend time with our customers to ensure that they get the best system for their needs”. CUSTOMER SERVICE Any concerns or queries are dealt with in a clear and professional manner and clients can call Ian at any point if they have any queries. This ensures that all of their customers have complete peace of mind throughout the lifetime of the service. Added to that is the fact that GO SATELLITE is a fully legal, Spanish registered business that provides individual, company and community installations with a free no obligation site survey. Go Satellite is going from strength to strength! COME AND MEET US!

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

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OTHER SERVICES Go Satellite not only provide television but are also able to provide internet and telephone services. Packages are available to suit all with a switch on/off service available for non residents. DISH ISSUES? Here at Go Satellite, we use only Top Quality Portugese dishes and Invacom LNB’s. Sky Packages are also available: Full HD Package 20€ per month (which includes Sports & Movies). If you do not have room or do not wish to have a dish, give us a call as we have a solution! At Go Satellite, we will endeavour, to provide TV for everyone. So, if you are fed up of missing your favourite programs or you have lost your TV signal and do not want to lose out any more, then call Ian or Deborah on 965 725 670 or 646 645 579 or call into our office to find out more about GO SATELLITE and its services. Alternatively check out the website: www.freetvspain.com

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RESCUED DOG IS A BLOOD TRANSFUSION HERO CRIME WATCH SPAIN Many dogs are abandoned when their owner decides that a pet dog does not fit in with their future plans.

Murphy is a large German Wire-haired Pointer aged 6 years. Sometime after he was abandoned he was rescued by the PETS IN SPAIN animal rescue and rehoming charity. His live rescue was videoed and can be seen on the PetsinSpain YouTube page. www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7kAOAv8nO7Q Mark Lewis stopped his car and rescued this starving dog from danger on a busy road, since his rescue Murphy has been in a foster home. Mark is the founder of PETS IN SPAIN animal charity and is well known for his involvement in rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals in this part of Spain.

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The PETS IN SPAIN animal rescue and rehoming charity rely solely on donations to fund their efforts to help rescued animals. Daily they receive many calls and requests to take in stray and abandoned pets and funds are urgently needed. To make a donation, to give your support or to receive updates on Murphy, please visit and ‘LIKE’ their Facebook page: info@petsinspain. info or call 0034 645 469 253. Web site: www.petsinspain.com. Bon voyage Murphy, you are a real hero.

Thanks on behalf of the animals,

Antonio the vet called Mark and his response was immediate, Murphy too seemed to know that he was on

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We are in a political/economy/financial crisis, yes, especially in Spain, with more than six millions un-employed people, and almost top in domestic violence in Europe, but we still have to get on with our daily duties and responsabilities. This is why Crime Watch Spain (Vecinos Colaborando Costa Blanca) throught their Costa Blanca branches, especially Guardamar, Montesinos, Catral, Torrevieja, Quesada, etc., are talking to each other to celebrate the European Day on 9th May in one of our branches. Vecinos Colaborando Costa Blanca was founded in Torrevieja in 1999, to try to reduce crime and vandalism in the Costa Blanca, in total collaboration with the citizens and the Police Force. “We are not vigilants, we don’t patrol the roads, we don’t confront and we don’t intervene”, this is the responsability of the Police Force. “Our citizens only report any incidents that affect their communities, such as robberies, loud music, stolen and abandoned cars or anything that citizens believed must be reported”. Anyone can join our Association; anyone can report directly to the Police: Local Police Tel. 092; Guardia Civil 062. Our service is free. Our Email address: colaborando.crimewatch@skynetlink.com

It was a 12 year old Yorkshire Terrier that received Murphy’s blood and as a result of the transfusion he is now back home with his family. Murphy too will have a happy ending very soon. He has been adopted by an English couple and will travel to his new home in Lymington in the New Forest in the UK on May 18th.

Antonio Fajardo, the senior vet at the Clinicas Veterpet group of veterinary clinics, remembered that at Mark’s request he had previously completed a full blood analysis on rescued dog Murphy and that the results were negative for contagious diseases. The vet knew that Murphy was now in good condition and would be a suitable blood donor for a client’s Yorkshire Terrier that urgently needed a blood transfusion.

The

celebrates the European Day

a special assignment. He jumped into the back of Mark’s car and they soon arrived in the Veterpet animal hospital in Guardamar where Murphy donated some of his blood.

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personal wellness

This column has been brought to you by Personal Wellness Practitioner, Drew Ryder B.SC. Psych. Hons, IIHHT, ThAT, MAAMET, an experienced practitioner of EFT and other disciplines. www.drewryder.com

Are you happy? I mean really happy? Do you know what happiness is? Or will you be happy when……..? Happiness is an amazing phenomena and often seen as ‘relative’. That is to say, relevant to the person, occasion or object of desire. Or is it? Is it a feeling, an emotion, a state of mind? What is it, exactly? These questions will be addressed along with many more as we explore the concept of happiness. Happiness is defined in the Oxford English dictionary as a feeling or expression of joy. It is also described in several other dictionaries as a state of mind or feeling characterised by contentment, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy. Various approaches such as philosophy, psychology, biology and religion have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. So, what is happiness and where does it come from? Babies for instance have no past, (except for the time they have spent in the womb), and as far as we aware have no real notion of the future. Babies when they exhibit signs of contentment or joy are doing so at a specific moment in time – the now. Children when they are playing do so in the ‘now’. They are happy or sad in the moment of ‘now’. As adults because we have built up a past we often have memories of happy ‘things’ or ‘events’. As adults when we talk about pleasurable moments in our past we often use phrases such as “he used to make me so happy”; or “I was so happy then”; and “happiness is short lived”. We use the future to look forward to happiness saying things like, “I won’t be happy until John gets his promotion”; or “when I lose three stones I will be happy”; or, the “happiest day of my life will be….”. One of the reasons we cannot ‘find’ happiness is because we live in a fast ever changing world wanting everything ‘now’. We live in an egotistical world and selfishly pursue happiness, a pursuit that is fuelled by impatience, anger, greed and even violence. Everything we want to make us happy is out there it is outside ourselves; out there in the world, therefore it is the world ‘that makes us happy’. Or is it? One of the reasons we are always searching for happiness is because in this ‘now’ world in which we live we have forgotten how to ‘experience the now’. By not experiencing the ‘now’ how can we experience happiness? By believing that it is the world that makes you happy, you are leaving yourself wide open to disenchantment, disillusionment, failure and frustration. Why? Because, by refusing to see or believe in your inner potential (your self) that happiness is available now, you will not see it in the world. This is best explained by the following story from the Zen tradition about a young, enthusiastic student speaking with his Zen Master who is especially noted for his continual

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grace and happiness: “ Master, I dream of an everlasting happiness. What is the highest wisdom you can teach me?” asked the student. The master smiled. He took his brush and wrote as if for the first time, “Attention”. “Wonderful,” said the student, “And what comes next after attention?” he asked. The master smiled. He took his brush and wrote as if for the first time, “Attention. Attention”. “Yes,” nodded the student, perplexed, “Anything more?” he asked. The Master smiled. He took his brush and wrote, as if for the first time, “Attention. Attention. Attention.” “Okay, so what does ‘attention’ mean?” asked the student. The Master spoke, “Attention means attention”. “Is that all?” said the student, somewhat dispirited. “Attention is all,” said the Master. “Without attention, happiness is nowhere; with attention, happiness is now here. Attention is freedom from all. Attention offers all.” The Zen school of wisdom and spirituality teaches you that now is the most abundant time in your life. Indeed, the bibles of the world and any spiritual text all have the same opinion that ‘now’ is an everlasting treasure chest filled with never-ending and everlasting gifts of happiness, love, peace, and joy freely available for all. The journey to true happiness can thus be described not as a journey of physical time and distance but as a journey of personal re-discovery or recovery, in that, it is the selfrealisation whilst living in this fast ever-changing world that, it is only by reconnecting and having faith with our inner self, that all that we seek is found. Only then, by looking within, can we find happiness. One moment it is nowhere, and the next it is now here. Happiness then it could be argued is not something to be ‘arrived at’ it is something which is within you and is therefore with you at all times. It is not a destination but rather a mode of travel. Should you choose to see or experience it that is. Happiness then is a choice, it is not in things. It is a decision only you can make. It is an attitude. Happiness is not something external that travels to and from you it is a potential that you always carry with you. Happiness then is only a thought away. A thought, within your inner, or, unconditioned self. It is who you really are. Your conditioned self on the other hand is the you that has been ‘conditioned’ by your parents, friends, school (teachers), in fact everybody else you have ever met and including yourself. It is your ego. It is the fearful you, the critical you, your lower self etc, you get the picture. The conditioned self is also the denier of happiness, your inner happiness. And ultimately only you can change that. Change your thought and you change your state of mind, your frame of reference. Happiness therefore, is up to you.... If you are struggling with being happy in your life right now, and feel your conditioned self is taking over your happiness, please do not hesitate to contact me; either by email at info@drewryder.com or by calling 968978876 or 660 326 194

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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King Juan Carlos wants to launch an ‘institutional pact’ to address the unemployment figures in Spain and to travel as much as possible to North Africa and the Americas to encourage heads of State to invest in the country. Worried about the fact that only 3.98 in 10 Spaniards interviewed are in support of having a monarchy, the King says he wants to actively work on ‘agreements and consensus’ to help improve Spain’s economic situation and restore the country’s faith in them by playing an active role in its recovery. The Monarch says he believes the Royals’ ‘fail’ is largely due to the fact his daughter, the Infanta Cristina, has recently been called to testify in the Nóos case on suspicion of being involved in the fraud and moneylaundering racket that her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, is on trial for

Skeletons from old cemetery found near Cheste racing circuit

The chopped-up remains of a young child found buried near Cheste racing circuit which opened a murder inquiry have turned out to be from a nearby cemetery and become dislodged. A walker found the skeleton in several pieces last month and upon investigation, police found they belonged to a child of approximately three to five years old who would have died some years ago. They also discovered the bones of an adult male in the same area, leading them to believe there may have been a double murder. Part of one of the bodies was in a supermarket carrier bag from a store which opened in the 1990s and changed its name in the same decade, meaning that there was a chance the ‘murder’ could have happened 15 or 20 years ago. But anthropologists say neither body has signs of having decomposed either in the open air nor underground and buried in soil, as would have been the case if they had been dumped or buried by a killer. And earth-movement caused by heavy industrial plant flattening the land near the Ricardo Tormo racing circuit is thought to have uncovered part of an old cemetery which was moved and built upon many years ago. However, the supermarket carrier bag used to house the bones has not been explained.

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Currently, many European citizens are experiencing changes that are being brought in as a result of the crisis in Spain. Seminars are currently being held throughout our region, to more fully inform British Expats in the correct use of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The card gives the holder access to necessary care during a temporary stay in Spain. The cards can only be used within the Spanish state system – not Private Healthcare facilities. Those entitled to use this card could be Holidaymakers from the UK having a second home in Spain, UK Students on study courses in Spain and UK workers on a work transfer to Spain, for example. The EHIC is not the correct vehicle for obtaining routine medical assistance for those persons who may consider themselves to be “temporarily” living in Spain – but nevertheless, reside here for the main part or even all of the year. These persons should be registered to access state healthcare in an entirely different way in order to make sure that they are fully protected. Where you apply for your registration documents depends on which country is ultimately responsible for your healthcare; either the UK via the reciprocal agreement with Spain (early retirees for the first 2 ½ years after leaving the UK; Pensioners & those on UK state benefits) or the Spanish INSS office (those employed or previously employed & having paid contributions in Spain; those with Residency certificates issued prior to 24th April 2012.) Naturally, there will be some persons who will discover that they have no automatic entitlement to healthcare provision from either Spain or the UK, simply because for many years they have paid no contributions in either country. These persons would do well to remember that they risk a large personal bill for treatments if they become ill or hospitalized in Spain. In such circumstances it would be wise to invest in a Private Healthcare policy to avoid such an unpleasant shock. Even some Private Health Insurance companies have become victims of the crisis and have been bought out by other companies. Their insured clients must then adjust to seeing new doctors, because the doctor that they previously used, no longer works with the new company. Our company ASSSA offers an easy transfer into our company, to include very special conditions on transfer. For example, we eliminate any of the usual waiting periods on commencement amongst others - a particularly favorable option for those concerned.

Are you in such a situation? Would you consider private health insurance with ASSSA, to enable you to visit English speaking specialists and doctors of your choice in Spain? You may already be privately insured but dissatisfied due to premium increases, new GP´s who are unknown to you; no contact person who speaks your language and no customer service office in your area? Invest in your health! ASSSA offers fair advice and tailor-made solutions with special conditions.

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

email editor@soltimes.com with your beauty & health tips

Can simply clenching a fist boost memory?

Clenching your fist could be enough to help you get a grip on your memory. Research suggests that balling up the right hand and squeezing it tightly actually makes it easier to memorise lists. Later, when it is time to retrieve the information, it is the left hand that should be clenched. It is thought the movements activate brain regions key to the storing and recall of memories. The American researchers suggest those who are short of a pen and paper should try the trick when attempting to commit a shopping list or phone number to memory. In the study, volunteers were given a rubber ball and asked to squeeze it as hard as possible before trying to memorise a list of 72 words. They squeezed the ball again a couple of minutes later, ahead of recollecting as many of the words as possible. One group used their right hand on both occasions, another their left. A third group clenched their right fist ahead of memorising and

their left ahead of recall and a fourth did the reverse. A fifth group held the ball but did not squeeze it. Those who squeezed with their right hand, followed by their left, remembered the most words. The next best were the volunteers who made a fist with their right hand both times, while those who didn’t squeeze at all did better than those who led with their left. It is thought that the movement of clenching the right fist activates a brain region that is involved in storing memories, while squeezing the left hand triggers an area that is key to retrieving information. Lead researcher Dr Ruth Propper said: ‘The findings suggest that simple body movements – by temporarily changing the way the brain functions – can improve memory.’ More research is needed to see if other types of memory can be boosted – and if left-handers also benefit from the trick.

NUTS: important for child bone health

Parents have long been advised to feed their children enough milk and other calcium-rich foods for good bone health, but new research has shown that pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, salmon and almonds may be just as important. The study, presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Washington DC, found that foods rich in magnesium play an important role in building bones. ‘Lots of nutrients are key for children to have healthy bones and one of these appears to be magnesium,’ said lead author Steven Abrams, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. ‘Calcium is important, but, except for those children and adolescents with very low intakes, may not be more important than magnesium.’ While it is known that magnesium is important for bone health in adults, few studies have looked at whether magnesium intake is related to bone mineral content in young children. Researchers recruited 63 healthy children

aged between four and eight years old who were not taking any multivitamins or minerals to participate in the study. All children kept food diaries throughout the research. Children were hospitalized overnight twice so their calcium and magnesium levels could be measured. All foods and drinks served during their hospital stay contained the same amount of calcium and magnesium they consumed in a typical day based on the children’s diaries. The meals and drinks were weighed before and after each meal to determine how much calcium and magnesium the children actually consumed. In addition to this, parents were given weighing scales to measure their child’s food intake for three days at home after the first hospital stay, and for three days at home prior to the second inpatient stay. This was to ensure that dietary intake of calcium and magnesium could be calculated accurately. While hospitalised, children’s levels of calcium and magnesium were measured using a technique that involved giving them non-radioactive forms of magnesium

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Results showed that the amounts of magnesium consumed and absorbed were key predictors of how much bone children had. Dietary calcium intake, however, was not significantly associated with total bone mineral content or density: ‘We believe it is important for children to have a balanced, healthy diet with good sources of minerals, including both calcium and magnesium,’ Dr. Abrams concluded. MAGNESIUM-RICH FOODS Pumpkin seeds; Oats; Dark chocolate; Almonds; Cashew nuts; Yoghurt; Lentils; Bananas; Green leafy vegetables.

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

LEGAL CORNER WITH MICHAEL DAVIES, ABOGADO/SOLICITOR

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

Q. Is this the right time to purchase in Spain? A. This is not a legal query, but we frequently receive e-mails with precisely this question. Nobody has the magic ball to know for certain what will happen in the next year or two, but their is no doubt that their are extremely good opportunities and that it is presently a buyers market. Their are definitely many more transactions happening this year in Almería compared to last year . Those who where waiting to purchase have realised that they cannot wait fore ever and the sellers have reduced their price expectations in line with the market. The bank are also offering properties at greatly reduced prices, with generous finance if you purchase one of their properties. The market though is full of disparity regarding prices. In the same estate agent´s windows you will find properties with prices more appropriate for 2007 then 2013, and yet in the same window you will find a property priced by a motivated seller at a reduction of 50% on the 2007 prices. As long as you have the patience and are prepared to put some work into the property hunt I would say that is is an excellent time to purchase a property in Almeria Michael Davies is a Spanish Abogado and has been practicing law in Almería since 1993. He is member of the Law societies of Almería and Madrid and has offices in Mojacar and Almeria High Street.

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Villa with pool and garage in Mojácar playa

€269,000

Very attractive and immaculately kept detached Villa set in “Vista Los Angeles”, a well sought after area of Mojacar Playa within a short walking distance to the beaches, shops and restaurants. All in all the property has a total built area of 210.61 mts2, built on three levels on a 500 mts2 freehold plot. The lower part of the house is comprised of a garage with 42.05 mts2. There is also off street parking for at least two cars apart from the garage. The ground floor has a built area

of 94.35 mts2 distributed between porch, stairwell with access to the lower and upper part of the house, cloakroom, living / dining room, master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, large kitchen, terrace and utility area. The upper level has a built area of 74.21 mts2 distributed between hallway, three double bedrooms, family bathroom and two terraces. The bedrooms have built in wardrobes and direct access to a terrace, the house benefits from south facing private swimming pool, private

garden and also a west facing large courtyard / terrace. It has central gas heating throughout and two of the bedrooms and the lounge also benefit from air conditioning. A property in such a desirable area and at this reduced price does not come to the market very often, even in today’s market condition!! For more information or to book a viewing appointment please visit our office or contact us via phone or e-mail. Ref: 1495

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property group

Bedar, 04288 (next to Miramar Restaurant)

Tel: 607 705 085 or 687 938 466

Olive

Email: info@olivehouse-es.com

www.olivehouse-es.com

Monday - Friday 10am - 3.30pm

Sales office now open in Bedar

OLV692

LUBRIN

...it’s all in the detail

OLV360

349.950€

LOS GALLARDOS

This detached 3 bed , one storey villa is located 10 minutes from the beaches of Mojacar, less than 5 minutes from the motorway and walking distance to the nearest village. It was newly built several years ago with its own private pool.

235,000€

129,950€

OLV262

9th Year on El Real!

BEDAR

This new 2 bedroom townhouse situated in a great location over looking the townhall and main square in Bedar. The property boasts incredible views of the village and coast.

This rare 4 bedroom property is totally unique set in 10,000m2 of land this reformed Olive Press is located in a beautiful hamlet 5 minutes drive from the popular market town of Lubrin

OLV678

www.veritashomes.co.uk info@veritashomes.co.uk

LUBRIN

This quaint 2 bedroom townhouse is in the centre of Lubrin village, walking distance from the main square and amenities, an excellent holiday “lock up and leave”. Sold fully furnished and air conditioned.

49,950€

car ports / pergolas

Specialists in Folding, Sliding & Glass Curtain Systems

glass curtains

fly free enclosures

Guttering Installed or DIY Insect Screening for any area

Parque Ind El Real, Calle El Garcel 11, Antas, Exit 534 E15 Autovia

Tel: 950 459 060 M. 638 063 196 / 649 482 677 info@lifestyle-enclosures.com Find www.lifestyle-enclosures.com us on

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advertising feature

Martin & the Cutting Crew

With 30 years’ experience both in London and here in Spain, there is no question that Martin James is a traditional, fully-trained, barber of considerable talent. Having owned his first salon at the tender age of 19, Martin completed eight years of intensive training and went on to scoop a number of national titles including London Champion in Gents hair and competed for England before making the move to Spain eight years ago. Since that time, Martin has built a considerable reputation working in Quesada and with customers from the surrounding areas. For several years he has been looking for the perfect premises to base his own business and in March 2012 he opened Martin & The Cutting Crew – and has not looked back since. Now in April of 2013 Martin & The Cutting Crew opened their second branch based in Camposol, commercial sector B, Murcia. Martin said: It has been a wonderful year, the business as grown beyond belief, the clients are happy with what level of service they are receiving which is bringing them back time and time again,” he went on to say. “A barber has a specific set of skills and good barbers are few and far between. A traditional barbershop is Gents’ Hairdressing at its finest and this is what I aim to offer my customers, the real twist has been that a lot of our clients wives have started asking if we partake in Ladies Hairdressing, my reply was that we are cutting specialists, it is what we do so yes we do partake in ladies Hairdressing but we do not get into the colouring aspect because I don’t wish to lose my identity within my trade, first and foremost we are Barbers at their best.” As you would suspect, Martin & The Cutting Crew is an authentic Barbershop, but it also has a modern twist. Here you will find all the traditional barbershop skills such as a hot towel shave with a cut throat razor and short back and sides. This is effortlessly combined with the latest styles and trends that younger customers’ look for – and everything in between. The shop has the perfect balance between comfort and style; this is place where men of all ages can relax and enjoy the company and the atmosphere. Martin’s current ‘Crew’ comprises of the following highly talented colleagues; Chris, yet another career barber with 34 years experience. Sam, a lady barber whom is absolutely loved by all for her work is simply magical. James a stylish young barber with a flair for creative enthusiasm is working within the Camposol branch and has taken the role we gusto also has 9 years of experience behind him. We have Christine joining our team very shortly; with 38 years of experience her role of Master Tutor suits her well. Christine brings with her a set of skills that all of our apprentices will benefit. Within the last year our very own home grown apprentice Ellie has moved up the chain and is now working on the shop floor cutting hair and producing some wonderful work, and just to add to that she is shaving her own clients now. Martin said: “Our apprenticeship scheme is slowly gathering momentum, we have Ellie who is my number one and whom I’m very proud of, coming in through the early stages is young Kieran who I have high hopes for and his family have a long history within the Hairdressing trade so I´m hoping his own background will help him through. And now we have Jake who was our unexpected surprise, but he knuckled down and is working extremely hard towards fulfilling his own dream of becoming a highly trained barber within our company,” The Branch based in Quesada also incorporates Shady’s Custom Tattoo’s, a separate business based at the rear of the salon, run by the UK´s ranked number three tattoo artist Kevin Shercliff. The Camposol Branch is awaiting the arrival of a tattooist and further details will be passed along when the time comes. For further information call Martin & The Cutting Crew on 664 051 612

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

MUSIC FOR YOU

Crescendo International Choir have a busy schedule later this month. On Sunday 19th May at 8 p.m. they will unite with Mas Coral Jose Hodar Choir to raise funds for the local Red Cross. The venue is the Virgen del Carmen Theatre. Tickets are €5, from the Municipal Theatre box office in Torrevieja. A second opportunity follows on Friday 31st May at 7.30 p.m. ‘Crescendo’ can be heard again when they join Torrevieja Christian Fellowship Singers at T.C.F. Church (near the Needle in Torrevieja) for a Summertime concert. Tickets are €2 from the church or choir members.

Liz Steward Counselling Services

MORE INFORMATION AND SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CRESCENDO CHOIR AND ITS MEMBERS CAN BE FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE. www.crescendo-choir. com

Now

633 161 555

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Writers Abroad Anthology 2013 - Call for Submissions Short Stories, Non-Fiction Articles and Poetry Organised by expat writers group - ‘Writers Abroad’

Writers Abroad will be publishing their fourth anthology, with the working title of Far Flung and Foreign and are seeking submissions of short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction pieces and poetry on the theme of foreign places, which must be firmly grounded in a particular place such as a country, area, town, village, building. The anthology will be print published and later available as an e-book. This year Writers Abroad will be donating all profits made to the charity: Book Aid International. Book Aid International increases access to books and supports literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. They provided 543,280 new books to over 2,000 libraries last year alone and have sent more than 30 million books to partner libraries since 1954. Author Amanda Hodgkinson will be writing the foreword. Amanda currently lives in the south west of France with her family. Her debut novel, 22 Britannia Road, was released in April 2011. To see our previous Anthologies (2010, 2011 & 2012) please visit Writers Abroad: www.writersabroad.com Submission and Entry Rules Please read carefully as submissions may be rejected if they don’t comply: • Contributors must be expat or former expat writers who are living or have lived outside their country of origin. Merely travelling does not apply • Word Count: Fiction – 1700 words; Flash Fiction - 500 words;

Spruce up those Terraces and Patios: SUMMER is nearly upon us. Now is the time to start thinking of sprucing up your outside areas. Iron Art Factory Outlets may just have the answer for you. Their product range grows weekly with regular deliveries from overseas resulting in one of the largest displays of stock in the area. As well as the favourites such as the classic Rattan, and Cast Aluminum ranges you can also see the NEW Grade A Teak furniture, space saving cube sets and more. New Gazebos are expected in shortly, seen as an asset in the oncoming hot months, providing extra outside living space. A

• • • • • • •

•

• • •

Non-Fiction –1000 words; Poems - 30 lines. Entries above these specifications will be disqualified All submissions must be previously unpublished either in print or online Submissions will accepted from 1st May 2013 until midnight July 31st 2013 Manuscripts must be submitted via the link to Submittable at Writers Abroad Submissions must be in English Pornography or racism will not be accepted Entries are free - Only one entry per author Each author should include a third person biography of a maximum of 40 words, which includes information about their expat status and website/blog address Successful authors will be informed within two weeks after the closing date: We cannot provide feedback on submissions, but successful stories may be edited and authors required to make minor changes for publication purposes Copyright will remain with the author and the stories will be published in an anthology in a number of formats All entrants must be over 18. Queries can be made only via the contact button on the Submissions page via the website

large selection of lanterns, candles, wall art and clocks provide those finishing touches. They are always ahead of the game by listening to their customers, resulting in the purchase of leather suites/chairs, followed by their fabric range all at sensible prices. To compliment the indoor furniture you can also find a selection of rugs, lamps, cushions, mirrors and pictures. Eileen, Pete & Adele: Iron Art Factory Outlets, Antas www.ironartfactoryoutlet.com ~ ironartantas@yahoo.co.uk Tel 637 259 033

Charity Charity Fayre Fayre

Wednesday 29th May 10-2pm

Entertainment with Kris Kelly

Corner Suite €599

Sunloungers €89 each

Fabric Corner Suite €399

Conversation Set €599

Tel: 637 259 033 www.ironartfactoryoutlet.com El Real Industrial estate

Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm

Sat 10am - 2pm

indoor market OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP YOU HERE IN SPAIN

RENT A STALL / INDOOR SHOP

From as little as €75 per. month next auction saturday 11th may 11am (viewing Thursay & Friday afternoon) NEW LOOK MERCAMUNDO, ARBOLEAS

Tel: 637 184 625

Open Mon-Sat 10am-3pm Thurs-Fri 6pm-8:30pm

Phone Eddy 637 184 625 / 634 368 430 Arboleas poligono - opposite mora oil

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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

FRIENDSHIP GROUP Mini-Golf & Lunch HELP MURCIA MAR MENOR’S FRIENDSHIP GROUP met on 3rd May at the Golf Deluxe on the road from Los Alcazares to Torre Pacheco for mini-golf and then lunch. The sun shone, the company was good and the event was a great success thanks in no small way to the efforts of Doreen Sykes, the Friendship Group organizer. Three ladies got a hole in one (none of the gentlemen did!), and another, Barbara Scott, got the best overall score. However men did feature in two awards, one won the wooden spoon, and one was runner up in best score. Our next event is on 31st May for stand up bingo at La Zona bar, Los Alcazares at 11.30 for 12 midday. Games are 50 cents a go. Vouchers will be given as prizes. On 28th June there is a Beetle Drive at 12.30 for 1 p.m. at Lui’s Lounge, Camping La Encina, San Javier. Entry tickets are €7 which includes fish and chips

Sale of Summer Clothes & Accessories Tombola, Raffle, Live Music & More!! All proceeds to “Making A Difference” - Helping those in Need Tickets available in advance via 6 Calle Alicante or GOmaD shop, Mazarron 634 321 161

Ring Doreen Sykes on 637 920 882 or Janice Clark on 968 134 355 if you are interested in attending. You don’t have to be a member of HELP MMM to attend.

Photo 1: Wooden Spoon winners Charles & Shelagh; Photo 2: Winners, Mary, Barbara and Peter mc.

Slippery Floors? Tel: Martin 659 232 507 martin.freeman@free-sol.com

www.free-sol.com

Suitable for ceramic tiles, slate, terrazzo, quarry tiles, marble, stone, concrete and more...

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

MAYDAY CARNIVAL

HELP Murcia Mar Menor staged their Mayday Carnival on 1st May at the La ZONA bar, in Los Alcazares. With the volunteers entering into the spirit by dressing up, the many games for the children kept them amused during the afternoon. The appearance of the Morris Dancers and the Spangles Chorus made for a wonderful afternoon in the sun. Over €300 was raised by the event, which will ensure that HELP MMM is able to continue providing its services to the public. Many thanks to HELP’s volunteers who worked so hard to make the event a success. Phot1 shows the volunteers dressed for the occasion Phot No.2 shows the Morris Dancers performing

READER COMMENT Orihuela Costa needs and deserves a municipal library, but the people of Orihuela city who’ve waited 28 years for their library deserve one too. Now CLARO’s imperial and insular policy is reflecting badly on all the residents of the coast. Bob Houliston has managed to get us all a bad name by alienating and insulting our Spanish hosts by leading the protest of verbal abuse and threatening behaviour at last week’s inauguration of Orihuela city’s only municipal library because Mr. Houliston neglected to tell us that the existing library in Orihuela is not municipal but it is owned by the Valencian Government. So he and his self-righteous band have further isolated coastal residents trying to integrate into the Spanish way of life. I can’t imagine what sort of a diplomat Mr. Houliston was in the past but he is not being very diplomatic now. I hope that he immediately apologises for his and his troop’s aggressive, insulting and verbally abusive behaviour. For two years councillor Houliston has

As a company we have over 25 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry and have been doing pension transfers since inception in April 2006. We are now in a position to offer Expats our services due to a new product launch which allows a much larger tax free lump sum for any purpose regardless of age. We understand that times are tough in the UK and overseas, and that people need cash NOW to sort out their personal lives. We are told every time we speak to clients “I would rather have my money now rather than wait until I retire” we completely sympathize and understand your feelings. We now have several options to help our clients release money NOW from the pension fund. It is a very simple process and takes only a short time to release your cash.

not put forward even one single proposal to be discussed and approved for the betterment of Orihuela Costa but at last Wednesday’s Pleno meeting, he and his PP buddies voted in favour of changing the zoning of a plot of land near Zenia Boulevard from hotel to commercial use. In the past Mr. Houliston has decried the overbuilding of commercials in the coast but this week he performed yet another U-turn. The land in question is owned by a very wealthy supporter of Bob’s PP pals. Only Pedro Mancebo and Juan Ignacio Bas voted against the zoning change because of the glut of commercials and the shortage of hotels in Orihuela Costa. Filled tourist beds could help struggling businesses in the area, but this cosy move will only put more businesses to the wall. Once again Bobby Liar says one thing to the people of the coast and does the opposite in Orihuela. Raymond Kearney

Solar electric systems Solar hot water systems Buy direct - no middle men no sales people - no subcontractors Quality European products Guarantees backed by 10 years of training in Spain Complete solar systems from only 1500€ including installation 10% price beater promise we will beat any other like for like price

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

...take care of your pets... THE HILTONS CATTERY

Our cattery is like no other, the purpose built roomy heated building is double insulated for warmth in the winter, cool in the summer, mosquito proofed, hygienically tiled and each very large private room is decorated in a homely manner with all the comforts of home. Our care for your pet is constant and personal with companionship for your cat assured. We have over 15 year’s professional background in animal care. We are small and care for your cat the way we would like our own to be. For the pet lovers with dogs and other pets these can be accommodated for in our own spacious home with walled garden and treated as one of the family. Our service is special, bookings are limited and pre-booking is recommended. Discounts are available for multi-cat owners. Inspection is welcome and regular customer references are Pam & John available. The Best Care There Is For Your Cat... 950 163 489

johnnyandpammy@yahoo.co.uk

woodhouse boarding kennels & cattery arboleas

Ken & Jackie

ministry approved

LUGGAGE SERVICE AVAILABLE

• Your home or ours • Honest & trust worthy • 5 years experience of all types of animals • References available on request

676 389 592

Tel 950 092 096 or 661 402 493 - Email jt.transport@yahoo.co.uk

PET CHAUFFEURS PET TRANSPORT PEOPLE AND PETS

Dog & Cat Sitter service

Let us transport your loving friends to and from the UK & Europe in comfort with loving care in our air-conditioned van

Small friendly kennels 24hr vets service pet transporting arranged welcome to view

Tracy 650 211 952

big or small... furry or feathered... young or old...

DEFRA COMPLIANT

TO OR FROM SPAIN / UK NO NONSENSE SET FEE FREE COLLECTION / DELIVERY (As far north as Manchester) DOOR TO DOOR / DAILY UPDATE

CATS £285 ANY SIZE DOG £345

DELIVERY AS FAR NORTH AS MANCHESTER

www.pet-chauffeurs.co.uk

email: info@pet-chauffeurs.co.uk

Tel: 0044 (0) 1323 301 991

Palomino Kennels

Exclusive Boarding Kennels/Cattery Glad t me to hey sent Pa Kenne ls whi lomino back t e they wen o t wet En cold & gland !

Offer a Warm, Friendly Environment in a secure Countryside Setting. All Diet Requirements Catered for. Daily Exercise in 10 Acre Estate, Vet on 24/7 standby. (25 years Experience).

Call 662 668 423 or 950 067 051 www.palominokennels.com

Clinivet turre

Dra. Ellen Sobry

Clinivet now has a new digital x-ray which will provide a faster and higer quality of care to 0034 950 069 780 their furry 0034 626 171 999 Avenida de Almeria 1 www.clinivetturre.es Bis local 2, Edf la para, 04639 patients Turre, Almeria clinic@clinivet.eu

www.soltimes.com

Est 25yrs

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

PRICE BROWN PARTNERSHIP ESTATE AGENTS/INMOBILARIA - MOJACAR

SALES, RENTALS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT VENTAS, ALQUILERES Y MANTENAMIENTO

119,995€ Huerta Nueva DV1269 299,995€ Pretty detached villa of 64m2 on 164m2 plot. 4 beds, 3 baths, allocated parking. Furnished. Well maintained community gardens & pool and just a short drive to local towns, beaches a & golf.

Cabrera

DV1152 310,000 € Mojácar Playa DV1262 139,000€ Mojacar Playa LV660

Spacious & attractive detached house of 170m2 on a 2,441m2 plot with panoramic views to the sea. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Private pool, terraces, gardens, storeroom & large garage. Furnished.

A very attractive 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom, detached villa of 138 m2 on 747 m2 with a 2 room/1 bathroom annexe. In superb order throughout. Garage, terraces, gardens & pool. Good sea views.

Lovely renovated south facing townhouse with ample terraces & solarium. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Hot & cold air conditioning & furnished. Off street parking. Less than 5 mins walk to the beach.

120,000€ Mojácar Playa A1149 179,995€ Mojácar Playa A1165 430,000€ Mojácar Playa DV1267 79,950€ Al Andalus, Vera A1159 A quality 1st floor apartment of 82m2 in a well kept popular community. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Parking & storeroom. Community pool with sea views. Furnished.

Lovely modernised townhouse of 60m2 + 20 m2 private terrace with sea views. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Furnished. Pretty communal gardens & off street parking. Less than 5 mins walk to the beach.

Beautifully situated detached villa of 293 m2 on 1,000m2 with superb sea views. 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. Covered & open terraces with pool. Garage, storeroom & much more.

Very attractive ground floor apartment of 63m2+ 42m2 private garden & terrace overlooking the superb community gardens. 2 bedrooms , 2 bathrooms. Outdoor & heated indoor pools. Perfect holiday home.

149,500€ Mojácar Playa A1158 145,000€ Mojacar Playa LV662 125,000€ Mojácar Playa LV654 85,000€ Mojacar Playa LV652 Quality ground floor apartment of 85m2 + 37m2 on sought after front-line complex, overlooking the superb community gardens & pool. 2 beds, 2 baths, huge main terrace. Furnished. Allocated parking.

Lovely townhouse of 65m2+ 57m2 patio & garden. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Sea views from the upper terrace. Community pool with sea views. Furnished. Less than 5 mins walk to the beach.

Quality furnished townhouse of 86m2 on 117m2 less than 400m from the beach. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, terraces, garden & off street parking. Community gardens & pool on a secure complex.

Lovely modernised townhouse of 60m2 + 20 m2 private terrace with sea views. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Furnished. Pretty communal gardens & off street parking. Less than 5 mins walk to the beach.

www.pricebrown.com Tel: +34 950 478 915 Fax: +34 950 478 963 sales@pricebrown.com

rentals@pricebrown.com

Mondays 10.00 - 13.30 & 16.00 - 19.00 Tuesdays - Fridays 9.30 - 13.30 & 16.00 - 19.00 Members of the National Association of Estate Agents Overseas

All properties listed with Price Brown comply with the consumer protection act - decreto 218/2005 11 Octobre (Andalucia).

Members of the Agrupacion Tecnica Profesional

Prices are correct for 7 days from going to print for all properties on these pages

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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

SO - WHAT’S APP ALL ABOUT?

You’ve probably heard everyone talking about ‘apps’ - but what are they? In short, they’re a way to perform almost any task on your phone, and in just a few years they’ve become a phenomenon. ‘App’ is short for ‘application’ - which is another name for a computer program. Normally, when people talk about apps they are almost always referring to programs that run on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablet computers.

How do they work?

Apps can let your phone or tablet do almost anything that the programmers can imagine, within the technical limitations of the device. This means that you can turn your phone into a remote control for a toy helicopter, your tablet into a turbo-charged drawing pad, and much else besides. Since the release of Apple’s iPhone, smartphones have become powerful enough to perform more than just the features that were built into the phone. Once Apple allowed anyone to develop apps for their phone they began to rise in popularity, and there are now over 500,000 apps available on the iPhone alone. Competitors were quick to join in, and there are now also a huge number of apps on Android, Windows, Blackberry and Nokia phones. Tablet computers use almost the same technology as smartphones (just with a bigger screen), and so can usually use the same apps as mobiles. They have a lot of dedicated apps that make use of the larger screen size too.

What apps are available?

With so many apps to choose from, it’s difficult to choose just a few to talk about. There are apps that let your phone stream radio stations over 3G or WI-FI turning your phone into a pocket radio (we’re soon releasing apps for “coolfm974.com” in Benidorm - keep tuned!). Another app uses your phone’s camera to take pictures of products’ barcodes, and then automatically searches the internet for the best price deals on that item. Yet another uses your phone’s GPS to work out your location, and then tells you exactly which buses and trains you need to reach a destination you’ve chosen.

How do I get apps?

Apps are downloaded from an online shop run by the makers of the phone or tablet’s operating system. In the case of the iPhone and iPad, it’s simply named the ‘App Store’. On Android phones it’s ‘Google Play’ (formerly ‘the ‘Android Market’), on Windows Phone the ‘Windows Marketplace’ and on Nokia phones it’s the ‘Ovi Store’. These are all accessed by an icon on the device’s home screen. Apps can range in price from free to around €50 for some specialist programs, but most are in the region of just €1. Most app stores will allow you to browse specifically for free apps, and there are a large number available - though of course the more advanced apps usually cost money. Over the next weeks and months we’ll bring you news and app releases, as well as keeping you up to date on the latest app technology. Remember - if there are any subjects you want us to cover then please just let us know and we’ll see what we can do. Till next time - keep tapping!

Paul Saunders develops apps and mobile websites for small to medium businesses. For more information contact him on apps@apptienda.eu

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

House Prices Fell by Over 13% in 2012

According to the Registrars, “the new tax changes – the end of tax deductions for home purchases and the increase in VAT from January 2013 – have not changed the fundamental trend of past years”, and they reported that the property transactions were distributed almost equally between new housing (49.9%) and used (50.08%). El Economista reported that 8.12% of the house purchases recorded in Spain in 2012 were for foreign citizens, which is 6% more than in 2011 and the highest result of the last five years, next to that achieved in 2007 (8.2%). Coastal regions have seen a higher percentage of home purchases by foreigners: the Balearic Islands (24.95%), the Canary Islands (22.11%), Valencia (18.01%), Murcia (11.24%), Catalonia (9.34%) and Andalusia (8.86%). By nationality, these purchases were divided between British (16.6% of the total), French (9.9%), Russian (9.6%), German (7.9%), Belgian (6.5%), Norwegian (5.7%), Italian (4.9%) and Swedish (4.6%). By type, opting to purchase a new home were the Dutch (58.6% of their total purchases), Russians (56.8%), Swedish (54.6%), Belgians (52.9%), Norwegian (52.8%) and British (52.1%). On the other hand, favouring used housing were the Algerians (70.4%), Moroccans (64.8%) and Chinese (64.5%). In 2012, the average mortgage value stood at 105,421 euros, which is 9.7% less than a year earlier, putting it at 2003 levels, while the average interest

22.5% in 2007. The Registrars stressed: “Consequently we are seeing a strong reduction

in the housing investment component of the Spanish real estate market”.

Returning to UK?



£69,000 ono

MODERN PARKHOME (NW Leicestershire)

> 2 Fitted Bedrooms



Private sale of this lovely home on a secure, well established, residential park and at an extremely attractive price.

> Large lounge/diner > Inclusive fitted kitchen > Luxury shower room/WC

UK: 01455 293603 

Email: ronlen@btinternet.com

swimming pools

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

property guide.... 

According to a report by Kero.com, this is reflected in the 2012 statistical real estate registry yearbook of the College of Property Registrars, where they estimate that house purchases fell by 10.6% last year – by 10.5% in private housing and by 10.7% in used housing – to 330,750 transactions.

rate on new loans was 4.08%, increasing over the last two years (3.72% in 2011 and 3.37% in 2010) despite significant reductions in the Euribor. 68.24% of the properties sold in 2012 were in the hands of their owners for more than five years, as compared to 64.74% in 2011 or 49.74% in 2009. At the other end of the spectrum were the sales of dwellings with less than two years of possession, which reached 13.64% in 2012, compared to



House prices in Spain fell by over 13% in 2012, even further than the declines registered in the years 2011 (-10.5%) and 2010 (-6.6%), and accumulated a drop in their value of around 30% since their peak levels in the first quarter of 2008.

l sh & SIZES apes eg.

8.500 €

8m.X 4m.

pool Repairs ~ Terraces ~ Pool Covers

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

O Olive

Bedar

Contact: 607 705 085 or 687 938 466

C/Llanos, Bedar (Next to the Miramar Restaurant)

Open: Monday-Friday 10.00am-3.30pm

www.olivehouse-es.com

47,000€

Bargain price for Bedar village. Brand new apartment, 2 bed, 1 bath with huge terrace, underground parking and fabulous sea views. OLV428

Apartment For Sale on golf course

1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen with white goods, Nice views of golf course parking, Mojacar approx 7 mins

now only

€39,950

T: 664 291 793 jescott29@hotmail.co.uk

VERA APARTMENT FOR RENT

SHORT-TERM/HOLIDAY RENTAL

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

cALL 663 977 230 EMAIL: gedfab@yahoo.com

Vera Playa Apartment

Property Sales • Property Management • Long & short term rentals • Insurance

We Urgently Need Quality Properties Both For Sale & Rent We Have Clients Waiting... 309 Paseo del Mediterraneo, Mojacar Playa (50m from Ferreteria Lopez)

Tel: 950 478 834

info@mojacarhomes.net

www.mojacarhomes.net

...CALL 950 121 936

EMAIL: SALES@SOLTIMES.COM

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

STANDARD CROSSWORD

coffee break

(6 ) 7 Stitched (4) 14 Respond (5) 16 W hat chocolate comes from (5) 18 Settle (8) 20 Happily (8) 21 P arts of a garment that cover the arms (7) 23 L apse (6) 25 A unit of instruction (6) 27 Genus of holly (4) 29 Male ruler (4)

5 Take responsibility for combined body part (8,5) 6 Significant theory won’t switch (10) 7 Pay nothing - I’m creating visual problem (6) 8 Submerged star-man? (6) 10 Chuck a girl in good time - one on big business? (13) 14 Don’t move, and remain up? (5,5) 17 Guess I’m inland (8) 18 Takes in unsliced mess (8) 21 Sailor with dodgy road on ship (6) 22 Car turns up, taken by Oscar the French prophet (6) 26 Tale of heroes again (4)

Down 1R elating to meaning of prose man ticketed (8) 2R ed otter surprisingly came back (8) 3S light feeling of resentment if kept in by Mother and Father at first (4)

Very Hard!

SUDOKU PUZZLE CRYPTIC crossword

CROSSWORD

SOLUTIONS SUDOKU PUZZLE

Across 1 Sea creature of quiet lip at first, perhaps (6) 4 Miss Aunt Dotty waves (8) 9 Design car test one Friday (5) 10 Good MC to initially possess a deserted place (5,4) 11 Average man? (4) 12 D isgusting back of mule when it’s lost head and tail (4) 13 We take A15 and give up (5) 15 I rent Rocky I with a lack of activity (7) 16 Neurologist hides money (4) 19 Opposed to a tin potty (4) 20 See 23 23/ 20 MP, or is Prescott Blair’s head boy outside? (5,7) 24 A team’s deer (4) 25 S hakespeare’s shortened testament? (4) 27 V icars hit new record keeper (9) 28 P rize for a hospital section? (5) 29 W ild glen made home (8) 30 C reatures arrived, then left on sunday (6)

HARD SUDOKU

stick (8) 26 Refute (8) 28 Lurks (6) 30 A juicy grittytextured fruit (4) 31 System of beliefs (5) 32 Solitary (4) Down 1 Exchange (4) 2 Saw (8) 3 Stings (6) 4 Improved or altered (7) 5 Not suitable (8) 6 Hogfish or razorfish

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

Across 8 Mop (4) 9 Refined woman (5) 10 Stink (4) 11 Seem (6) 12 Examining in detail (8) 13 Fissure (8) 15 Stab (6) 17 A repairer of equipment for horses (7) 19 A planned undertaking (7) 22 Different ones (6) 24 Hard candy on a

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

STANDARD SUDOKU

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Jukebox Promotions Patrons of Help at Home (Costa Blanca)

lvis cliff & Ehit Costas

Th e Best show to

Cliff & Elvis tour

Starring the fabulous UK artist Cliff-asif and Coastrider Music Awards “BEST TRIBUTE” 2012, Elvis 2000. With 60s support by Fiona Mclean.

For more details see www.jukeboxpromotions.co.uk Fun, Banter, Great songs, Costumes and entertainment! Nostalgic trip back in time!! Dates & venues: 02/06/13 The Rendezvous, Campoamor Tel: 608 467 597 10€ (Includes finger buffet) 03/06/13 Emerald Isle, La Florida Tel: 647 681 294 04/06/13 La Marina Sport Complex, San Fulgencio, La Marina Tel: 966 796 389 05/06/13 Los Rosales, Lemon Tree Rd, Guardamar, Tel: 606 192 691 (12.50€ inc meal) 08/06/13 Bar Restaurant San Miguel Cooperative, Murla, Jalon Valley, (Xalo) Tel: 633 076 588 / 633 694 740 11/06/13 The Club House, Camposol Golf Tel: 968 978 855 12/06/13 Lounge Bar, Torrevieja Tel: 966 922 743 13/06/13 Rocajuna, Punta Prima Tel: 965 997 260 / 664 591 795 19/06/13 The Club, Quesada Tel: 966 717 028 Tickets are at the venues - 8-50€ (unless stated). Shows start at 8.30pm

This show will sell out at venues so book early for best seats

Tonight Only Last night of the “Sell Out Tour” Gene Pitney & Roy Orbison

8th May

The Club, Quesada Tel: 966 717 028 Tickets for all shows are 8.50€ (unless stated) Tickets available at the venues or on this site Pre show meal available at most venues - please ask when booking

See www.jukeboxpromotions.co.uk for more info!

Accident repair center

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

ALBOX

Bar Menu & Snacks Home-made puds

Burgers, Lasagne, pies, Omelettes, chilli plus

All Day Breakfast from 9am

MENU DEL DIA

onl y €

2 Courses

served 12 - 3 except Fri & Sun

Includes FREE Tea or Coffee

friday & SATURDAY

Cod ‘n’ ChipS

Beerfrom battered 5.95€ Atlantic Cod, Homemade Chips, Mushy or Garden PeaS SERVED 12-9pm

Friday & Saturday

Our Restaurant is Open 6pm-9pm

EVENING from MENU 5.95€

Traditional SUNDAY LUNCH

ly Delicious & Home-cooked n o served A Choice of Topside Of Beef & 12.30 - 5pm Yorkshire Pudding; Roast Pork With Crackling And Apple Sauce Tender or Roast Chicken With Stuffing - all served with Locallygrown Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables & a Glass Of House Wine, Tubo of Beer or a Coffee

6.95€ to include a FREE Drink

Los Mellizos Restaurant

La Alfoquia, Zurgena

Starters, Puddings - 2€ each

SUNDAY SERVED 10AM-12PM

BREAKFAST

Activities at Friday 10 May Monday Tuesday

Line Dancing with Gillie 2:30 ROCK’N’ ROLL 7:30PM Quirky Quiz - 7:30pm

Traveling 8pm Acoustics Start

with

Robin & Friends

all levels welcome to come along, bring your instruments and join in

Acoustic Musicians & Floor Singers All Welcome

A Night of Music to Enjoy

Wednesday Line Dancing with Carrie

2:30-4:30 & 7:30pm

Thursday Ceroc Dancing & Fun Social

Night 7:30pm

PLUS... Art Classes (held most days)...Computer Club ...Keep fit & slimming classes

(see

check the board for times

ALBOX

BP Garage

•••

← ARBOLEAS BAZA → Av•••AL . L BO ep an X → to jacksalbox@gmail.com

OPEN 9AM-LATE MON-SAT 10-6 SUN @

ecials Daily sp 4€ r details) frobm o oards f

950 120 718 / 610 641 567

Open Mon - Fri 8am - late. Sat & Sun 9am - late

Tlf: 667 919 025

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Weird And Wonderful Crisp Flavours Of China

Generally people like their chicken and soft drinks to come in separate containers, and don’t even particularly enjoy mixing them together in their mouths. But the Chinese division of U.S. potato chip maker Lay’s (owner of Walkers Crisps in the UK) is banking on tastes in the People’s Republic being far more adventurous. The Willy Wonka-esque Pepsi and chicken is just one of the bizarre flavours they have introduced to tempt increasingly affluent easterners into picking up a pack. Others marketed by the global brand - which incidentally also owns Pepsi - include Numb and Spicy Hot Pot, Cheese Lobster, Hot and Sour Fish soup and the comparatively normal sounding Braised Pork. Other firms, not to be outdone, are producing flavours including Kimchi (a Korean dish made of fermented vegetables), Tomato Seafood and even Chicken Wing and Pizza (together, on one crisp). As the world’s fastest growing major economy, with growth rates averaging 10 per cent over

the past three decades, China is a market any company that cares about its future is keen to crack. The West’s junk-food giants are no exception and they have come up with a range of adaptations to their popular but generally unhealthy snacks to appeal to the eastern palate. Cultural differences, it has often been noted, do make Chinese tastes seem odd to those of us in the West. But can that explain the apparent gap in the market one manufacturer has found for chicken and pizza wing flavour? Shanghaiist, which tested out the bizarre flavour, describes it as a ‘gangbang of sodium, corn syrup, and other chemicals’ with the texture of ‘stale McDonald’s fries’. The blog’s food editor selected what he sees as the eight wierdest. Pepsi and Chicken, he said, actually succeeded in pairing the cinnamon sweetness of Pepsi with the the pang of a real roast. Cheese and Lobster was more hit and miss. Shanghaiist says the flavour ‘invokes listening to a toddler bang on the piano; once in a while you think you’re picking up some semblance of a melody, but it could be your imagination.’

The BUTCHERS Carnicera

Opposite Super-Turre supermarket

Quality English Cuts Especialistas en carnes Ingles

Specialising in English cuts of meat homemade sausages & burgers English Cheese, Bread, Pies, Pasties Freezer Section, and much more...

The Fresh Food Restaurant

Available

open e a d ytim gs in n & eve

from

8.95€

our main menu includes

traditional

16oz steaks ~ mixed grills ~ Fresh Fish

sunday lunch

menu changes weekly

Dine in our Candelit Restaurant wed - sat evenings SATURDAY EARLY BIRD MENU

served 12.30PM - 5PM includes a complimentary coffee & chocolate booking recommended

5-7PM FROM 6€

TO INCLUDE SALAD, BREAD & ALI- OLI Stir-Fry Beef & Noodles 7.45€ Beef & noodles with onions, mushrooms & beansprouts cooked in soy sauce

Sunday Lunch Special

3 Courses

Including Roast of the Week

Only 9.95€

Early bird special (seated between 7pm - 8pm) 10% discount off total bill closed tuesday’s

628 Tel:Tel: 950 450 199761 • 628391 761 391

To avoid disappointment please call and reserve your table

from

fridays

5.95€ in the Bar

Pork Schnitzel - 7.45 Pork Loin coated in garlic breadcrumbs, pan-fried & served on a warm tomato salsa

Beer-battered cod

Fish Pie - 7.95 White Fish & Prawns in a creamy parsley sauce topped with mashed potato

homemade chips & peas FRIDAYS 12.30pm - 9pm

tapas choice of 10 all 1€ 12:30-9pm

lite menu

salads, burgers, wraps

Scrumptious Homemade Puddings

Next to Mediterraneo, Mojacar Playa

all new e Full a la tim Carte spRing u men Menu

Enjoy Wonderful Views over the Olive Groves

2.50€ each

Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5.30pm & Saturday 9.30am - 4pm

Deli Sandwich Menu from 6.95€

VidaRestaurant&Venue

Homemade Starters

Bay bistro Menu del Dia ONLY 9.95€ Menu de la Noche ONLY 12.95€

el Cucador

THE ABOVE MAINS ARE SERVED WITH A CHOICE OF POTATOES & SEASONAL VEGETABLES

now here Bodega wines Tel: 634 31 26 12

TWO COURSE LUNCH 12:30-3:30PM 6€

all 2.50€ each!

FROM 5€

MONdays HOME-MADE MARGHARITA PIZZA 6 - 9pm

+ TOPPINGS

Tuesdays 6 - 9pm

cod, chips & peas only or chicken curry & rice 5€

wednesdays 1/2 roast chicken, or gammon chips & peas OR SALAD

6 - 9pm

thursdays ...is pie night! 6 - 9pm

Open Every Day 12pm - Late

Tel: 950 634 562 lavidacucador@gmail.com

delicious homemade pie, chips & peas

Mojacar

E15

only 5€

We are here

Albox Arboleas Zurgena La Alfoquia

only 5€

1km

La Vida

Cucador Junc 547 Huercal Overa

book the Venue

For your Private Parties, Weddings and Birthdays etc.

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

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

Camposol Club de Golf Camposol Club de Golf (formerly Sensol Golf Club) is now under new ownership. The new company are undertaking a full program of improvements and reconstruction on all parts of the course. We look forward to welcoming members old and new, watch out for the changes which are already well under way, not least our new fleet of electric golf buggies. Why not come and give us a try, we have the most competitive prices in the area.

Look at these amazing prices 18 holes reduced from €40 to €30 per round Buggy for 18 holes reduced from €28 to €20 (for 2 persons) Twighlight Golf after 4pm till 9pm 9 holes just €13 Wicked Wednesday’s For tee times between12pm to 4pm 18 holes and a buggy for 2 people just €60

Special deals for Societies

Why not call in and talk to us about our range of membership options to suit all pockets - Annual, 6 Monthly, Quarterly and Monthly.

968 978 886 info@camposolclubdegolf.com

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

community news

send your emails to editor@soltimes.com

IN MEMORIUM DOUGLAS ALF 1.5.2013

OUR SPECIAL FRIEND HAS LEFT US. WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE. GOD TOOK HIM FOR HIS ANGEL TO HIS KINGDOM IN THE SKY.

WILL BE SADLY MISSED BY JACKIE & FAMILY, MAVIS & JOE, JOHN, ROSEMARY AND ALL HIS FRIENDS IN SPAIN. GOD BLESS !

happy birthday

John

70 today

Enjoy your special holiday in Orlando lots of love from all the family xxx

sandra

happy 40th brithday

Have a wonderful day, love you loads, from your Dave xx

Quiz with a Difference

When? Tuesday 14th May, 2013 - 7.00 for 7.30pm start Where? El Carmoli Restaurant, El Carmoli, near Punta Brava Cost? €11 chicken & chips supper Prizes for the winning team Bring your friends along and make up a team Tickets available from: Joan Mitchell 868 185685 or 678135467, Janice Clark 968 134355, or the office 968570059 LL PROCEEDS IN AID OF HELP MURCIA MAR MENOR

send your news & views & birthday celebrations to EDITOR@SOLTIMES. COM also visit us at www.soltimes.com

AGE CONCERN COSTA CALIDA

Thursday 23rd May Auction at Mariano’s, Camposol 5€ to auction 3 items. 11am to 1pm viewing, 1pm auction Register items by 17th May Wednesday 29th May Menu-del-dia at Lagarto Verde, Puerto de Mazarron. With music, 10€ Saturday 1st June Summer Fair at Lagarto Verde. 11.30am to 3.30pm, 1€ entrance raffle. Tickets / info: Wednesday / Thursday 10am to 1pm - Social Centre, Camposol B Friday: 11am to 1pm – Outside Bar Salud, Camposol B Tel: 634 310 215 or 634 336 484

fast - Future Events 2013

F.A.S.T Bookstall is back – 2nd & 4th Friday every month Camposol ‘B’ Commercial Centre Saturday - 25th May F.A.S.T Spring Ball & Second Anniversary – Amapola Restaurant Bolnuevo - €25 Saturday - 15th June Camposol Fiesta – F.A.S.T Tombola Stall & CPR Demonstration Stall Saturday - 13th July – BBQ & Western Theme Night – Camposol Golf Club House. Event tickets will be on sale from the F.A.S.T bookstall Camposol ‘B’ Commercial Centre 2nd & 4th Fridays each month. Keep watching the press for updates and new events. For information about F.A.S.T please call: 634 314 386 or 626 465 847or 634 327 730

Classical Music Concert

Thinking of attending this ‘special’ concert on Monday 13th May; given by Pedro Clemente (professor of music in Garrucha), Robin Wright - professional musician and Sue Moretta that wonderful Mezzo Soprano? The guitar music will be eclectic, and will include some flamenco fusion with double bass and guitar, two guitars, some light Spanish classics, a medley of latin music, bossanovas and Sue Moretta with her wonderful repetoire - see her on Youtube. Why not enjoy a drink at the Hostal and leave your car at home or at one of the pick up spots. 18.30 El bar Cortijo, Bedar (Directions: El Pinar junction - crta. Bedar to Los Gallardos, Repsol Fuel Station - Los Gallardos El viaje de vuelta-return journey - Hostal Rural 11.00 horas Price Return Trip-Precio ida y vuelta 6 Euros) Tickets for the concert and food vouchers (optional) for those wanting to eat - why not make a night of it? will be available from the box offices shown on the poster and as from today from OLIVE PROPERTIES, Bedar. TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM THE HOSTAL RURAL......

The Beacon of Light Centre for Spiritual Awareness

Meetings held every Wednesday from 7pm - approx 8.30pm The Old School House Canadas del Romero

Mediums for the following dates: Wed 15th May Jimmy McArthur Wed 22nd May Joy & John Sloman Tues 28th May Janet Harris & Shaun Gray Condado de Alhama Wed 29th May Janet Harris & Shaun Gray Healing is available from 5.30 pm before service by request Funding for the meetings will be raised by donations collected during the evening For more information: http://beaconoflightmurcia.webs´.com/ beacon.of.light.murcia@gmail.com Tel: 620 877 326. Also on facebook

WELCOME DANCE Wednesday May 22nd Bringing back by popular demand the gorgeous Maria O´Hara, the talented Sunset and the best Abba tribute on the costa, ABBA ELITE 4 very talented people providing us with a real variety night. 10€ Food available 5€

WELCOME TRIPS

Join us for a couple of days away. SEVILLE 5 days, 4 nights staying at the 4 star Hotel Becquer right in the heart of the city of Seville. Breaking the journey on the way with a stop in Granada and on the way back Cordoba. Giving you time to have a look at these great places. A day trip to Heulva with visit to a Jamon factory included. 350€. BENIDORM October 14th, 4 days, 3 nights staying at the Helios Hotel which is in the centre of the Levante area. Half board, including a trip out on the Tuesday and market day on the Wednesday. 140€. Why not go away for Christmas. No cooking. A few rooms left on the second coach. December 23rd, 5 days, 4 nights staying at the Helios Hotel, right in the centre for all the activities. Full board including the Christmas Gala lunch with drinks. 230€ The new winter program is now out. For more details call Rosemary or check it on our web site www.welcomegroupspain.com For more information Telephone Rosemary on 620105179

the New Royal Bar & Restaurant Tel 968 595 864

Our food is full of flavour & freshly prepared Breakfast ~ Menu Del Dia ~ A la Carte Friday Fish and Chips from €6.00

ENTERTAINMENT IS FREE May Entertainment

Saturday 11th May – Michelle Saturday 18th May – Suzie G Saturday 25th May – Martin Ross

Sunday’s at The New Royal

Sunday Lunches from € 8.50 Menu de la Noche Mon - Thurs 7 - 9pm 10€ per person

3 Courses plus 1 bottle of Wine per couple

Menu del Dia

An Amazing For ONLY

Courses

8.50€

All Live Sporting Events Shown On 3 BIG Screens

We Are Open Every Day Mon - Thurs 10am - 11pm, Fri - Sun 10am - late

(El Alamillo Plaza, 200mts from the Beach – Pto De Mazarron)

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

SOL CLASSIFIEDS appliaNCE repairs

Furniture

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE REPAIRS Repairs to Washers, Dryers, Electric Cookers, Dishwashers, Fridges and Freezers

All makes, Torrevieja and surrounding areas 20 years experience fast reliable service Call Stewart on office

966 785 451 / 654 939 202 hours 10 - 4 FREE CALL OUT

Small call out on Fridges

Furniture first

Create more living space, no unsightly frames, reasonable prices.

Tel: 965 321 701 boats

licensed tattoo room available to rent within Barbershop

in Camposol Sector B

For more information please call 664 051 612 electricians Electrician , available for all works. Small or large. Call Dave 693 251 562. davendonc@aol.com

2 blue chairs 15€ Camposol Tel: 602 512 569.

garden services

A1 Group

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

Telephone 628 505 733 jewellery

GOLD WANTED

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

IMMEDIATE CASH PAYMENT Call Peter

664 890 990

Member of the National Association of Goldsmiths

ELECTRICS & PLUMBING

insurance

no job too small & free estimates!

medical

IN THE COSTA BLANCA

specialists in all electrical & plumbing works

new icp’s fitted - swimming pool heaters & air-con, electric gates & burglar alarms hot water boilers,gas heaters & solar new bath/shower suites - spanish legal

call clive: 617 268 346 or frank: 639 988 487 www.electriciancostablanca.co.uk

asssa insurances Asssa Mazarron, Diane Nolan,

968 153 396 mazarron@ asssa.es

www.leak-tech.net tel: 627 752 965 • 622 400 365 • 966 194 179 info@leak-tech.net

locksmith

Omron MX3 Plus Blood Pressure Monitor 20€. Cuidad Quesada, security grills & gates / electric roller shutters Tel 965 725 573 / & all cars opened / Window / Shutter 659 013 882

24 HR EMERGENCY LOCKSMITH

HEATER See our main advert on the news pages

C arl F oggarty Shark replica crash helmet, size small, 1998 approx, as new, collectors or enthusiast’s item for sale open to offers. A L U M I N I U M Tel 965 725 573 GATES Double & Cuidad Quesada. Electric Sliding. Guaranteed no N oractive rust. Call Tracy on sachets 30 x 966 726 891 1 g glucosamine Pool tables, powders for cats snooker tables, or small dogs (10 table tennis tables, kg) for joints etc darts. Tel: 666 8.50 euros please 933 726 www. ring 968131879 spainpool.com Camposol 1 stainless F loor steel sink and tap standing light 20€ Camposol Tel: with reading light 602 512 569. unused photo by 1 outdoor glass email if required table and 4 chairs 30 euros please 60€ Camposol Tel: ring 968131879 602 512 569. Camposol H ills prescription M etal C/D dried cat food outdoor for healthy urinary boiler cover 20 euros please musician ring 968131879 Camposol Lenny Mitchell, guitarist singer, international, professional, solo act. lenny Mitchell & his musical time machine invite you on a trip back to the 60’s & 70’s. Available to play in any venue. tel: 658 321 891 or email lennymitchell@live.co.uk

pool & water leak detection & repair specialists

don’t let your pool & water bills drain you!!

New pump for Bestway swimming pool 25€ Camposol Tel: 602 512 569.

Thule Karrite For a free estimate Car Roof Top Box, White, in good Tel: 646 111 825 order. 60€ O.N.O. Cuidad Quesada, heating Tel 965 725 573 / 659 013 882 NEATER

Centro Commercial, Flamenca Beach, La Planta, Playa Flamenca

Purpose built &

glass curtains

See our Advertisement on page 19 for more information

leak detection

est 2006

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

Sweet Dreams

business opportunity

for sale

tract and kidneys. New 5 kg chicken sl 40 euros please ROJALES SPECIALIST OF PRE - OWNED FURNITURE ring 968131879 & AccESSORIES AT SENSIBLE PRICES Camposol house clearance specialist FREE LOCAL DELIVERY SERVICE 5 Bestway filters for swimming pools WE BUY, SELL & PART EXCHANGE pumps 5€ each QUALITY FURNITURE Open Mon - Fri 10 - 18.00, Sat 10 - 14.00 Camposol Tel: 602 C/Pablo Neruda 2, Local 5, Rojales 512 569.

hearing aids

beds

BOATING LICENSES ARE NOW A LEGAL REQUIREMENT IN SPAIN Serenity Sailing RYA Training Centre, Competent Crew to Yachtmaster, VHF & ICC. Own-boat tuition on sail and power. If you have a yacht or powerboat get qualified and certified. Contact Richard +34 638 056 224 Email: enquiries@serenitysailing.com or visit: www.serenitysailing.com

TELEPHONE: 966 719 647

Door locks Opened, Changed & Fitted

Telephone: 653 145 300 Email:locksrus@hotmail.co.uk Special Deals for Urbanisations

personals

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

CLASSIFIED

966 719 647

plumber

EMERGENCY NEW in the business NEW in Monique’s team Salma ,English spoken 25yrs, Canarias girl, slim, sexy , Without time pressure.654 319 142

PLUMBER

Venezuelan CARLA, super sexy curvy, long black hair, natural big breast, black eyes, South American temperaments. For all your fantasies. Oral give/receive. Carla; 655 364 723 ELEGANT

SLIM,

SEXY

ITALIAN

LADY availanble home/house visits. Torrevieja, La Manga, Torre Pacheco

WANTED

& Mazarron. Escort available home &

wanted

plastering

commercial

CALL SOLTIMES

house visits Tel: 693 357 526

kitchen oven ENGLISH PLASTERER internal finishing,

must be in good external rendering, 15 years experience, working order, can collect good rates. FULLY LEGAL IN SPAIN.

call Call Chris 671 444 246 / 965 078 866 609 199 394 email: c_pettit@hotmail.co.uk

All plumbing work undertaken, from full bathroom installation to small leaks. Need a plumber in an emergency then call now

966 763 633 650 587 361

www.soltimes.com

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

www.soltimes.com property for sale / rent

RENTAL PROPERTIES URGENTLY REQUIRED

FOR SALE Apartment (Top floor / Penthouse) Almoradi,Costa Blanca

in Cabo Roig/Villamartin, Orihuela Costa Playa Flamenca

We have clients enquiring in this area

Contact CASASOL REAL ESTATE

tel: 965 325 601 tony@casasolrealestate.com

for SALE detatched cortijo

20mins from mojacar This is a unique spanish cortijo with 4 beds, 2 baths, Open plan living areas, kitchen & diningroom as well as a workshop, courtyard front & back & room for a pool. Mountain views. Build 256 m², Terrace 100m², Plot 1200m²

€150,000 Tel: 649 186 107 thunderpaul2003@hotmail.ccom

car parts

removals

Car parts

’s a m i L De

Local, National & international removals REMOVALS Need quality new parts for any car & STORAGE Quality Second hand for sensible prices on all parts furniture showroom

263 Paseo del Mediterraneo Mojacar Playa, Next to Sal Marina Hotel

4 Bed, 2 Bath, Large Terrace, Lounge, Sep Kitchen, Utility Room, Communal Solarium, Lift, Furnished inc. White Goods, UK TV , 90m² Interior Living Space plus, 15m² Terrace / Balcony with Awnings. Overlooks a newly reformed Plaza, church & mountains, unusually large terrace. 2 min walk away from the town’s attractive central square, all other amenities are also within easy walking distance,12 mins drive from the resort of Guardamar del Segura. Close to La Finca Golf course Private Sale €75,000

Tel: (0034) 676 534 978

recruitment

SOLTIMES

are looking for A

Bright, enthusiastic person with an outgoing personality to join our sales team in Costa Blanca based at our office in Quesada. Full or part time sales position available. Experience not a new essential as full training future with will be given as long as es you’re organised, enjoy sol tim meeting people & can work to deadlines

Send your CV to cmm@soltimes

part time

chef / cook wanted

contract given contact jay 965 990 296

Sales Position in established Estate Agency located in the M a z a r r o n / C o n d a d o / C a m p o s o l area. This is a commission only position. For further details ring 671 188 808.

Mon-Sat: 10am-2pm Call Marc on 647 006 183 or Jo on 600 344 565 or e-mail enquiries@delimas.biz

www.delimas.biz

HUGE 265m2 Showroom

fortnightly SERVICE TO & FROM UK FULL OR PART LOADS

Just Removals Friendly Low Cost

Full or part loads spain-uk-spain

Local Van & Pets Welcome Moves Trailer Motorbikes - Caravans Call Brian 965 326 920 - 666 847 648 email: beechdale@hotmail.co.uk

Linen Mills

Express UK Spain Uk 620 582 063 weekly service

UK - SPAIN - UK

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

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

Tel: 603 192 957/966 848 607

UK: 00 44 790 519 8895 MEL LANDON melvyynleo@yahoo.com

www.carpartsinspain.com

or telephone 692 930 326 Vehicles registration

“RE-PLATE” MATE GB

Don’t take a chance! Don’t break the Law! Let us take the hassle away from you and re-register your vehicle on to Spanish plates 490€ plus Road Tax plus CO2 emission if applicable WE PROMISE TO BEAT ANY GENUINE QUOTATION For a full service contact:

Alan 662 249 159

www.replatematecostablanca.com

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

VANTASTIC 3.5 tonne removals or any handyman & van service inc furniture collection & assembly tel: 693 251 562 e mail: davendonc@aol. com

Free quote go online or phone

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

From a parcel to a small house move

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

Clutches, Brakes, alternators, service kits Starter Motors, headlights

UK-SPAIN-UK fortnightly service fortnightly ESP: 914 143 164 UK: 01773 service 513 013

www.britonsremovals.com britonsremovals@ic24.net satellite tv

Rainbow Satellites for all your TV needs with clients all over the Murcia Region. Contact Matt or Alan 686 358 475 or rainbowsats@terra.es

wigs

CALL CLASSIFIED

Salon Margarethas 24 years in Torrevieja hair / wig specialist for medical illness and hair loss problems. We offer different hair replacements, top fillers, hair swimming prostheses, toupees & wigs. Natural & pool safety artificial hair & much more. Also fashion / festival accessories. NEATER HEATER TV/TS are welcome See our main to our service. Call Margaretha on advert on the 966 921 846 for an news pages appointment.

902 750 190 ext 330

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

605 319 889 or 966 753 375 www.spanish-number-plates.com info@spanish-number-plates.com

pets Sancho is a beautiful male pointer about 18 months old . He is very friendly and loves people and other dogs. Like all pointers he is very lively and would benefit from a reasonable amount of exercise.

please contact K9 for more info www.k9club.es The K9 Club Tel: 600 84 54 20

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

trade Businesses can advertise in the classified section

Classified box from 9€. lineage only 45 cents per word - Deadline 5pm Friday Contact Christine 966 719 647

Vehicles wanted

WANTED

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

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

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Nissan Terrano Aug ‘03 - Luxury 4x4 3.0 Turbo Diesel 79,000 kms, 1 owner Full Nissan Service History, A/C, Alloys, PAS, ABS, Front fog lights E. windows/mirrors Rear luggage cover CD player, Side steps Remote locking Rear head restraints Metallic silver over black Showroom Condition

VW Beetle 2003 - Cabriolet 1.6 (100bhp) 58,000 kms, 2 owners Full service history A/C, ABS, Alloys Cd player E. windows/mirrors Front fog lights Multi Airbags PAS Rear head restraints Remote locking White

Ford Mondeo Estate 2005 - Estate 2.0 Ghia 105,000 kms, 2 owners Full service history A/C (Climate), Sony CD 5 spoke alloys Front fog lights E. windows/mirrors Rear luggage cover Roof rails, PAS, ABS High spec model Metallic silver

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LandRover Freelander TD4 RIGHT HAND DRIVE May 2006 - 4x4 2.0 Turbo Diesel HSE 95,000 miles, 2 owners Full service history A/C, 17” Alloys PAS, ABS, Navigation Rear park sensors New Tow pack (unused) Roof rails, E. Sunroof MOT’d and Taxed Silver+Charcoal leather

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VW Passat Auto/Tip BMW 318 Cabriolet 2003 – Cabriolet 1.8i 2008 - 4 door saloon 106,000 kms, 3 owners 2.0 TDi DSG Auto/ Full service history Tiptronic A/C (Full climate), ABS (Paddle shift) E. windows/mirrors 62,000 kms, 2 owners Multi Airbags Fully serviced Multispoke alloys A/C (Climate) Xenon lights with wash Parking sensors Black power hood PAS, ABS, Cruise Heated/Memory seats High spec model, CD Metallic blue/grey Paddle shift, Parrot Full grey leather Metallic silver

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

The rain was falling out of the sky as if God had pulled the plug on the angel’s bath night, and The Dog That Is Not Ours was not happy about it. In fact, for a dog which has spent the first years of her life out of doors, she is amazingly wimpish about rain. This particular day she wished to leave the warm dry haven of the house in favour of the wilds of Limaria, so she tapped on the door, her way of requesting her minions to open it for her. She stood in the doorway surveying the stair rods descending from the heavens, and with a reproachful look at me (it was obviously my fault that it was raining) she retreated back to the comfort of her bed. However, eventually needs must, and after walking round in ever decreasing circles with her legs crossed for a period of time, she had to go outside to answer Nature. She departed into the deluge, and disappeared for the entire day. I have no idea where she went, but it’s a pound to a penny that she didn’t spend the whole day outside! It was still raining with josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk

By Jos Biggs

viewpoint alqueria - Lights! Camera! Action!

a capital R when she returned at teatime, wet, but not saturated. She announced her arrival by an urgent hammering on the door, and when I opened it she hurtled through in a high state of excitement, leaving behind something very bedraggled on the terrace. It was the hindquarter of a very large, very wet, very dead chicken. Knowing that if I put it in our bin she would root it out again, I took it by the leg and threw it in the Sparrow’s Graveyard, a large chasm in the campo, where all small bird corpses can rest in peace. That, however, was not the end of the matter. Later, when it had stopped raining, she requested ‘Out’, and I watched her quartering the garden, nose down, in a vain but thorough search for her chicken. She was as methodical as a crack Scenes of Crime Investigator, dividing the ground into squares, and meticulously searching each square, passing back and forth with mathematical precision. There was nothing random or haphazard about her search, every inch of garden was covered. It was an impressive display of natural talent, and I was just wondering whether I could hire her out to the Sniffer Dog Squad when I remembered that: 1: The Sniffer Dog Squad probably don’t have a lot of call to find dead chickens. And 2: There could be a problem hiring out a Dog That Is Not Ours!

Wanted! Colourful Eccentrics

I have asked the question before, but where have all the eccentrics gone? When I was a boy, every neighbourhood seemed to have its quirky and off the wall characters; men and women who were larger than life figures, who by their mannerisms, their appearance or their views of the world, set them apart from the rest of us. Eccentricity has always been a very English trait. They often had strange little ways that were a high source of entertainment. They might be heard having conversations with themselves as they pottered around their gardens, or perhaps be seen in the local shop buying fish fingers and St Bruno pipe tobacco, still dressed in a pyjama top over a pair of tatty cords and carpet slippers. They were instantly recognisable and the men were worse. There is perhaps a very fine line between this sort of unconventionality and stark staring nuttiness, but it is that very hairs breadth of difference that makes them what they are. These were people who did not give a fig about what others

thought of them or what society dictated in general – they were mavericks who simply refused to conform and lived by their own set of rules and standards, but bothered no one. But in spite of the mirth they created, they were nevertheless respected in a strange kind of way and invariably listened to whenever they made pronouncements on the world, because most of them shared a common thread . . . they possessed wisdom and almost always, a sharp wit that was delivered in a matter of fact, dead-pan way. But the eccentrics and great characters have all but disappeared, which came home to me recently when I returned to Suffolk and learned that another one of the old timers – probably the last of the great village characters - had passed on. And I remembered something he said years before, when answering a charge made by another villager, that he should splash out on a Christmas present for his wife, because as they put it: ‘You can’t take it with you’. He pondered this for a second or two, before countering: ‘In that case I haint goin’’ Some years ago one such individual was in an uncharacteristic rush to exit after a Parish Council meeting. He was usually the last one to leave because he liked nothing

By Colin Bird : badbirdnow@gmail.com

more than to pass on the gossip of the village and dish the dirt about some unfortunate villager thus earning him the nickname of Chatty. There was nothing that happened in the village that got past him. But on this occasion, giving his wife’s birthday as the reason for his hurried departure, he was asked by one of the other councillors what he had bought her. ‘Nuthun’, he said, ‘She haint used last year’s prezent yet!’ And what was that, we wanted to know? ‘A plot in the cemetree’, was the expressionless reply. Chatty had a small holding and he asked me one day why I never bought my tomatoes from him, and I told him honestly that I bought only organic. He looked me up and down as if I was a cretin and said, ‘Moin‘re organic, oi grows ‘em within the sound of the chapel organ!’ A group of these characters were chatting away in the bar of The Cloak – one of our three pubs - one lunchtime and were discoursing on local affairs. One was heard to remark that he had taken his hound into the local shop, but was asked to take him back outside. ‘So oi took him out and chained him up with a bit’a string’, he said. ‘Oi only went in for some of those Spanish onions, because oi don’t like them foreign ones. I only wish now, that I had

owned a tape recorder and got all of this stuff down, because there were some real gems. Things like, ‘Hev you met the new doctor yet? His woif’s the best lookin’ bloke in Suffolk’. And so it went on. Of course there is sometimes a thin dividing line between eccentricity and plain barmy. There used to be a man in Reading who was known as Tex. Well named because of his propensity to suddenly run into the centre of the road on a busy shopping day in the town centre; crouch behind a bollard and take imaginary shots at passers by with an invisible Winchester rifle. I knew it was a Winchester, because he would mime the lever reload action after each shot. He would then gallop off on his imaginary horse, slapping his thigh like mad, looking for more victims outside Woolworth’s. Life is that much drabber without these larger than life characters and God knows we need some colour in our ever darkening world

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

Takeaway Chicken

After the bank robbery and voluntary exile of its manager Briefcase Frederico, the Alquerian Government sat in emergency session. Restocking the bank presented little problem but the future security of the village needed their attention. Against the wishes of Manuela, Alqueria’s very own ‘femme fatal’ and nocturnal itinerant the decision to install security cameras was taken. The British of course are leaders in this field. The keen interest in other people’s business and the desire for one’s own privacy is an absurdity of British life. The Sneak, Peek and Pry Security Company of East Crackington, Surrey came up with the lowest quote, being three barrels of Remitroot Liquor cheaper than their nearest competitor. This firm was responsible for such installations as Mrs Philpots Sweet Shop in the High Street, recently made into a ‘reality’ television series by the BBC. There was no hiding place from the ever vigilant cameras. Alqueria was a village under surveillance and it was severely limiting Manuela’s night-time activities. She is an inventive girl and set about destroying the credibility of the security recordings. Her first ploy was to dress up as a five foot tall rodent and stroll the streets at night. She thought this would invite questions about the security company’s judgement. This didn’t work however as Loco Paco actually has a five foot tall rodent called Bob. He hand reared the creature on Remitroot and it often gets loose at night. Manuela noticed that one particular camera caught part of the white gable-end of the Bar la Casa Devante. Using this as a screen she projected scenes from the 1979 version of ‘Caligula’ from an old 8mm movie projector. Although the security camera faithfully recorded the projection it was to no avail. Similar scenes were the norm for any Saturday night outside the Bar la Casa Devante. A vital point, overlooked by the security company and Manuela alike ensured the swift removal of the cameras. Practically everyone in Alqueria has something to hide. The reasons range from hiding dodgy business deals to hiding themselves bodily. This meant that no-one wanted to be recognised especially on permanent recordings. However they had to go about their daily business, so disguises were adopted. A theatrical costumier in Almería did a roaring trade hiring outfits to the people of Alqueria. If the recordings could be believed, seventy-five Marilyn Monroes wandered the streets accompanied by a selection of campanologist hunchbacks, vampires in varying states of convincibility and renowned politicians. As it would be very difficult to pursue a court case against Quasimodo or the like, the camera project was scrapped. Roberto Robles still dresses as Shirley Temple, if fact he dressed as Shirley Temple before the cameras arrived.

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

motoring

TEST DRIVE: skoda rapid

When my wife visited Canada, many moons ago and before we met - she went white water rafting. She’s a brave lass. She reminded me of this scary event in her life as she sat in the Skoda Rapid that I’m testing this week. Its name triggered the memory. An unusual name for a sensible family car, I thought as there is no way that it can relate to frightening yet invigorating water rapids.

But it is quite nippy - it will hit 60mph from standstill in under 12 seconds and on to a 114mph top speed - so perhaps it relates to speed. The Saunders family is delighted with this vehicle. Let me tell you why. Diesel prices are hovering around the £1.45 per litre mark (fuel duty is around 60 pence a litre) and even taking the efficiency of these engines into consideration

such prices are absolutely ridiculous and unfair. So petrol, some 10p a litre cheaper, looks increasingly more attractive. The trouble is that so many petrol cars remain uneconomical. Skoda has solved this problem though, by introducing a splendid tiddly 1.2-litre, 86bhp engine that returns an average of over 50mpg. I am staggered. I am even more dumfounded by the fact that it has been fitted to the

Rapid, which until I read the press pack, I was sure must be a 1.6. This is an extremely good size family hatchback that fits between the smaller Fabia and the larger Octavia; easily seating five adults in comfort and a whole lot of clobber in the cavernous boot. Even with my family inside, the engine delivers a more than reasonable driving experience. There is absolutely no road tax to pay either because it’s so

green. I will be amazed if Skoda doesn’t sell hundreds of thousands of these, especially when considering the OTR price of under £15,000. The interior might be a little bland but there are front electric windows - the children are less likely to open the manually operated ones in the rear, so I’m all for that. There’s air conditioning, heated front seats and electrically heated and adjustable wing mirrors as you can see in the video at testdrives.biz. It also comes with a five-star safety rating. This is a great value for money proposition introduced at just the right time for the poor motorist suffering from hugely inflated fuel prices. In fact, according to the RAC Foundation transport poverty has now hit 800,000 homes across the UK. These car-owning households are

spending over a quarter of their disposable income on buying and running a vehicle. They spend £44 a week on car-related expenses. If they were to buy this Skoda their expenses should drop. I wonder whether the Skoda marketing team was thinking about ‘rapid’ sales when naming this vehicle. They might just have something there…

SPECIFICATION Skoda Rapid 1.2 SE TSi 86PS £14,650 0-60: 11.8secs Top speed: 114mph Economy: 55.4mpg Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz

Advanced motorist Tim Saunders is the former Business and Motoring Editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo. His regular test reports appear in numerous newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the UK, Ireland & Gibraltar - and now here in Spain! For more information contact Tim on: timasaunders@tiscali.co.uk

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SOLTIMES MAY 2013

Sporting de San Fulgencio Marco ‘two’ good for Catral C.F Sporting de San Fulgencio 2-1 Atletico de Catral C.F In the Saint’s last home game of the season, a Marco Aurelio brace rescued the points for his team after Catral took the lead against the run of play in the first half. San Fulgencio edged the opening periods of the contest, but the visitors came up with first meaningful attempt, forcing Manuel Llopis into a stunning reaction save from a free-kick. The game came to life soon after and the Saints were playing some great football. Marco had two wonderful opportunities to open the scoring, but on both occasions the normally clinical Brazilian fluffed his lines. New signing Fili then had a pop at goal, but his shot bobbled wide of the post. Up at the other end Catral broke the deadlock from a setpiece. A low corner was flicked into the back of the net from a tight angle, much to the dismay of Claudio Arturi. Just before the break the Saints had another chance to score, but this time Braulio Garcia decided to shoot from a tight angle instead of finding a team-mate and his effort went wide. Some unsure defending let Catral in and they should have scored, but the striker elected to shoot and his drilled effort flew harmlessly over the bar.

San Ful started the second half like a house on fire and got their reward 5 minutes into the second period. After some neat play, Braulio found Marco with an inviting cross and the latter took his chance this time to level the score. Moments later Marco and Braulio combined well yet again, but this time the inside of the post denied the striker his second. Gary Williams and Aaron Lopez had decent openings, but neither could direct their header towards goal. The home side continued to search for a winner, which left the door open for Catral to attack on the break. And the visitors came so close to retaking the lead, but the striker’s volley hit the outside of the post. Marco had tormented the Catral defence all day and it didn’t stop in the final minutes. After being tripped in the box, Marco himself stepped up and calmly put his side ahead with 10 minutes remaining. The Saints held on to win their final home game of the season! Our next game is the rearranged fixture against Redovan, which will be played at 21:30 on Wednesday 8th. Thank you to Telecom 900 and the rest of our sponsors. Match report by Jordan Lucas

sport

SAILING ASSOCIATION MAR MENOR (SAMM) The third race day of the spring series welcomed twenty-one helms and crews in 8 boats, 5 cruisers and 3 dinghies. With on shore winds, 9/10 kph in a south westerly direction, some boats had to put in a number of tacks to get into open water, negotiating the narrow strip between the reef and the jetty. Whilst the catamaran was slow to start the race and never made any impact, the rest of the fleet were all very keen to show their skills. Gemini Uno suffered some gear failure and was unable to complete the first race, but managed to effect repairs for the second race. After three laps the new Hartley helmed by Tug Wilson and Don Clarke crossed the finish line some five minutes before the next boat. An impressive result for the new boat. Once the handicaps were applied, Conny, the Balaton with Robert Hudson and Terry Chapman was, for the fourth time in a row, declared the winner putting the Hartley into second place. The afternoon race saw an increase in wind speed to 15 plus and all the morning competitors availing themselves of the challenge. Success evaded the Hartley which capsized almost at the start of the race. The crew, Linda Coats, hitched a lift back to shore in the support boat leaving Don

Great News for Camposol and Mazarron

Clarke to return single handed. Again fortune refused to shine on the catamaran and although Tug Wilson, with his crew of Ingo Wilson and Pete Cadman brought Shoestring Uno over the line first, he once again had to settle for second place on handicap with Conny taking the first place. SAMM was pleased to welcome Justine Sylvester to helm the support boat for the day. Justine was visiting the Mar Menor to gain additional practical experience to add to her Yachtmasters qualification. Well done, SAMM certainly benefitted from your presence. For further information visit www.sailingmarmenor.com

Mazarron Entertainments SL, owners of Alley Palais and The Club House are very pleased to announce at as from the 1stApril 2013 they have taken over Sensol Golf course, now to be known as Camposol Club de Golf. Company Partner Colin Dorsett commented “ this is great news for Camposol and the Mazarron area, not only are we ensuring the continuity of this much needed facility, but our intention is to make this golf course, what it always should have been, one of the most attractive,

challenging and well maintained courses in Murcia. Work on a program of improvements well underway and our new fleet of buggies has arrived. With the most competitive pricing in the area, I’m sure we will have the support of all local golfers and societies.” Our new Golf Professional Ben Stokes has now arrived from the UK and is working hard with our Golf Coach Mike Kerry to develop our Golf Academy teaching facility and practice ground.

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MAZARRON FC 1 YECLANO DEPORTIVO 1 Mazarron welcomed the new league champions Yeclano Deportivo to the Estadio Muniicpal and once again gave one of their best performances of the season to earn a very creditable draw. Both sides settled down quickly and captain Diego had to be at his very best to prevent Yeclano opening the scoring after just six minutes with two superbly timed tackles. Then, at the other end, Cecilio’s clever header found Perico on the left and his shot was fumbled by the Yecla keeper who just managed to grab the rebound before the onrushing Jose Ruben could capitalise. After 20 minutes a long throw by Perico was met with an overhead kick by Ruben which was saved. Mazarron keeper, Jose Iker, came to their rescue after half an hour with a tremendous double save from point blank range before Mazarron themselves almost took the lead after 35 minutes. Santi won the ball on the halfway line and his perfect through ball saw Jose Ruben racing clear of the Yecla defence but his shot was turned away by the keeper. Mazarron were certainly having the better of the exchanges in the first half and Ruben was again unlucky when his back header from a long ball out of defence beat the keeper but bounced over the bar with the defence left

stranded. Diego junior made a welcome return after his season at Elche as a second half substitute for Pepelu and he was immediately in the thick of the action working cleverly down the left hand side with Jose Ruben. Ruben had two early shots and then Jose Da found Diego junior who shot just wide. After 57 minutes the hard working Cecilio found Diego junior and he was brought down in the penalty area just as he was about to shoot. Mazarron’s record from penalties this season has been appalling but the young Diego showed how it is done and coolly placed the penalty inside the post to give Mazarron a deserved lead. Yeclano could have equalised shortly afterwards when Santi was forced to clear a shot off the line following a corner. Mazarron, however, were the better side and when Diego junior was once again fouled, this time on the edge of the box, Ruben’s clever free kick just grazed the outside of the post. Yeclano equalised after 81 minutes when a harmless through ball was completely missed

by Chicho and, with the Mazarron defence now exposed, the cross was turned home past the helpless Iker to give the champions an underserved point. It was the second time this season that Mazarron had held Yecla to a 1-1 draw and they were unfortunate not to become only the third team to defeat the runaway league leaders. Team: Iker, Clemente, Chicho. Diego, Pepelu (Diego jnr), Barrachina, Santi (Poyato), Jose Da, Perico (Matt Clarke), Jose Ruben, Cecilio. Man of the Match: Diego junior

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

SOLTIMES MAY 2013

sport

CD Montesinos On a small grass pitch showing a lot of bare patches Monte nearly scored from the kick-off, when spotting their goalkeeper off his line, Vaz shot from the half way line forcing him to make a finger tip save. The Saladar keeper was again called upon to make another good save from a free kick from just outside the box. Montesinos were playing with skill and total commitment, which to be fair has been missing lately. After 22 minutes Vaz stretching to meet a cross, only managed to blast the ball over the bar. Just before half time Christian under pressure punched the ball out to an opposition player, who then shot, forcing him to make a great save. The teams going in level at half time was a true reflection of the game so far. Within 10 minutes of the restart both goalkeepers were called upon to make good saves and with 65 minutes on the clock Saladar opened the scoring. A long kick up field went to their left winger who cut in and scored, beating Christian at

Hello

the far post. With 15 minutes to go there was a long delay when one of the Saladar players collided with the fence surrounding the pitch. After treatment he was then transferred to hospital by ambulance. From the restart once again Monte put the Saladar defence under pressure and when Wallace broke through into the box, only to be kicked in the face. It was left to Andres to equalise from the spot. Then with only 5 minutes left Christian, making his only mistake of the match miss-kicked a dead ball straight to their centre forward who ran 5 paces and hammered the ball passed our distraught goalkeeper. Overall it was a good entertaining game and one we did not deserve to lose. Next Sunday we play our last home game of the season against Almoradi B. kick-off 1730hrs. If you wish to go to the Player Of The Year award dinner, speak to Roger or Pauline at the game to reserve your place. Howard Yeats.

amigo Ca rs

TMGS Hacienda Riquelme 1st May, 2013. Today, we ventured into the world of the Polaris courses to the sand trap haven of Hacienda Riquelme and for once, the wind and the rain were absent and not one person was complaining. There is no doubt about it on this course, if you hit a semi decent tee shot, you have a 40/60 chance of ending up wither in a bunker or in those damn stumps of grass that seem to gobble the ball away. However, the scores on the doors were of a reasonable nature even though only one person achieved his handicap and that was Alex “The Bruiser” Alfody who took the Gold Division with 36 points who narrowly edged out Matthew Taylor on 35 points. Mike Freeman claimed 3rd place with 34 points. The Silver Division top slot was claimed by the “First Lady”, Shelia Dean with 32 points beating Ray Ewins on the countback system. 3rd place was taken by outgoing Captain, Alan Rickers with 31 points.

The NTP’s were claimed by Darren Hancock who hit the dance floor on holes 5 and 15 and Alex Goslan on the 7th. Strangely enough, no-one in the Silver Group hit the 201 par 3 17th!! It was pointed out that Colin Marsden has now stopped using the anchored belly putter in favour of the normal putting style. Not that he had a belly putter anyway, it’s just he’s lost with and now his 33 inch putter does not anchor. It also rumoured that he is hitting the ball better with his driver and that is due, solely, to the fact that he can now see the ball on the tee. Our next game, Wednesday 8th May 2013, see’s us at the La Finca golf course, so if you fancy a game just look at our website www.tmgs.org or call the Match Secretary on 966719604. We also run small matches on Friday’s and if you fancy a fun knock around, contact Steve Higgins on 968978188.

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Friday 3rd May Mazarron played their 5th game of the season away to San Luis “Mosquitoes”. So far Mazarron have had 4 excellent games and have been holding top position in the league since week one. Going into their 5th game they were now quietly gaining confidence. Mazarron new that San Luis wouldn’t be an easy ride and new playing on their green this could lead to negative thoughts. As the matches progressed it became quite apparent that the final result was going to be very close and so it turned out to be. Mazarron eventually won 3 matches, (24-10, 19-14, 23-13) and San Luis 3 matches,

(28-4, 21-15, 16-15) resulting in Mazarron losing by 2 shots overall. Fortunately for Mazarron this result hasn’t changed their top of the league position and they will be endeavoring to remain there on Monday 6th May after playing their next match at home against Quesada “Comets”. If you would like to come along and give bowls a try or if you have played before, all are welcome. For more information check us out on -:- mazarronbowlsclub. webs.com or contact Club Secretary - 968 199 011 or Club Captain - 637 461 038 Report by Wendy Reynolds

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Adam & Lucy return European Champions!!! Adam and Lucy Stewart returned this week to their home and to swimming club, “Club Natacion Torrevieja”, European Champions. This years Downs Syndrome Open European Championships took place in the Quays Sports Centre, Southampton between the 20 and 21st of April. Throughout the competition Adam and Lucy worked hard and won an outstanding set of results. Adam won Gold in his 800m Freestyle, Gold in his 400m Freestyle, Gold in the 100m Freestyle, Bronze in the 50m Backstroke. The relay team in which Adam participated also won Silver medals. To make this achievement even more outstanding Adam gained new personal best times in all of his races. He just keeps getting faster!! Lucy, his sister, who has just started competing and training with Club Natacion Torrevieja, also excelled to gain Silver medal in her 50m Breaststroke and a 4th placed ribbon in her 25m Breastroke races.

All of the swimmers, trainers, friends and management of Club Natacion Torrevieja want to congratulate Adam and Lucy and are very proud of their achievements. Adam and Lucy have worked hard with trainer Juanma Martinez and wish to thank both Juanma and Chris at Transform Fitness Spain, for all their support and expertise. Adam is now hoping that his new times will qualify him for the World Downs Syndrome Championships to held in Mexico 2014. For more information regarding Torrevieja Swimming Club please contact Rosa - 665 454 126 or President Felipe on 609 418 776 or by e-mail on info@ clubnataciontorrevieja.com

LO CRISPIN GOLF SOCIETY Alicante Golf Club - 1 May 2013 Many thanks go to Mick the Grip for sponsoring nearest the pins all the 6 par three holes, in the end he managed to win one of these himself, but gave his voucher to one of his playing partners and two players actually played their balls to exactly the same distance so each received a prize. We played a Texas scramble with all teams, ten in all, evenly matched, not only were we glad the course was open after all the storms of the last week but even more pleased when we found out that the course had taken all the rain very well. Not many mud or wet patches and access onto the course with buggies allowed at a 90 degree angle made play less tiring. One of our group thought that the 90 degree access was driving down the middle of the fairway, I bet he can still hear the laughter in his ears, can’t you Harry? The course was in very good condition and even though the yellow tees were on the Ladies blue tees the course played very long. One lady used the Barnes Wallace theory and sent the ball skimming over the water which kept on going to the middle of the fairway, a good job it did as we had to use this ball as all the other three were in the

water. A good day was had by all played in the sunshine. The winning teams were: 1st Bill Mackay, Bill Acton, Mick Johnson & Steve Harrington 63.2 2nd Harry 90degree Wilcock, Bob Berry, Andrew Cox, Paul Flanaghan 65.3 3rd Martin Collins, Colin Ranson, Geoff Dowsett and Malcolm Morrison 65.7 NTPs: George Stewart hole 3, Steve Harrington/Brian Leys hole 6, Mick Reeves hole 8, Bill Mackay hole 12, Alan Craine hole 15 and Phil Rhodes hole 17. Two teams shared the 2s pot: Barny Barningham, John Henderson, Frank Cusack, Alan Crain and Mick Budd, Norman Potter, Brian Leys, Sue Smith and just to make the day perfect, Mick ‘The Grip’ Reeves won the free game draw. Our next few games are full with reserves lists, so to help the organising of these events we would appreciate anybody who cannot play letting the Captain know or any one of the Committee so other players can be accommodated. Lo Crispin Golf Society http://sites.google.com/site/ locrispingolf/

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MAY-DAY VISIT to VILLAMARTIN San Miguel Golf Society’s monthly trip to one of its most popular venues fell on a red day this month turning the already booked up course into a state of nearly bursting at the seams! The recent spate of very wet weather eventually coming to an end happening to coincide with a public bank holiday meant courses everywhere were probably taking as much advantage as possible to claw back some recent “bad weather” losses. Inevitably it was to result in a long, slow round but as all ten of our flights, rather like a busy Heathrow airport, managed to land in the clubhouse at fairly regular ten minute intervals, it was clear that the cause of any of the day’s delays could not be laid at our door! The course was in great

condition, especially when you consider the day’s foot-traffic and the amount of water that’s fallen on it during the patch of inclement weather. The only part of the course to be slightly weather-beaten was a rather soggy 18th fairway which, being at the foot of its own little valley, was hardly unexpected. Only three of the NTP’s were claimed with the 13th green managing to remain unscathed. Winners were John Osborne, Steve Davis and, by the smallest of margins, Steve Fleet. The top two visitors were Willy Buchanan with 35 points and Tom woods with 33, both very respectable scores. The society’s silver category top four were Paul Cobain (29), Norman McBride (31), Stanley Matthews (32 C/B) with special congratulations this week going

to Mick Roscoe celebrating his first win, achieved with the help of a count-back, also with 32 points…..well done, Mick. Big Stevie Fleet is maintaining his purple patch in the gold division and was top scorer of the day and also the gold winner amassing 38 points. Just one point behind was “Mister Steady”, Barry Roehrig, with Alan Gilbert just beating regular prize-winner, John Drakesmith, on count-back, both carding 33 points. Tommy Boyle did not have one

of his best days but as a form of compensation he went home clutching the day’s “Abacus” award, a fine bottle of Rioja. Don’t forget to visit www.smgs. org or give Barry a buzz on 966 731 033 to keep up to date with all the news from the area’s leading society. All the courses we are visiting are very busy for the next couple of months, so the advice is to book early to save possible disappointment. Visitors are very welcome. Photo: Some of the day’s happy winners. Gold Category.

FC TORREVIEJA - TORRY ARE SAFE FOR ANOTHER SEASON After a win and a draw in their last 2 games, Torry ensured that, next season, Torrevieja will have a team playing at national level, in the Tercera division group 6 which contains teams from the length and breadth of the Valencian region. The threat of relegation is now thankfully gone. A week last Wednesday Torry entertained 3rd placed Elche Ilicitano who were still in with a chance of finishing top of the pile. Torry had a few players out injured and had to adjust the formation of the team and bring in young Sergio for a rare start. The bench was made up of youngsters. Recently recruited keeper Pepitiu made his home debut. The opposition started the brighter in confident mood and had the lion’s share of possession. Torry broke the deadlock in the 29th minute when a somewhat fortuitous rebound off a defender fell into the path of Koeman who advanced and calmly struck the ball past the Elche keeper for a GOALLLLL to Torry 1-0 . 8 minutes later Villanueva doubled the lead from an outlandish long range

effort which was heading for the top corner of the net which the Elche keeper could not keep out and thumbled over the line for a GOALLLLL to Torry 2-0. After 65 minutes Torry put the game out of reach after a quick break involving Luis Carlos, Gasch and Koeman who doubled his tally with a clinical finish for a GOALLLLL to Torry 3-0. That’s how the game finished after a well contested affair which a determined and resolute Torry deserved to win. Last Sunday Torry made yet another long journey to the north of the city of Valencia to play Llosa who were 2 places and one point behind Torry. Both sides needed to get something out of the game. Torry were without a number of first team regulars with Sergio again starting along with forward Jose Manuel who was given a run-out in preference to Villanueva who was on the bench. Torry set their stall out to get the point they needed and defended deeply and tried to hit the opposition on the counter attack. The opposition created the better opportunities during the game

but Torry keeper Pepitiu made a number of good saves to ensure Torry kept a clean sheet. He was aided and abetted by central defenders Rafa and Jorge who were in determined mood and both picked up cautions for over robust challenges for the cause. Torry’s opportunities fell to Luis Carlos who had a number of shots on target saved by the Lllosa keeper. At the end the Torry players celebrated in the knowledge that the point gained was enough to cast aside their relegation woes. It is worth noting that new keeper Pepitiu hasn’t conceded a goal yet and that Torry’s only loss in their last 7 games was the narrow 1-0 defeat at league leaders Alzira. Torry are still stuck in 13th place but it isn’t unlucky. Torry play their final home game of the season on Sunday, kickoff 6.00 pm against Ribarroja who surprisingly beat high flyers Novelda last weekend but still occupy the 4th and final relegation spot with 2 games to go. They will be desperate for a win. Torry need to continue their good run of form, keep another

Andy Wilson Photographer

clean sheet and put a few in the back of the opposition net. Hopefully Torry will field their strongest side for this their final home game. The game is being played again at Torry’s spiritual home, the Vicente Garcia football stadium. At this time of year the pitch should be green and in decent condition. The Football Club want to make it a bit of carnival in celebration of securing survival in the Tercera and there will be music from Radio Torrevieja, cool beer, a giant paella and ice-cream on offer from a Mr Whippy van. There will a presentation before the match of the Torry Army’s “Player of the Year”. Try to be there and get there a little bit earlier to join in the fun. A very delighted Darrylldinho following his adopted team in Spain put the threat of relegation behind them. To read about FC Torrevieja access the Torry Army website www. fctorrevieja.net.

ANOTHER BRILLIANT WEEKEND OF RUGBY IN THE REGION

This last weekend I was fortunate enough to be at the Nelson Mandela Stadium with all of my rugby gear for the National U18’s rugby tournament with 16 teams taking part from all over Spain. It turned out to be a brilliant weekend of rugby with Marbella running out eventual winners. It was two days of fantastic rugby showing everybody who went what rugby is all about, respect, friendship and great commaradary of the players and supporters of all of the teams, with a fantastic atmosphere. This weekend Orihuela RFC back in action in Cartagena for the next round is this year’s Murcia 7’s league. This coming weekend we are televising live the semi finals of the Premiership match and Pro12 matches at the rugby bar in Rojales the Steakhouse. Starting on Friday Ulster v Scarlets at 20.45. On Saturday, Tigers v Quins at 16.00 followed by

Leinster v Glasgow. On Sunday on ESPN is Sarries v Saints at 16.00 Looking forward to seeing another good turn out down there this weekend. I am back down at the market this weekend with all of the rugby branded clothing. On the 18 May there are two choices for rugby 7’s tournaments, one in Orihuela, where I will be, and the other in Albacete. Training is at the Miguel Hernandez University ground at 20.15 on Tuesday and Thursday for the seniors and juveniles. The juniors start at 18.15. So if you are interested, dig out those rugby boots and come along and see for yourself what it is like. New players are always welcome no matter what age or skill level you are. If you would like more information about what is going on in the club, you can contact the club by phoning myself, Garry on 692 767 242, and for the juniors contact Oscar on 600 871 606 (Spanish)

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