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April 2016

Spain summons French ambassador over wine lorry attack

The foreign ministry in Madrid has summoned France's ambassador after French farmers seized Spanish lorries and drained their cargo of wine.

Spain said the attack by the French protesters was a "flagrant violation of various basic principles" of the EU. On Monday, farmers protesting against unfair competition attacked the lorries at a border crossing.

The farmers blame falling food prices on foreign rivalry, supermarkets and distributors.

Spanish farming organisations say tens of thousands of litres of wine were dumped as five vehicles were targeted near Le Boulou, in southern France. The Spanish government says it reported the incident to the European Commission.

"These incidents, which are occurring all too frequently, are grounds for concern for the Government of Spain," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Spain has already

officially passed on its protest to the French authorities, and urges them to adopt all appropriate measures to guarantee, with absolute security, the free movement of people and goods, one of the basic principles of the European Union."

French farmers accuse Spanish producers of unfair competition because of their lower prices A Spanish association representing lorry drivers said French police had not acted to prevent the attacks.

Frederic Rouanet, president of the winemakers' union of the French region of Aude, vowed to continue the protests.

Protesters were protecting their products from cheap wine coming from Spain and Italy, he told AFP news agency.

In July, Madrid issued a similar protest after French farmers targeted Spanish lorries importing farm produce.-BBC News

Irish double murder suspect arrested on landing in Alicante airport

AN IRISH fugitive on a flight from Belfast was arrested the second he landed in Alicante-Elche airport and taken straight to Madrid where he was remanded in custody.

Jason O., 32, had a European arrest warrant hanging over him concerning the fatal shooting of two people in Ireland in March 2012.

He is suspected of torturing and murdering two men aged 25 and 31 with a bullet through the head before setting fire to their bodies inside their car, parked near a woodland in County Louth, Republic of Ireland.

The motive is not completely clear but

may have been related to a drug debt.

Exactly two years ago, a 41-year-old Irishman was arrested, but Jason O. has managed to dodge the police since then.

He was found by Europol to have boarded a plane in Belfast headed for the Costa Blanca, which he has not seen any of as he was detained on the steps of the aircraft.

Police are said to have carried out the arrest so discreetly that none of the passengers realised they had been sharing a plane with a murderer on the run. http://www.thinkspain.com/

Madrid and Barcelona in world top-20 airports for the most international passengers

AIRPORTS in Madrid and Barcelona are among the top 20 busiest in the world, according to the most-recent figures released recently.

In fact, Madrid is in the global top 15, beating Munich in Germany, Doha in Qatar, Tokyo in Japan, and New York’s JFK in that order, according to the Airports Council International (ACI)’s annual report.

The Spanish capital’s Adolfo SuárezBarajas terminal (pictured) saw the 14th-highest number of international passengers board and land in 2015, a total of 33,765,583, taking it up a notch from world number 15 thanks to an increase in travellers of 14.1% in the previous year.

Barcelona’s El Prat airport fell from number 18 to 19 last year, but is still only one place behind JFK and beats Rome-Fiumicino in the Italian capital with 29,067,531 international passengers which is still an increase on the previous year of 6.7%.

Madrid is beaten by Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, sitting at number 13 for the second consecutive year and, although it may seem surprising how the predominantly short-haul London-Gatwick is at number 12 for international passengers ahead of Madrid, this is largely explained by the long British tradition of seeking warmer climates for their annual holidays by heading for Europe and its near neighbours, whilst Spaniards tend to stick to ‘staycations’ or make a beeline for coast and countryside elsewhere in their home country.

If national passengers – including foreign residents travelling within a country’s territory – were taken into account, no Spanish airports nor Gatwick or Rome appear in the top 20, which is mostly populated with airports in nations where the only way to get to a neighbouring city on the same day is by plane.

Conversely, and in spite of this, no Australian airport appears on either list – a country where hopping on a national flight involves no queuing and is as quick and simple as catching a train.

The only other British airport in the top 20 for international passengers is, naturally, London-Heathrow, given that

it is the main long-haul terminal for the UK, but others in smaller or less touristy European countries than Spain figure much more highly – Paris-CDG, Amsterdam-Schiphol and Frankfurt, at number four, five and seven respectively for the second year running, are regular stop-off points for long-haul connecting flights and, where passengers carry a passport from anywhere within the EU, they are able to leave the terminal and return at will.

Otherwise, mere connecting flight stopoffs are not counted, since a passenger who cannot leave the terminal is not counted as having ‘landed’ in the country, but is still, technically, in transit by air.

Istanbul, Turkey, at number 10 – down one from the year before – is the only other European airport on the lists of either passenger totals across the board or international travellers only.

The top 20 airports with the most international travellers do not include any in the USA aside from New YorkJFK, and all those which are not European are Asian: Dubai, topping the list just ahead of Heathrow at number two, which is followed by Hong Kong; Incheon, South Korea at number eight ahead of Bangkok at number nine; and Taipei, in Taiwan – a disputed territory which is still, technically, China – is at number 11.

Atlanta, USA, in the State of Georgia comes out top in the overall list of passengers, national as well as international, with Beijing, Dubai, Chicago (Illinois, USA) and Tokyo making up the rest of the top five.

Other than Heathrow at number six, the highest-ranking European airport in the across-the-board passenger top 20 is Paris-CDG at nine, behind Los Angeles (California, USA) and Hong Kong at seven and eight.

Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas, USA) beats Istanbul, which is 11th and directly above Frankfurt.

Shanghai, Amsterdam-Schiphol, New York-JFK, Singapore, Guangzhou, Jakarta (Java, Indonesia), Denver (Colorado, USA), and Bangkok, in that order, complete the top 20. http://www.thinkspain.com/

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ORIHUELA COSTA RBL EASTER LUNCH

The Orihuela Costa and District Branch of The Royal British Legion held their annual Easter Lunch at the Sunrise Restaurant Playa Flamenca on Sunday 20 March. This was attended by 75 members and friends of the Branch Several members made and adorned Easter Bonnets and a panel of judges voted that Pauline Breen came first and commended the rest of the participants for all their efforts.

The food and company made the whole afternoon very enjoyable.

The next meeting of the Branch will be at a slightly earlier time of 1800 for 1830. This due to a dinner after the meeting along with entertainment from TAABS and the Crazy Ladies to celebrate HRH Queen Elisabeth 90th Birthday The Orihuela Costa and District Branch meet at The Olympia Restaurant Mil Palmeras every 3rd Thursday of the month, 7 for 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend and join. You DO NOT have to be ex service to do so. For more information visit our web site. www.branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/orihuela-costa

ORIHUELA COSTA STANDARD TO APPEAR AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

The Orihuela Costa and District Branch of the Royal British Legion has been invited to parade with it´s standard in front of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Festival of Remembrance which will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on 13 November this year.

Standard bearer Eddie Coleman received the news when a member of the organising committee rang his La Zenia home from the RBL Headquarters in London.

Branch Chairman Keith Carter said that everyone is absolutely delighted. It is a great honour for all our members and would like to think that the invitation recognises all the hard work that has taken place over the past year. The Branch raised over €15,000 at last years Poppy Appeal, more than any other Branch in Spain. It is our target to achieve as much, if not more this year.

This is only the second time that that an RBL Branch in Spain has been recognised in this way.

The Hondon Valley Branch were the first when the standard was carried three years ago by Wendy Dengate who now serves on both her Branch and the Spain North Committee.

Not quite so good news for Eddie who is already polishing away like mad. He has to report to the Albert Hall at 7am on the morning of the Festival when he will be met by the London District Sergeant Major who will no doubt be only too keen to put him through his paces. GOOD LUCK EDDIE! The Orihuela Costa and District Branch meet on the third Thursday of each month at The Olympia Restaurant, Mil Palmeris 7pm for 7.30pm. Also outings and lunches are organised each month. New members are always welcome, you do not need to be ex-service to join. For more information contact Keith Carter 965 328 897 or e.mail snkeith@live.co.uk

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Pedro Almodóvar to receive honorary degree from Oxford TO CHEER up cult film director Pedro Almodóvar in the midst of his having been named in the Panamá leaks, the most-prolific silver-screen production maker will be awarded an honorary degree from Oxford University.

Of course, this is not the reason for his prestigious honour – due for presentation at the annual graduation ceremony on June 22 – but is in recognition of his 'outstanding contribution to the arts'.

And the award will come nearly three months after the official release of his 20th film, Julieta, which hit Spanish screens yesterday (Friday, April 8) and will be aired in the UK on August 26.

So far, it has not received good reviews, but it is early days and few of Almodóvar's works have failed to become box-office successes. This latest production also reaches Spanish screens just days after the death of the country's oldest and much-loved 'Almodóvar Girl', 85-year-old Chus Lampreave, who usually played endearing, mithering, outspoken housewife-andmother-type roles.

This will be the third degree Almodóvar has achieved without any studying, but as a result of his long and massively-successful film career and efforts in putting Spanish cinema on the world map. Almodóvar is no stranger to prizegivings, having clocked up a string of awards – most notably those he earned for All about my mother, Talk to her, and Volver ('Coming back', although the original title is kept in the English version), the first and third of these starring Hollywood's most famous Spanish actress Penélope Cruz. http://www.thinkspain.com/

4

Spain's Santander hailed as global pioneering 'smart city'

The northern Spanish city of Santander has become the testing ground for "smart cities" around the world.

In Spain's historic port of Santander, parking is no longer a headache, rubbish bins never overflow and grass is watered only when needed since this northern resort became a testing ground for "smart cities" around the world.

Thousands of sensors have transformed the metropolis, known for the grand hotels and high-end casinos lining its beach on Spain's northern Atlantic coast, into a hightech laboratory.

Four hundred alone are buried beneath streets in the city's busy heart to monitor whether parking spots are free or occupied.

Light panels at intersections and GPS devices direct drivers to the nearest available parking spaces, reducing traffic congestion.

"An app allows you to pay for the parking with your smartphone and when the time runs out, you can extend it directly without having to go down to the street to put more coins in the meter," said Cristina Munoz, a 32-year-old journalist.

When Luis Munoz, an IT professor at the University of Cantabria, pitched the idea of creating a "smart city" to Santander officials back in 2009, he remembers the first thing they told him: "We have a huge problem with parking".

Seven years later, Santander, with some 175,000 residents, is a kind of living laboratory.

With funding from the European Commission and a handful of foreign universities, around 20,000 sensors are up, down and all around - under the asphalt, affixed to street lamps and riding on top of city buses. The devices, about the size of a shoebox with four antennae, collect data on rainfall and road traffic which is sent to a control centre to help the city provide services more efficiently and cheaply.

The pilot project has made Santander the most connected city in Europe "in terms of installed infrastructure", said Munoz, and has even peaked foreign curiosity. On a recent day, the professor welcomed a delegation from Singapore that wants to share in the Spanish city's experience.

Other cities such as Boston in

April 2016

Hug a Brit to stop Brexit' Europeans told

If Britain leaves the EU after its referendum in June, it won’t just affect Brits, but people from across Europe - none of whom will get a vote. Now Europeans can get involved – by love-bombing their British friends to encourage them to stay.

The idea came from a group of Europeans living in London, who have launched a group called #PleaseDon’tGoUK. Their idea is simple: forget the debates and show the Brits some love - and then post the evidence online.

ort

the United States and Aarhus in Denmark have also shown interest in working with Santander.

The city is taking part in a dozen international projects whose results are being closely monitored at a time when cities across the world, such as London and Tel Aviv, are deploying IT to deliver services.

Intelligent streetlights Sensors installed in bins for inorganic waste warn when they are full and ready to be collected.

The city receives 180 days of rainfall per year and the sensors ensure the automatic irrigation system in public parks only starts working when the soil is dry.

Santander will soon use sensors to ensure that its elegant wrought-iron streetlights reduce the light they emit when no one is nearby.

With a perennial smile, 49-yearold Angel Benito (pictured below) tweaks the display in the window of his shoe shop on one of Santander's main pedestrian thoroughfares.

On the glass is a QR barcode which can be scanned by a smartphone to provide information about the shop along with a link to its online sales page.

Back in 2012, he was the first shopkeeper to display such a code.

Now there are 1,500 throughout the city.

"Customers can learn about our opening hours, our products, special offers," he said of the system which even allowed him to take an order from a tourist who visited Santander on a Sunday when the shop was closed.

A smartphone app allows residents and tourists to find shops, libraries,

medical centres and transportation Another provides residents information about their water consumption in real time and sends an alert to their phone if there is a leak.Santander Mayor Iñigo de la Serna acknowledges that the sensors raise concerns about privacy and the risk of cyberattacks, but he said the goal is to further develop the system.

"There is a data protection law which we must follow and that is a guarantee," he said.

"A smart city is one where if anything happens, all services start to act automatically. For example, if there is a crack in the pavement, a smart city should boost lighting on that street, send an alarm to locals and automatically detour traffic," he said.

The University of Cantabria holds regular meetings with local residents to hear their ideas for apps and also helps put them into practice.

It helped a pregnant woman create an app that outlines the easiest route for someone with a baby buggy, for example.

But most of the city's residents are unaware of the extent of the technological innovations in this ancient port.

Some only use the app which lets them know when the bus arrives.

Others don't even use that.

"They have to make it better known, I had no idea, and older people who use buses more also don't know," said Marina Garcia, a 19-year-old student as she waited at a bus stop with her grandmother. http://www.thelocal.es/

“It’s a little bit hippy, but a little bit of hippiness is needed. People are always arguing about cucumbers and shower caps. We wanted to do something positive instead of just talking about rules and regulations,” says Katrin Lock, a German who has lived in London for eleven years.

“It’s a love-bomb for the UK.” The group has had contributions from French people, Italians, Germans, Spaniards and Swedes, both in the UK and on the continent, hugging their favourite Brits. Singer Jarvis Cocker, best known as frontman of nineties indie band Pulp, is one of the better-known Brits to have found himself on the receiving end of a Euro-hug.

“We just got a picture of someone hugging a statue of Virginia Woolf, too,” Lock says.

The people in the photos are also asked to share their thoughts about their friendship and the referendum - or just why they like Britain. Italian Rosella Soravia, posing with her friend Saul, said: “I know Saul from going to boarding school in Malvern, where I spend the best two years of my life thanks to the great English humour and its great education.”

Berlin-based German Steffi Grimm, whose partner Simon lives in London, had more practical concerns: “Simon lives in London and I live in Berlin. We have been in a long distance relationship for 20 years. And now Brexit? Things would be even more complicated.”

The reaction so far has been positive, even if the Brits are sometimes a bit reluctant.

“English people don’t like being hugged very much they’re a bit reserved - but we try to be polite.”

As for what would happen if Britain voted to leave, Lock is apprehensive.

“I live here, this is my home, and so far I’ve been treated like everyone else. But I worry that there will be a distinction between UK and EU citizens in the future. Living somewhere else is a great thing and it would be a shame if that was taken away.”

The referendum will be held on June 23rd. Voting is open to all British citizens who live in the UK or have done so at some point in the last fifteen years. http://www.thelocal.es/

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April 2016 950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com 6 First journalist punished over photos under Eagle patrol to battle drones over Spain's Royal Spain’s gag law Palace

A Basque photographer has become the first journalist to be punished under Spain’s controversial “gag law” for posting images of a police raid on Twitter.

Axier Lopez posted photographs taken when police went to arrest a Basque activist who had failed to appear in court.

He posted the photographs, which do not even show the faces of the police officers, on Twitter on March 3rd.

But the Spanish government was swift to respond labelling his tweet a contravention of the 2015 Ley Mordaza and imposing a fine of €601 ($680) for publishing photos of police without permission.

"The defendant published images of the police raid in Eibar in his Twitter account @axierL without any permission. The police officers that took part in the operation can be identified by those images, with the risk this poses to them", according to the complaint filed

by Spain’s Interior Ministry. The ten most

repressive points of Spain's "gag law" The Basque magazine Argia, which employs Lopez, decided on Friday that it would refuse to pay the fine calling it "unjust and against the right to press freedom".

The law, brought into force last July by the conservative Popular Party, is fiercely opposed and has raised fears that it would used to curb the freedom of the press as well as the right to peaceful protest.

Journalist groups have taken a case to the European Court of Human Rights demanding that the “gag law” be repealed and international human rights organizations have criticized it.

Several people have already fallen foul of the law including a man who posted a comment on Facebook calling the police “a bunch of slackers” and a woman who posted a photograph of a police car illegally parked in a disabled bay. http://www.thelocal.es/

A special bird patrol is being trained to protect the skies over Spain’s Zarzuela Palace, the official residence of the Royal Family.

Eagles have long been used to control Spain’s fauna and ecosystems, but now the predatory animal is being used to patrol against an entirely different threat: drones.

"Eagles which have been raised by hand in captivity are fundamental to maintaining a balance in our environment," naturalist and trainer, Jesús Gómez, 53, told Spanish daily El Mundo.

"But the world is advancing at such a pace that they have to adapt to new threats."

And by "new threats" Gómez means drones.

After hearing about an initiative used by the Dutch police called Guard From Above, which used birds to patrol the skies against drones, Gómez bought a drone and began training his eagles.

"With the help of a couple of accredited

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drone pilots I started the training," he said.

And the results were better than he could have hoped for.

"Within about two months the birds knew how to capture the drone and put it on the ground."

And the drone-beating birds have become so successful that, according to reports in the Spanish press, even the Royal Family are thinking about using them to patrol the skies over their official residence, the Zarzuela Palace, which were infiltrated by drones in July 2015.

The Royal Guard did not manage to capture any of the drones and to this day mystery surrounds where they came from and who was operating them.

Training the eagles is no easy process: Gómez tempts them with a reward, which at the beginning is placed inside the drone and, as the bird begins to learn the process, is handed to him after he has managed to retrieve and get rid of the flying machine.

"They know they cannot eat the drone, but knows that behind its capture is a reward," said Gómez.

"After about 15 or 20 tries the eagle learns that it is simply a game."

But what is a simple game for Gómez’ eagles could be integral to protecting the skies above Spain’s Royal Family. http://www.thelocal.es/

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Cantabile`s Spring Concerts Barcelona hospital discovers early Parkinson's diagnosis method as figures reveal 20% of sufferers are under 40

ONE in five Parkinson's sufferers in Spain is aged under 40, shock new statistics reveal – but if greater efforts were made to diagnose it earlier, quality of life could be dramatically improved and patients could live up to 40 years from the onset of their condition.

And researchers at Barcelona's Hospital Clínic have found a way of diagnosing the degenerative condition through a simple biopsy of a gland in the back of the mouth.

They tested the method on 21 patients with REM sleep disorders, as well as 24 Parkinson's patients already diagnosed and 26 people with neither problem. The protein said to be behind the neurodegenerative disorder, Alpha-Sinucleina, was found in 70% of confirmed Parkinson's sufferers and in 90% of REM sleep disorder patients, but in none of those with neither condition, said Hospital Clínic's neurology department.

Tomorrow (Monday) is World Parkinson's Day, and medics who treat people with the disease say the earliest signs are usually movement problems in one or more limbs, stiffness, slow movement, and jerkiness. Typically, balance and coordination are affected first, but later symptoms can include a loss of sense of smell, REM sleep disorders and cognitive deterioration.

These can take years to appear, and the average Parkinson's sufferer will not tend to be diagnosed until up to five years after the onset of the first signs.

But by detecting Alpha-Sinucleina early on, medication can block the progress of the protein to the brain, or nervous system, preventing Parkinson's from developing further. The Spanish

Parkinson's Federation (FEP) says the disease is normally, incorrectly, associated with 'little old ladies and men who tremble all the time', but that up to 20% of sufferers are still in their 30s or even younger – and many more are still in early middle age. “But there are patients who are neither elderly, nor do they tremble,” the FEP stresses. Younger patients can suffer social rejection and end up becoming a recluse at home, the Federation warns. “They live in a slow-moving world, right now when society as a whole lives in a world of 'right now',” says Dr María Jesús Delgado.

“It's a difficult disease to understand. Patients suffer insults and impatient reactions when they slow down and struggle to keep walking across a zebra crossing, or when they take ages to pay for their goods in a supermarket.”

For this reason, many are reluctant to leave the house, meaning they 'become invisible' and society is 'not aware of their problems' – a situation which can lead to mental health problems, such as depression, a frequent side-effect of neurodegenerative conditions.

“The bed is the patient's worst enemy,” states Dr Gurutz Linazasoro, head of the Inbiomed Foundation at the Parkinson's Research Centre based in the Guipúzcoa Province Polyclinic, in San Sebastián. “It's vital to keep active, practice some kind of physical activity, to prevent cognitive deterioration, reduce rigidity and make movement easier.” Younger patients may be more difficult to diagnose because the disease progresses at a much slower rate than in the elderly or late middleaged, Dr Linazasoro revealed. thinkspain

Rehearsals are well under way for CANTABILE female choir’s late Spring concerts to be held at the Casino in Torrevieja at 8pm on Sunday May 8th and at La Siesta Church on Saturday May 14th at 7pm.

As usual, Cantabile’s programme will consist mostly of songs that are new to choir and audience alike – music that is uplifting, exciting, contemplative or peaceful – including Tchaikowsky’s The Nightingale, Faure’s Tantum Ergo and Little Bells from Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute. More modern works will include Caress from the film “Les Choristes”, Take These Wings by American composer Steven Kupferman and I Remember by young Canadian composer Sarah Quartel. These will be sung side by side with more well-known and traditional pieces such as Karl Jenkins’s Adiemus, the theme from the film 1492, and to celebrate 50 years of Star Trek, the theme to the film Star Trek: First Contact. A smattering of Spanish songs, including Flor Habanera written by MD Jennifer Morton for the choir’s participation in Torrevieja’s celebration of Habaneras on the Beach, and songs from some very good soloists complete the choir’s programme.

Entry to the church concert will be free with a retiring collection supporting the La Siesta Church Management Fund.

For further information about the choir and their concerts, please tel: 966796866 or email: jen-morton@ hotmail.co.uk

8

April 2016

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Tel: 965 055 436

man­age­ment with many years’ ex­per­i­ence, cov­er­ing all as­pects for the safest pur­chase or sale of your prop­erty in Spain.

Provid­ing you with all the in­form­a­tion you may need and keep­ing you up­dated every step of the way. As well as giv­ing you a com­pre­hens­ive and se­cure ser­vice re­gard­ing your taxes and ex­penses that will arise.

Con­nect CS will carry out im­port­ant checks of the prop­erty at the Land Re­gistry, Tax of­fice and Town Hall, mak­ing sure the prop­erty full fills all the legal re­quire­ments.

We also take into ac­count any ex­ist­ing debt on the prop­erty, in­clud­ing mort­gage can­cel­la­tions, to guar­an­tee a smooth com­ple­tion.

Al­ways keep­ing your best in­terests at heart, we aim to make con­ vey­an­cing in Spain as easy and straight for­ward as we can.

Ad­di­tion­ally, we can also as­sist you with: ob­tain­ing your NIE num­ber, open­ing a Span­ish bank ac­count, or­gan­iz­ing Power of At­tor­ney, Span­ish Wills, trans­la­tions, Non-Res­id­ents tax, util­ity con­tracts, etc.Should you have any ques­tion, or you need any fur­ther in­form­a­tion, please do not hes­it­ate to contact us

Tel: +34 966 011 247

Email : info@connect-cs.es Web : www.connect-cs.es

Av. Ant­o­nio Pedrera Soler CC La Finca Golf, 13 Al­gorfa, Spain

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April 2016

your local tradesman DIY advice for your summer jobs

With almost half of adults admitting to abandoning DIY projects part way through, many people choose to call in a professional to finish the job. We spoke to DIY expert Tommy Walsh about keeping safe when doing it yourself.

With almost half of adults admitting to abandoning DIY projects part way through, many people choose to call in a professional to finish the job. According to a recent study from British Gas, when home improvement projects fail, it can be a costly affair with men reportedly making the most costly mistakes.

We spoke to DIY expert Tommy Walsh about keeping safe when doing it yourself. brilliant for everyone

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What DIY jobs are essential to tackle in the summer months?

‘Summer is a great time to carry out external projects like re-painting the outside of your house or creating a patio or decking area for entertaining.

Even routine annual maintenance like cleaning out gutters, gullies, patios and decking are just as important – or applying protective preservative coatings to your fence or shed in preparation for the winter months. Also plan ahead for the rest of the year – check the forecast to see when there are warm, sunny days in store to refresh external paintwork, or any other external DIY project. Remember internal DIY like decorating or tiling are perfect jobs for the summer too. Leave doors and windows open for the fresh air and the new work will dry much quicker.

My top tip is to always get someone to hold the ladder when undertaking any jobs that require one.’

What safety precautions should you take when doing minor DIY jobs?

‘Wear safety glasses and highquality dust masks whenever you do DIY. Safety glasses protect you from serious eye injuries, and dust masks will keep you safe when rubbing down old surfaces for re-decorating, as old paint can contain lead or other toxins. As a general rule of thumb, ask a family member or a friend to

help out with any DIY projects – not only does this mean that two brains can tackle the problem, but it’s also rewarding to share credit of a job well done.’

When is the best time to call in a professional?

‘There’s nothing wrong with bit of DIY, but people need to know what they should and shouldn’t be taking on. Some jobs such as boiler repairs need professionals and having a go yourself is not only pretty risky, but can also hit you in your pocket.

What are your golden rules for preparation before starting any DIY task?

1. When carrying out painting work inside the house, always start at the top of the house and work your way down. You’ll learn from your mistakes as you go along, and by the time you get to the main rooms downstairs, for example the living room and dining room, you’ll be a pro!

2. Before doing any electrical work, make sure the power is turned off at the mains. You can plug in a kettle or something similar, and switch it on to check that the power is actually off. Also keep a torch by the consumer board, and keep candles and matches handy in case your home’s electricity fails.

3. Before wall mounting any heavy items like flat screen TVs, mirrors or shelving, check that the surface in question is sturdy. Crumbly plasterwork won’t take much weight.

Do you have any personal DIY horror stories?

‘Many years ago on a plastering job, the electrical alterations were carried out by the house holder, long before safety regulations. When I applied the plaster to the wall, I got a strong tingling up my arm, the poor electrical work electrified the whole wall through the wet plaster.

I wasn’t amused! https://www.realhomesmagazine. co.uk

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

Why We Catch Colds When the Weather Changes

If you're feeling under the weather this spring, you're not alone.

Just when we're (mostly) out of the woods and who come in and tell me that they've had cold all nearly past flu season, cases of the common cold spring; they've been sick for three months," Dr. Garg become more likely, for nearly the same reason flu said. "Really they don't have a cold at all, but more season occurs in the winter. so their allergies are flaring up."

Rhinoviruses and cornoavirsues — the two agents Those who know they have allergies need to take that typically cause the common cold — replicate particular care in the spring. Not only can pollen more easily in cool, but not too cold, spring weather, spark miserable seasonal symptoms, but also Kittu Jindal Garg, M.D., an internal medicine specialist allergies leave individuals more likely to catch a cold with the Cleveland Clinic, told weather.com. virus because their immune system is already under "A lot of the viruses that cause the common cold attack. are shown to cause outbreaks more frequently in the Unfortunately, over-theearly to late spring and early to late fall," she said. counter supplements, This is basically the same reason flu season occurs such as echinacea, in the winter. The structure of the influenza virus vitamins E and C and zinc allows it to replicate and spread best when air is cold have not been shown to and dry. So it's still the virus, not the cold air, that's help prevent the common causing you to fall ill.

"There have been a lot of studies done, but really there's still no benefits consultancy evidence to show that it's Do you suffer from mobility problems, the cold weather itself breathlessness/pain or falls/stumbles? that's making us sick," Do you need help washing / dressing or Dr. Garg said. "It's sort of supervision? coincidental that certain You could be entitled to extra income by viruses flare up this time claiming UK of year." In the spring, sickness / disability benefits while living in Spain seasonal sniffing can For advice or to book a consultation also come from another call 950 169 729 or 663 297 568 culprit: allergies. or visit www.ukbenefitsinspain.com "I see a lot of patients

Kim Clar k

cold in double-blind clinical trials, the gold standard for scientific research.

What can help? Washing your hands. The cold virus can live on human skin for at least two hours, Dr. Garg said.

To dodge seasonal sickness, follow the same advice all spring that keeps you healthy year-round. "Having a healthy lifestyle is known to reduce your risk of getting colds," Dr. Garg said. "If you get a moderate level of exercise, and you have good sleep patterns — you're sleeping well and sleeping enough — and not under too much physical or emotional stress [you're less likely to get sick]." https:// weather.com

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April 2016

home & garden

Contact 950 121 936 or email sales@soltimes.com to Advertise in this section

15 Genius DIY Ways to Make Your Home Smell Wonderful Air fresheners are a must for most homes today. Whether you have pets, children or simply love to cook, there are always going to be odours in the home. Most people choose to cover up those odours or eliminate them with expensive sprays and plug-ins.

For YOU DIY’ers however, there are some great ways to make your home smell wonderful without spending a fortune on sprays and potions. Whether you prefer plug-ins, Febreze sprays or just having a pot of potpourri simmering, you can easily give your home a wonderful scent without breaking the bank and you can choose the precise scent that you want.

We have collected a wonderful list of 15 ways to give your home a better scent and these are all DIY methods. Choose one per room or have a favourite that you use for every day. We bet you are going to love how your home smells and really love the fact that you get that wonderful smell for far less than buying a bunch of air freshening sprays and products.

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home & garden

Soft Furnishings & Re-Upholstery

Contact 950 121 936 or email sales@soltimes.com to Advertise in this section

Fabric Flair

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

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Simmer Liquid Fabric Softener One great way to give your home a wonderfully clean smell is to add a capful of fabric softener to two capfuls of water and then allow it to simmer. You can do this on the stove if you have an old pan that you want to dedicate to it or you can just add fabric softener mixed with water to any potpourri pot and allow it to simmer.

This is great for bathrooms and laundry rooms to cover up musty odours.

DIY Plug-In Refill If you prefer to use plug-ins to keep your home smelling great, you can still save money by refilling those plug-ins yourself. You just have to remove the wick, fill the container with your favourite essential oils and water and then replace the wick. This is a great way to save money and have a wonderful smelling home at the same time.

DIY Mason Jar Baking Soda Air Freshener A small Mason or Ball jar, some baking soda and a few drops of your favourite essential oils will be all you need to create these little mini room fresheners. These are really fast and easy to make and since you create the smell yourself, you can determine how every room in your home smells. Mix a few essential oils together to create a unique scent or just go with your favourite.

Natural Room Deodorizers Any jar combined with a few key elements will give you a beautiful and wonderfully smelling room freshener.

Adding things like lemon slices or whole spices to a jar filled with water and other natural items will not only give you a beautiful decoration for any room, it will fill that room with a wonderfully natural scent that you just can’t get from a spray can.

Simmering Room Freshener Adding just a few sprigs of rosemary, a teaspoon of vanilla and a couple of lemon slices to a pot allows you to simmer a wonderfully smelling concoction that will have your entire home smelling great. You can also do this in a potpourri pot if you prefer, just remember to check the pot to ensure that there is enough liquid to keep it from scorching. http://www.diyncrafts.com/

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950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com

April 2016

Liberty Brokers…Stars of the Show!

Hello and welcome to CanDu Computer glare of your gadgets’ LEDs. Bytes, Your Only Stop for solutions to Your computer problems. My ‘drop-in’ clinic (like Seriously, I’m not joking! the way doctors used to be!) is at Maloans Bar The best solution on the market, short in Albox (opposite the BP). Call (689892745); of opening up your devices and attacking Email (canducomputing@hotmail.co.uk); the LED connection with a soldering iron (or Skype (Look for the name “saiminja”), Viber 1Kg ‘Lump’ hammer – personal favourite), is or Whatsapp (use the phone number) for to simply cover up the offending LED with a free advice concerning your computer. Sales simple plastic overlay. pitch over and on to the topic for today.

There are two approaches you can take to Today I want to give a ‘Quick and Dirty’ the LED dimming process. The D.I.Y. route ‘How-To’. Let’s start with a question. Do involves purchasing your own blackout you have an Android box, Laptop, Phone or material (either with a light adhesive like Tablet charger that has that annoyingly, eye electrical tape or with no adhesive vinyl searingly bright LED? You know the one, You window cling sheets) and cutting them can turn your bedroom light off in the middle to size. The vinyl window cling sheets, of the night, settle down to sleep and can’t will change the colour and reduce the Lux just because the little blue LED is so bright levels at the same time. The way to create that you can still read that novel that you a ‘black-out’ effect is best achieved by using have been wading through without turning electrical tape either as a strip or placed on the bedside lamp back on! Surprisingly, you greaseproof paper and use a hole punch to wouldn’t be the first to consider this problem. make ‘Light Blocking Dots’. Being a thrifty There is an axiom that states that “necessity Yorkshireman, these are always the best is the mother of invention”! I would like to options but if you are one of those with a suggest that the necessity of finding a way little more money to spare (or are a little less to block out this intense light has become practical) then the commercial option might a priority! I know that this sounds like the be what you need. cry of a desperate man who hasn’t slept in There are, or course, a number of weeks! Thankfully that isn’t a problem the commercial options that produce a afflicts me :-) quantifiable, that is to say measurable, Just because the manufacturer decided reduction in the light levels emitted by your your gadget needed a blinking LED as bright LED’s. The first one I found on the internet as a car headlamp doesn’t mean you have to was called ‘Light Dims’ and at $5.99 (5.25€) tolerate it. Let’s take a look at how you can for 100 specially designed removable tiny subdue those brilliant LEDs so your bedroom covers, they won’t rob your bank account doesn’t look like a night club. Although many while offering a solution to those migraine people just tolerate the annoying glare, inducing, headlight simulating LED’s. there’s no need to.

I was going to do an article on connecting Having a Doctorate in Electronics or One of your laptop, tablet or pc to a smart TV. the Computer Sciences isn’t required, even Before writing the article, I verified what I though the thought that it would be a distinct thought and found that it is so simple that advantage does seem to make sense. The after writing it I had used less than a quarter solution is trivially easy, especially as the of a page. So I might just do a short demo at solutions use ‘low level’ technology! How Maloans bar one day if enough people ask. easy? If you’ve got the skills to put a sticker Until you ring or write to me. Bye :-) on something then For further information or advice on you’ve got the skills computing,contact Trevor on 689 892 745 or to banish the blinding

canducomputing@hotmail.co.uk

A Trophic Cascade

Yellowstone was declared a National Park in1872; Yellowstone was the first ever National Park in the world; wolves were present in the park right from the beginning. Sadly man’s misguided actions over the next 50 years meant the wolves disappeared. Due to loop holes in the National Parks rulebook; some species could be killed if they were deemed ‘detrimental’ to the wellbeing of the park. People believed then that wolves were indiscriminate killers with no realisation that they were/are an important part of the ecology.

By the mid-1920s grey wolves were rarely seen which kept the cattle farmers happy, yet still any wolf that strayed into the park was shot. The results on the landscape became obvious and scientists in the early 1930s reported that land degradation was destroying the park. Without wolves the numbers of elk and other deer had massively increased; worse still was that without the fear of a wolf attack; the elk no longer roamed long distances in the mountains but stayed in the lowlands freely eating whatever greenery they could find. Any new growth especially seedlings and tree shoots were eaten by the deer, riverbanks eroded without new tree roots to bind the soil together.

With less tree cover bird populations plummeted.

The lack of ground cover also in turn meant populations of rabbits and other small mammals dropped, flying predators were now hunting them instead of their normal prey of songbirds. Beavers

The new Liberty Seguros press advertising campaign for 2016 has been launched and this year, the ‘stars’ of the campaign are the actual brokers and agents themselves!

It’s a nice ‘twist’ from liberty who believes that their intermediaries (another name for agents and brokers) should be strongly featured in their marketing campaigns because they are at the core of the Liberty Seguros insurance business.

A specially created microsite was designed for the intermediaries to access, where they were able to vote for the ‘real look and feel’ of a true insurance intermediary. In this microsite, they voted for the person that they thought that could represent the look of a real intermediary from a selection of photographic models. Two men and two women were chosen. They also selected the look and style for the models. The results were very conclusive, with the winning choice being a smart but casual look.

Following the online voting, the chosen models, two women and two men, were invited to a photo shoot and were dressed to fit the chosen smart but casual look and the shoot began!

The resultant images are now being used in the press campaign which will run, in different formats, throughout this year, including the current promo ads, where as much as 50€ can be saved on car, home and life insurance.

As Iván Ortego, Intermediaries Experience Director, pointed out, “We value the amazing support that all our agents and brokers give to Liberty Seguros and, of course, to all our valued customers, who are insured by Liberty Seguros. What a better way to get them involved in our business strategy for 2016? We would like to thank them for their involvement in this project” Liberty Seguros currently has over 300 expat intermediaries in Spain, providing professional customers’ advice on any insurance matter, including car, home, life, marine, leisure, pet, as well as business and commercial covers.

Go to www.libertyexpatriates.es or call 902 255 258 for the name of your nearest LIBERTY SEGUROS broker.

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

disappeared as their food sources vanished which in turn meant rivers were left further unprotected as the beavers’ habit of damming rivers had helped keep riverbanks firm. Park Rangers tried to keep deer numbers down but local hunters moaned there were less elk for them to shoot. All the while Yellowstone was slowly dying.

By the 1990s science gained the upper hand as it became obvious that wolves were vital for the wellbeing of the Park. In 1995 16 wolves were captured in Canada and transported to the park.

Once they had acclimatised they were released back into the wild. More were released the next year. All were radio tagged and over the next 10 years wolf numbers multiplied into as many as a dozen different packs totalling nearly 200 wolves.

Almost as soon as the wolves were introduced a court appeal was lodged and a judge ruled that they would have to be removed (rather than be destroyed.) Luckily the US Justice Dept. appealed the decision and the wolves won.

The effect of the Yellowstone landscape has been amazing; initially scientists thought that each wolf would kill an average of 12 elk a year whereas the actual number has been about 22 deer killed per wolf annually. The flora has bounced back; the trees have not only returned to the riverbanks but across the park their average

height is five times what it was. More trees mean more birds and, the beavers are back. From just one beaver colony in 1991 there are now eleven. The beavers’ ponds create shelter for fish and a habitat for other species. The water in these ponds soaks slowly into the ground to replenish the water table. Storm waters are also slowed, reducing erosion.

The remains of wolf kills are eaten by other predators such as bears, bald eagles and magpies; so in turn less smaller prey are killed especially in winter when food is scarce. The positives of the wolves reintroduction is felt everywhere. Wolves hate coyotes and their numbers are down 40% since the reintroduction. The remaining coyotes have moved back to the mountains for safety which coupled with the increased ground cover has helped the numbers of rabbit, small rodents and foxes to increase. All the returning wildlife benefits nature. This is called a Trophic Cascade as the reintroduction of just one Alpha species has trickled down to positively affect the ecology of the whole park!

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16

April 2016

Ex-banker Mario Conde arrested for transferring ill-gotten gains

Spanish police have arrested Mario Conde, the disgraced former chairman of Banesto, charging him with laundering money held in Swiss bank accounts he embezzled from the bank in the 1980s and 1990s back to Spain. On Monday police searched a number of Conde’s homes in Spain, along with businesses set up by him.

Civil Guard sources say that seven other people have been arrested as part of the operation, among them Conde’s daughter Alejandra.

Conde’s arrest comes 23 years after he was exposed for illegal appropriation of Banesto funds and 11 years after he was released from prison The Bank of Spain took over Banesto in 1993 after it almost collapsed, removing Conde from its helm. A €2.7 billion shortfall was eventually discovered on its books, and it was later bought out by Spanish lender Santander.

Conde was initially jailed for embezzling €3.6 million from the bank and sentenced to four years in prison in 1999. He was paroled after 17 months, but was again sent to prison in 2002 after a 36-month-long trial, the longest in Spanish history, for fraud, misappropriation of funds and falsification of public documents in connection with the mismanagement of Banesto during his six years as bank chairman.

The Supreme Court ruled at the time that Conde had not fully accounted for the money he had embezzled, which had allegedly been funneled into a Swiss bank account held by Argentia Trust, among others.

The man once described as “Spain’s Gatsby” had allegedly set up a complex web of companies to repatriate the embezzled money The current investigation, overseen by the High Court and carried out by anticorruption agents, charges Conde with money laundering and using a false identity.

The man once described as “Spain’s Gatsby” had allegedly set up a complex web of companies to repatriate the money embezzled from Banesto from Switzerland back into Spain.

Police sources say that over the last decade 68-year-old Conde had so far managed to bring some €10 million into Spain by this means.

They add that among the methods allegedly used by Conde were a series of fake loans between front companies, as well as bogus capital increases, as well as using figureheads, among them his daughter Alejandra.

Anti-corruption agents say that Conde was arrested after traveling to Seville, where he was attending the annual spring fair, and will appear before a High Court judge on Wednesday. They say they have discovered a number of properties belonging to Conde in the province of Seville, as well as in other areas of Spain. He also owns a house in an upscale area of Madrid as well as luxury properties in the Balearics and Galicia.

After being paroled from jail for the first time, in 1999, Conde entered politics, running as an independent in the March 2000 elections.

But he soon found himself under investigation, and was sent to prison again in 2002. He was released from jail in 2005 after serving 11 years of a 20-year

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

BARGAIN

sentence. In 2012 he ran for office again, this time in his home region of Galicia.

But that same year, the High Court ordered five of his properties, which had been registered in other people’s names, to be embargoed.

He now faces a further prison term, this time for money laundering and using a false identity.

The son of a customs officer, Conde was brought up in Galicia, and after finishing university became a state lawyer. He made his fortune from the sale of a friend’s pharmaceuticals company, using the proceeds to purchase a stake in Banesto, and then becoming chairman in 1987.

Elegantly dressed and with his trademark slicked-back hair, Conde was a regular figure in Spain’s gossip magazines and became a symbol of the new, confident Spain of the 1980s. He was photographed sailing with the royal family, dancing sevillanas with the jet set, and also threw extravagant parties for the country’s financial elite.

Under his administration, Banesto invested heavily in the media, increased lending and reported big profits.

But as it later emerged, the deal-making at Banesto and its business units enriched Conde and his cronies, but left the bank near to collapse. During his trials, Conde claimed it wasn’t his investment decisions that landed him in court, it was his decision to enter politics.

He asserted in his autobiography that he had been the victim of a conspiracy between the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) which was in power throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s, and the establishment, which was determined to block his supposed attempts to shake up the system.

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SOLTIMES PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT THE ORIGINAL PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT ON THE COSTAS!!!!

LOOKING TO BUY OR RENT? FIND YOUR DREAM HOME INSIDE! Spain Still Lagging Behind in European Housing Construction

According to recent data published by the European Commission statistical office, Eurostat, building licences authorised for the construction of homes in Spain continued to decline during 2015, to 28 points, which is four points less than in 2014, and far from the 913 points achieved during the midst of the housing boom in 2006.

At end of last year, Estonia led the ranking with 274 points, followed

by Lithuania (265), Sweden (217) and Denmark (182), while

the European average stood at 92 points. In contrast, at the lower end of the ranking stood Spain (28 points), Portugal (23), Cyprus (17), Slovenia (12) and Greece (10).

Meanwhile, idealista. com reported that, in the eurozone, the average reached 84 points, with the eurozone countries registering the greatest results in 2015 being Germany (189 points), Austria (150) and Poland (142). kyero.com

Home Mortgages Rose by 10.6% Y-o-Y in January

The National Statistics Institute reported last week that the number of new mortgages constituted on homes listed in the property registers in Spain, from transactions carried out in previous months, stood at 23,275 in January, which represents an increase of 10.6% over the same month of 2015.

The January increase is the 20th consecutive monthly increase registered in the constitution of mortgages on housing, but is more than ten points less than the figure recorded in December 2015, when the number of new mortgages on homes rose by 21.1%.

The average value of the home mortgages in January reached 105,680 euros, which is 0.2% more than in same month of the previous year, while the capital loaned increased by 10.8% year-on-year, to 2,459 million euros.

El Economista reported that, month-on-month (January over December), mortgages on housing rose by 20.2%, representing its lowest increase in this month since 2013, while the capital loaned increased by 17.8%, its lowest increase registered in the last five years.

In January, the regions which recorded the greatest number of new mortgages on housing were Andalucía (4,684), Madrid (3,976) and Catalonia (3,857).

Moreover, the regions which registered the highest year-on-year increases in home mortgages in the first month of the year were Castilla-La Mancha (+30.4%), Madrid (+22.9%) and Andalucía (+22.2%), while the largest declines were recorded in the Canary Islands (-27.3%) and Galicia (-10.1%).

In addition, the regions where most capital was loaned for the constitution of mortgages on homes were Madrid (576.9 million euros), Catalonia (457.2 million) and Andalucía (411.8 million).

According to the statistical agency’s data, 89.8% of all the mortgages constituted in January were of a variable interest rate type, while 10.2% were of a fixed rate type, and the Euribor is the reference rate most commonly used for the variable interest rate mortgages, appearing in 94% of the new contracts. kyero.com

Licences for New Home Construction Up 39.7% Y-o-Y in January

According to recent data published by the Ministry of Public Works, the number of building licences authorised for construction for residential use in Spain stood at a total of 4,774 in January 2016, which represents an increase of 39.7% compared to the same month of 2015, when a total of 3,417 licences were issued, and confirms the upward trend registered during 2014 and 2015.

El Mundo reported that, by building type, some 3,572 of the permits authorised were for flats in blocks (with a year-on-year rise of 47.8%), and 1,201 of the licences were for single family homes (+20.3% y-o-y). In addition, one permit was issued for other

type of building works not intended for housing.

This January increase comes after 2015 consolidated the recovery of building licences which began in 2014, when the data for the number of licences issued ended seven consecutive negative years, registering an increase of 1.7%, to reach a total of 34,873 permits issued. In 2013, this real estate market indicator registered an all-time low, with a total of just 34,288 licences authorised, which represented a decline of 96% since the peak levels reached in 2006, when the number of building permits issued reached a total of 865,561. https://news.kyero.com

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April 2016

Average House Prices Up 1.4% in Q1, Say Tinsa According to the IMIE Local Markets Index data for the first quarter of the year, published by property appraisal company, Tinsa, the average price of finished housing in Spain (new and second hand) increased by 1.4% compared to the same period of 2015, and is the second consecutive quarter of yearon-year increases.

Tinsa highlighted that the number of regions which registered year-on-year growth in their house prices in the first quarter, outnumbered those registering declines for the first time since the crisis began.

Leading the recovery of prices in the residential market are Catalonia and Madrid, registering yearon-year advances of +8.2% and +7%, respectively, followed by: the Balearic Islands (+3.8%); CastillaLa Mancha (+3.5%); the Canary Islands (+2.4%); Asturias (+2.2%); La Rioja (+2.2%) and the Basque Country (+0.4%). In contrast, among the regions registering year-on-year declines, the greatest were

Carlos Slim Positions Himself for a Spanish Real-Estate Recovery M e x i c a n ' s than 5 billion euros ($5.69 billion) in transactions,

investment in builder FCC seen as sign of optimism Soros, Gates among investors lured by Spain's economic rebound Mexico’s Carlos Slim is pushing further into investments in Spain, where fellow billionaires George Soros and Bill Gates have also made bets, as he wagers on the European nation’s emergence from a property crash.

Slim, the world’s fourth-richest person on Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, made a bid for Barcelona-based Fomento de Construcciones & Contratas SA last month through his financing vehicle, Inversora Carso. The move culminated a series of investments by Slim that began in 2014 to shore up the balance sheet of one of Spain’s biggest builders. As part of the deal, Carso also bid for Madrid-based developer Realia Business SA, of which FCC owns a 37 percent stake, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Slim, 76, known for taking advantage of depressed prices when investing in companies, sees an opportunity to build as Spain’s economy rebounds from a debt-fueled property collapse that left the country with a surplus of 1.4 million homes. Spain grew at its fastest pace in eight years in 2015, outperforming its euro-area peers as the economic turnaround took hold. It maintained the momentum in the first quarter of this year, accelerating 0.7 percent, with household demand seen as a force of growth.

Recovery Bet “When Slim first invested here, construction and real estate were near their lowest; now he’s betting on a recovery,” said Carles Vergara, a professor of financial management at the IESE Business School in Barcelona. “He bought at a good time and a good price, and what he found in FCC was a consolidated company that can grow not only in construction, but in urban services.”

As Spain’s economy picks up, investors are finding opportunities to invest in real estate. Madrid was Europe’s fifth most-active real estate market in the 12 months ending in October, generating more

according to a PwC report published this year.

There are risks to Slim’s strategy. Spanish bonds have been on the longest losing streak since 2012 amid growing concerns in Europe of political turmoil and weaker economic data. Politicians in Spain have yet to form a government since an inconclusive election in December, and the acting administration missed its 2015 budget-deficit goal.

Slim is among high-profile investors including Soros and Gates who invested in Spain as it struggled to emerge from the 2008 global economic crisis. In February, Slim and FCC shareholder Esther Koplowitz agreed to remove a clause limiting their maximum stakes in the company to 29.9 percent.

Gates, Soros In 2014, Slim became FCC’s biggest shareholder through an investment that the company used to cut its debt. Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corp., owns 5.7 percent of FCC, according to the website of Spain’s market regulator CNMV. Soros’s Quantum Partners LP has invested in Spanish real-estate investment trusts after the national government changed a law in 2013 to reduce taxes for investors and spur property deals.

Calls to Kirkland, Washington-based Cascade Investment LLC, Gates’s main investment vehicle, weren’t returned. Calls and e-mails to Slim’s spokesman and FCC’s press office also weren’t returned.

FCC, which traces its Barcelona roots to 1900, narrowed its loss in 2015 to 46.3 million euros from 724.3 million euros a year earlier, boosted by 9.8 percent revenue growth from international markets. FCC has benefited from its exposure to environmental and water-management businesses, which accounted for about 80 percent of its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, Renta 4 analyst Carolina Morcos said in an interview from Madrid.

“This is a transition we’ve seen happen in Spain’s three or four biggest and most traditional construction companies, so that even with or without a rebound in real estate, it’s a much more stable bet,” said Morcos, who recommends that shareholders accept Carso’s bid. “We’re going to see a positive evolution here.” http://www.bloomberg.com/

those recorded for Aragon and Galicia, with rates of -3.5% and -3.1%, respectively. La Rioja is the region which has suffered the greatest accumulated decline in prices since the height of the crisis, with an average reduction in prices of -53.1%, followed by Aragon (-51.3%) and CastillaLa Mancha (-51.2%), while the regions registering the lowest accumulated declines are the Balearic Islands (-28.9%), Extremadura (-31.8%) and Galicia (-34.6%).

Tinsa’s quarterly report shows year-on-year price increases for a total of 25 of Spain’s provinces, lead by: Barcelona (+8.9%); Albacete (+7.6%); Madrid (+7%); Lleida (+6.5%); Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Girona (both +5.9%), while a further 12 provinces registered increases above the Spanish national average of +1.4%.

The provinces which registered the greatest yearon-year price declines in the first quarter were Álava (-7.8%), Teruel (-6.7%) and Jaen (-6.3%), while the provinces of Cordoba, Pontevedra, Palencia, Burgos and Zaragoza all registered declines in excess of -3%.

The greatest price declines accumulated since 2007 are those recorded for the provinces of Toledo (-55.1%), Zaragoza (-54.3%) and Guadalajara (-54.1%), while the provinces where average prices have fallen least are Teruel (-27.4%), Cáceres (-27.8%) and the Balearic Islands (-28.9%).

Tinsa also highlighted that the average period of time it takes to sell a home in Spain is 10.5 months. However, this average is higher in the provinces of Cantabria (19 months), Ávila (17.1) and Álava (16.8), while in Ceuta, Melilla, and the provinces of Las Palmas and Madrid the average time it takes to sell a home is less than 7 months.

In the cities of Madrid and Barcelona selling a home takes an average of 5.6 months and 5.9 months, respectively, while among the five biggest Spanish capitals, selling a home in Valencia takes the longest on average, at 13.2 months.

Buying a home in Spain during the boom years required an average financial effort of 8.1 years’ salary, while currently this rate stands at an average of 6 years, with the average percentage of the home financed (loan to value rate) standing at 64.4%. In Zaragoza this average loan to value rate is highest, at 75.8%, while in the Balearic Islands it stands at just 32%. In the province of Barcelona the loan to value rate is 62.6%, close to the national average, while in Madrid the rate rises to 72.7%, in both cases greater than in the previous quarter. kyero.com

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April 2016

Spanish Property Market 2016

For many Spain watchers 2015 will probably be remembered as the year when most things started to look as though they were getting better, or at least not getting any worse. Some economic data was very positive, with exports rising month on month and tourism breaking records and the IMF raised its 2015 growth forecast twice in three months to 3.1%, putting Spain well ahead of the E.U. average of 1.5%. In fact, it turned out even better than that, 3.2% expansion was the full-year 2015 result, Spain's best performance since 2007. However, in the same report the IMF highlighted what it called ‘deep structural problems’ in the Spanish economy and in spite of the creation of more than one million jobs in the last two years unemployment is still a huge problem; remember that two million jobs were lost in the construction sector alone as the recession took hold. Although it is edging downwards at last it is moving at a glacial pace and it’s not surprising that figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) showed that in the first half of 2015 there were still more Spaniards emigrating to find work, 50,844, than were returning, 23,078. If that first half year emigration number is duplicated in the second half more Spaniards will have left the country in 2015 than in 2014, not a good trend.

In the property sector it was no different; upbeat statistics about sales, mortgage approvals, construction starts and future projects in some areas were contradicted by flatlining or negative ones in others. So, in the end, 2015 was really no different from previous years during the recession, how you view what’s happening in the Spanish economy in general and the Spanish property market in particular depends on what issues you look at and, perhaps even more importantly, where you look. And though the forecast for 2016 is better it’s important to take into account the severity of Spain’s economic downturn; in 2007 it was the fastest growing economy in the Eurozone at 3.5% with a budget surplus. Five years later it had the highest unemployment rate in the developed world and a banking sector, rated as solid by the OECD

Economic Bright Spots

In the first three quarters of 2015 exports were up 4.4%, to an all-time record high for the period of €186.26 million. And tourism from overseas, so important to the Spanish economy, has recovered all the losses incurred during the downturn and forged ahead to new record levels. The pre-crash high of 59 million tourists fell back to 55 million in the worst of the slump but had recovered to 65 million at the end of 2014. And the total for 2015 was even better, up 4.9% at 68.1 million, ranking Spain the third most visited country in the world for the third consecutive year. No doubt Spain is benefitting from instability elsewhere but these are still remarkable figures, 13 million more visitors than at the trough of the recession only five years ago. These figures are important for the property market because international buyers start out as tourists. The tourism sector accounted for 15%

in 2010, close to meltdown. In the property sector, although there were a total of 401,281 transactions in 2015, up 8.6% compared with 2014, the market is still around 65% smaller than at the peak in 2006/7, an indication of the scale of the catastrophe that overtook Spain's real estate industry. I’m not for one moment suggesting a return to the frenzy of the pre-crash years would be a good thing but there’s still a long way to go even to get back to some sort of equilibrium.

What I aim to do in this report is bring together the many statistics and opinions from various sources published throughout the year and try to give a coherent overview of what happened in 2015 and a look ahead to 2016.

I’ll look at how Spain’s property market is fragmented into domestic and international sectors, highlight who is buying, what they are going for and where, and take a look at what the banks are doing, particularly Spain’s bad bank and I’ll cover the ramifications of the annulment of Marbella’s planning regulations. Most of the data is general to Spain but I also deal with figures specific to my particular area of interest, Andalucía.

When I wrote this at the end of 2015 many statistics were incomplete, with full year figures becoming available during the first half of 2016. Whenever possible I cite statistics issued by the INE as they are the most accurate but even it sometimes comes up with contradictory numbers, explained by the fact that it uses returns from both the Notaries and the Property Registry and they can differ due to time delays in a purchase completion in the notary being registered. A good example of this is the number of property sales in 2015; there were 401,281 according to returns from the Notaries but only 354,132 if you take the Property Registry figures, the discrepancy due to many Q4 2015 sale completions not being entered in the Registry until 2016.

of employment and 15% of GDP and both these percentages are higher than the peak year of 2007, underlining just how important tourism is for the Spanish economy.

Increased demand for office space, shops and commercial units is a good indicator of growing economic confidence and in Madrid and other city centres demand in prime locations is matching the pre-crash peak in 2008 although some of the demand may be coming from a rather unexpected source.

Using Mercantile Registry data an estimated 3,000 businesses have left Cataluña since 2012, perhaps rattled by the uncertainty about the region breaking away from Spain and becoming independent. Madrid has attracted 1,500 of those relocations, with Valencia and Andalucía the next two most popular destinations, accounting for another 750. However unlikely

secession seems, if there’s one thing business doesn’t like it’s uncertainty.

Through 2015 business start-ups were running slightly ahead of the 2014 total of 120,000, a six year high; by region the highest numbers were in Madrid, Cataluña and Andalucía. At the end of Q2 2015, The European Job Index put Spain ahead of all other E.U. countries in terms of job offers, up 21% over the year. In the real estate sector the increase was a mind-boggling 340%, reflecting the surge in new estate agents opening.

During 2015, the number of people unemployed fell by 678,200, the largest annual fall on record, with jobs created in construction, agriculture and fishing, industry and services. However, that still left 4.78m people jobless, 20.6% of the working population, and about 45% of those under 25.

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The Not So Bright Spots While the IMF was raising its growth forecast for Spain the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued a report about employment issues which highlighted some of the deep structural problems referred to by the IMF, particularly as they affect the young. According to this report about 33% of young Spaniards are not in education, training or employment and it takes an average of six years to find the first job, compared with two years in Denmark. Spain also has the highest proportion of under 25s who are on temporary contracts, 71%, and young people make up 22% of all part-time workers in Spain, which is more than double the E.U. average of 9.9% and more than quadruple the OECD average of 5.8%.

Against a developed world average of 13%, 23% of Spanish graduates are jobless. Even as more Spaniards are finding work the trend towards temporary and part-time jobs continues; of the nearly 4 million registered labour contracts in Andalucía at the end of 2015 only 4% were long-term indefinite contracts.

And in some regions unemployment rates at the end of 2015 were much higher than the national average of 20.6%; in Málaga province it was 25.1% and in Cádiz it was even worse at 36.7% with youth uneployment running at about 60%. And the full year figure for 2015 showed only 42% of the 37,600 drop in unemployment in Málaga could be attributed to new jobs being created, 58%

of the fall was because fewer were economically active. Even worse, the rate of new job creation in Málaga slowed significantly in 2015 compared with 2014, indicating that high unemployment rate will continue for years.

Such poor job prospects inevitably led to an exodus of Spaniards in search of work overseas, to such an extent that it’s been called a national crisis. Of course, Spain has seen large-scale emigration before, most notably in the 1960s & 70s, but back then it was the least educated, low-skilled and blue collar workers who left to work in factories, hotels and catering in northern Europe. The difference this time is that it’s mainly young, educated and wellqualified people leaving, not just for other E.U. countries but also further afield to China, Brazil, the U.S., & South America. Spain has lost medical professionals, lawyers, architects, IT professionals, engineers, entrepreneurs etc., in the tens of thousands and the prediction from the INE is that the population will shrink further, by as much as 5% in the next decade and a further 5% by 2050, reducing the population to 40m.

So it’s against a background of continued job insecurity, high unemployment, emigration and long-term population decline that the Spanish property market has to be viewed and in 2015 it was still the case that there were two strands to the market, unconnected and independent of each other; a domestic market inextricably linked to internal economic circumstances and an international sector that seemed to be operating in a parallel world. In my view, it will be the same in 2016. http://www.thepropertyfinders.com/

Resale Housing Prices Rose by 0.5% in Q1 Data from the latest house price index prepared by property portal, fotocasa, indicate that the price of second hand homes in Spain registered a rise of 0.5% in the first quarter of the year, placing the average price in March 2016 at 1,627 euros/m2. This is the first increase registered during a first quarter of the year since 2007, when prices registered an increase of 1.6%.

However, this is not the first quarterly increase registered in the portal’s index in recent months, as the quarterly prices registered increases in the second and third quarters of 2015, of 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively.

Year-on-year, second hand housing prices in Spain rose by 0.6% in March, representing the highest annual increase since October 2007, when prices rose by 1.2%. During 2015 there were three months which registered year-on-year increases in second hand house prices – July (0.1%), October (0.1%) and November (0.3%) – but none reached the level of 0.6% registered this March.

Spain house prices reached their historical peak in April 2007, with a value of 2,952 euros/m2. Since then, prices have accumulated a decline of -44.9% on average. The regions which have experienced the greatest declines in housing prices since the maximum levels are: La Rioja, with an accumulated

decline of -56.1%; Castilla-La Mancha (-52,5%); Navarre (-52.4%); Aragón (-52%); Murcia (-50.2%); Valencia (-47.6%); Catalonia (-46.6%) and Asturias (-46.1%).

Quarter-on-quarter, compared to the last quarter of 2015, eight regions registered increases in second hand housing prices, the greatest being that registered in the Canary Islands, of +6.3%, followed by: the Balearic Islands (+2.2%); Valencia (+1.4%); Andalucía (+1.2%); Madrid (+1%); Catalonia (+0.9%); Navarre (+0.2%) and Cantabria (+0.1%).

In terms of average prices, the regions topping the ranking in March for most expensive second hand housing prices were the Basque Country (2,736 euros/m2), Madrid (2,225 euros) and Catalonia (2,064 euros), while in contrast, the most affordable regions for second hand housing were Castilla-La Mancha (1,050 euros/m2), Extremadura (1,088 euros) and Murcia (1,143 euros).

Moreover, some 30 of the 50 provinces studied recorded positive quarterly figures, the largest being that registered in Las Palmas (+2.4%), followed by Santa Cruz de Tenerife (+2.9%) and Lleida (+0.4%), while Cáceres is the province which registered the greatest quarterly decline (-6.6%). kyero.com

House prices London property market cooling as asking prices are slashed

London’s property market appears to be cooling down with research revealing that up to 40pc of houses for sale in some areas of the capital have had to cut their asking prices since coming to market.

Earl’s Court, in west London, and Surbiton, to the south-west, had the highest proportion of price cuts in the capital, with 40pc and 38pc of properties for sale in the respective regions reduced in value.

The price cuts are largely concentrated in the high end of the market, in the centre, west and southwest of the city. One-third of properties currently for sale in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea have had to cut their asking prices by an average 8pc, according to property analysis firm Propcision.

Adam Challis, head of residential research at JLL, said: “The demand doesn’t fuel a sense of urgency so you need to adjust expectations on price to get an agreed sale.”

He added: “What we’re seeing are moves in the market to get in line with expectations, but to create a soft landing or a stabilisation or plateau, rather than a fall.”

Other areas which have suffered considerable prices cut include Kingston-upon-Thames, Fulham, Wandsworth, Westminster, Hammersmith and Knightsbridge.

Propcision has tracked all properties that are currently available for sale to the public, including new-build homes.

Michelle Ricci, co-founder of Propcision, said: “The upward trend prime central London enjoyed for the past few years has started to show signs of resistance. This is typically associated with the start of correction, although not necessarily a downward trend.”

Areas to the east such as Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham and Bexley, which have all seen sharp price rises and high demand recently, have much lower proportions of properties for sale at reduced prices.

Mr Challis said: “The data corroborates our own views on new build space – in east and south-east London, where there are lower value properties, there’s a lot of momentum and they will continue to see pretty decent price growth.

“We feel the data suggests asking prices are holding steady with levels seen in the past six months,” Ms Ricci added. “That said, there are particular areas of vulnerability that may start to show demonstrable evidence of a downward trend - most notably new-builds.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

24

April 2016

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The Roadalmost to Anarchy second nature for the population. Do

During Alqueria’s turbulent transition from small Spanish village to independent sovereign Republic one trapping of statehood was overlooked. The legal system. When the laws of Spain applied, it wasn’t so much which laws to obey but which could be disobeyed with impunity.

When people went too far the Guardia Civil would turn up. Driving around the village in a 4x4, elbows out of windows and mirrored sunshades, it was their attempt to intimidate. The occasional discarded piece of fruit or well aimed root vegetable bouncing off the car’s bodywork demonstrated that the people of Alqueria remained unmoved.

Now they had set up housekeeping on their own some semblance of law and order had to be maintained.

Alqueria was however in an unusual and unique position. The Village had its Remitroot crop which meant self-sufficiency, dignity and autonomy. A reversion to the golden days of eighteenth century Andalucía.

The dream of every atavistic Anarchist.

Alqueria had emerged from an insignificant Spanish backwater to the closest thing to paradise in the northern hemisphere. It’s a pity the population didn’t realise it. Relevant political ideologies usually imply that to get from Alqueria’s initial state to its present a total destruction of society is required.

Alqueria managed the transformation without this intermediary step.

This is the crux of the problem the people of Alqueria felt cheated. The occasional bout of wanton destruction always appeals to the good folk of the pueblo. Lawbreaking is

the law-makers create laws so they can be broken and therefore have to be enforced? Do they leave the Village Republic without statute and therefore retain a law abiding society?

There was to be a public meeting in the plaza in front of the Bar la Casa Devante.

The question would be voted upon by the entire village. This, the politicians will tell you is an exercise in pure democracy. The sceptics will say it is simply an attempt by those in power to abdicate responsibility and cover their hindquarters against failure.

The Bar la Casa Devante was a bad choice of venue.

of seven.

H o r a c i o Stranglardeganso, landlord of the Bar used the opportunity to introduce a ‘Happy Hour’, eight drinks for the price

Rodriquez, while putting the case for legislation received a direct hit from a flying Remitroot bottle and was rendered unconscious. Manuela while putting her case for a lawless and therefore law abiding society was interrupted by five separate proposals, and they certainly weren’t marriage.

Manuela’s passionate plea won the day by an overwhelming majority. The village-folk were duly put on their honour and asked to look to their consciences before they acted, spoke or even got out of bed.

That night the bank was robbed.

25

Bad Home Wanted

He’s very nearly pushed me too far – If he carries on like this he will push me over the edge, and I will not be answerable for the consequences!

Mr Tommy Fluffipants and I are locked in a struggle for dominance; Although he has won some of the battles I have to win the war, or perish in the attempt!

We are currently engaged in the Battle of Bedtime. At bedtime the back door is locked and the catflap blocked so that the cats are confined in the kitchen, safe from the marauding strays who patrol Limaria at night engaging in fisticuffs with all who cross their paths.

Cat Supper is then served in the kitchen, and peace reigns for the night. Except now Mr Tommy Fluffipants has decided that bedtime is no longer relevant for him, and he should stay out as long as he wishes.

In fact, he has become a normal teenager!

Come any sign of bedtime he will leave the house and stand outside the kitchen door, mewing pathetically for his supper.

I fill his little biscuit bowl and go out, rattling it and calling him in. He looks at me as though I were a wellmeaning idiot. ‘I’ll have my supper outside tonight.’

‘Come in Tommy. It’s supper time.’

‘I told you, I’m having my supper outside tonight. Didn’t you hear?’

‘Come in, you little varmint. Supper is inside or not at all!’

‘I want my supper outside, and I want it now.’

‘You’ll only get it if you come in.’

‘I don’t want to come in. Coming in is for wimps - I’m going to stay out

By Jos Biggs

josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk all night, I’m a big boy, now give me my supper.’

I compromise, and go out to pick him up and bring him in. As I approach he walks off into the dark. I follow him. I walk faster. He walks faster, just out of my reach.

I go back to the kitchen door.

He turns round and follows me.

This pantomime is then replayed – neither of us runs, but he remains unreachable by inches.

Eventually he wins, but I haven’t the heart to shut him out completely; The catflap remains open, his supper remains inside and I pray that no stray cat will discover this fact, and invade our kitchen.

If he doesn’t toe the line soon I will be putting an advert in the paper – Bad home wanted for wicked cat!

He doesn’t deserve a good home!

LEGAL CORNER WITH MICHAEL DAVIES, ABOGADO/SOLICITOR

If you wish us to print an article about a particular topic, please e-mail info@daviessolicitors.com - www.daviessolicitors.com MENTIONING A TRUST ON A SPANISH WILL IS ASKING FOR TROUBLE. SOMETIMES WHAT IS LEGALLY POSSIBLE AND WHAT IS PRACTICAL IS NOT THE SAME THING. THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE. Question: I had a Spanish will made out for myself and my wife some time ago. We have recently hired a solicitor to handle a conveyance and he has taken a look at the wills and told us they are not good and that we should make new ones. We are now uncertain of what to do. We have attached the wills for you to take a look at them. Our instruction to our original solicitor in Spain was for him to do exactly what we did in the UK on our English wills. He said that since the Directive 650/2012 this can be done.

Answer.

As my granny would always say: a little knowledge can cause a lot of damage.

There is no doubt, the will is dreadful.

You must change it. I doubt the person who prepared your will has ever dealt with probate in Spain and in fact I doubt the person is even a solicitor. ( I say this because any solicitor I know would tell you that your will is asking for trouble). The will essentially translates the English will you handed over and sets up a trust to protect your children versus your second wife. Even though Directive 650/2012 allows English law to be applied (by choice of the testator) to how an estate is distributed in Spain, using institutions like trusts will cause endless problems and expenses for your heirs because Trusts are not understood in Spain the same way as in UK. So Certifications of English law (which are very expensive) will be required to help wind up the estate (by explaining the content of English law). To this you

will have to add a lot of problems with Spanish Inheritance tax (remember Directive 650/2012 has no effect on the taxation of the estate).

In Spain it is the beneficiary that pays inheritance tax and not the estate.

Descendants and spouse in Andalucía are exempt if they each receive less than 175,000€. In this case the trustee is a non-family member and as he has faculty to dispose of assets, the Spanish tax office could interpret that he is in control of the estate and is the person who owes the tax. As non-family he would receive a large tax bill. (This could all be battled out but it would be a mess.)

Conclusion: Keep things sensible and uncomplicated. In this case achieve what you want using methods that are common practice in Spain. (Even though with the Directive it is possible to have the will run under English law you must remember that probate will need to be obtained in Spain, so making a will that nobody understands in Spain is not a good idea It would be up to your heirs to prove what UK law says and I can tell you from plenty of experience that dealing with Trusts in Spain is nightmare scenario.) In this case leave the life possession of your property to you wife and the residual value to your children.

With the values you have sent me the estate will be exempt, probate will be simple and both your children and your wife will be fully protected as you asked for.

Michael Davies. Abogado.

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

“English spoken”

Deborah Cubel fisher 7 years experience in this area

“on parle francais”

legal & fiscal advice for residents & non-residents, Tax Payments and refunds • Wills and Inheritance process • Purchase / Sale private contracts • Land property and Catastro registration licenses • Conveyancing / Notorial documents

• Translations / Interpreter • NIE’s, Residencia, Medical Cards....

• Vehicle registration / driving licenses • Mortgages

• T axes (local rates, rubbish collection, vehicle, tax returns for residents and non residents and refund of the capital gains tax)

Special offer !!!

Wills €125 / each Including Notary Fee

Yearly contract €149 Including VAT 21% •Y early tax returns (no increase if more than one owner, or more than one property) • Legal and fiscal advice FREE throughout the year • Free assistance / advice for any visitors staying at your property • Free visit from a technician / architect to offer independent expertise on matter such as: putting in insurance claims, confirmation of the legality of an extension / building work, free estimate for any work to be carried out

If you introduce another client to us you will not be charged your next annual fee C/ del Mar, 33 - Galeria Alcana Local 11 Vera 04620 (Almeria) Tel: 950 39 06 21 Fax: 950 39 02 12 email: dcasesores@notin.net

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26

April 2016

jimmy carr

wwe live

new order

Formed in 1980 the Manchester band have regrouped & are touring the UK

Funny Business Tour, TVs Funnyman is on the road in another side splitting tour.

Watch your favorite stars in action in the UK. John Cena, Big Show & Sheamus

GET YOUR TICKETS TO THESE plus MANY OTHER EVENTS AT WWW.SOLTIMES.COM on this day 13th april

1111 – Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

1870 – The New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art is founded.

1970 – An oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13 explodes, putting the crew in great danger and causing major

NAME THE GAME!

sol picture quiz!

damage to the spacecraft while en route to the Moon.

wordsearch

soltimes wine Quiz

1. Along which river and its tributaries do the German vineyards lie?.................

2. Along which river is most of France’s

Roller Coaster

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

The remaining 20 letters spell a Ernest Hemingway quotation.

Sauvignon Blanc cultivated?..................

3. Claret wine is produced in the region surrounding which French city?..............

4. How are fizzy wines, other than champagnes, described?........................

5. How many normal size wine bottles would you have in a Methuselah?...........

6. In which area of Italy is Chianti Classico produced?................................

7. In which country is Rioja produced?....

8. In which country is the Marlborough

10. In which country is the wine-making area of Stellenbosch?.............................

Answers

10. South Africa

5. Eight

9. Australia

4. Sparkling

8. New Zealand

3. Bordeaux

7. Spain

2. Loire

6. Tuscany

CRYPTIC crossword

CROSSWORD

1. Rhine

SOLUTIONS

HADES INTIMIDATOR JUPITER KATUN LEVIATHAN MANTA MAVERICK MIND BENDER MONTU NEMESIS NITRO PHOENIX PROWLER

wordsearch answer

standard SUDOKU

Barossa Valley?......................................

AFTERBURN ALPENGEIST BALDER BIZARRO COLOSSOS COMET CYCLONE DESPERADO DIAMONDBACK EL TORO GHOSTRIDER GOLIATH GRIFFON

easy SUDOKU

9. In which country is the wine-growing

RAGING BULL RAPTOR RENEGADE ROAR SHEIKRA TATSU THUNDERBOLT TITAN TREMORS TROY TWISTER VIPER XCELERATOR LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST

wine region?..........................................

soltimes sport Quiz

1. Which boxer was found Not Guilty of the attempted murder of Frank Warren?..............................

2. What sport would you be watching at Flinders Park?...

3. Boca Juniors are from which South American country?..............................

4. In 1981, Susan Brown was the first female competitor in which sporting event?......

5. Which boxer was nicknamed ‘The Real Deal’?.

6. How many laps are there in a single race at a speedway meeting?.............

7. In Judo, the Black belt is the highest, what colour is the second highest?..............................

8. How many consecutive shots does it take to score a 147 break in snooker?.............................

9. Which was the first Asian country to hold a F1 Grand Prix?....................................

10. Who is the only man to captain England whilst playing 3rd. Division football?..............................

Answers

squiggle SUDOKU

win the Masters Tournament.

6. Four 7. Brown 8. 36 9. Japan 10. Ian Botham

1997 – Tiger Woods becomes the youngest golfer to

Answers

1. Terry Marsh 2. Tennis 3. Argentina 4. The Boat Race 5. Evander Holyfield

central Chicago.

4. Cranium 5. Pictionary 6. Game of Life

1992 – The Great Chicago flood devastates much of

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27

UK Motorhomes Wanted

Contact Karl on 0044 7976 662395

email: carlskitt@live.com

across

STANDARD CROSSWORD

9 Elusive (7) 10 Not capable of being swayed (7) 11 Rod-shaped bacteria (7) 12 A disgraceful event (7) 13 Cover with zinc (9) 15 Parts (5) 16 Able to see (7) 19 Leveled using thin wedges (7) 20 City in Nebraska (5) 21 Grape plantations (9) 25 Cursor (7) 26 Famously (7) 28 Singalong (7) 29 Stress (7)

Down

1 Chinch (6) 2 Delete (6) 3 Grind (4) 4 Zodiacal twins (6) 5 Pet rodents (8) 6 Aptitude (10) 7 Fantasy (8) 8 Used (8) 14 Allure (10) 16 Dawdler (8) 17 Huge masses of ice (8) 18 Deviated (8) 22 90 (6) 23 Jewish religious teachers (6) 24 Expression (6) 27 Albacore (4)

SUDOKU PUZZLES

easy

squiggle

famous bithdays on this day

standard

1954 – Niels Olsen, Danish singersongwriter and guitarist (Olsen Brothers) 1957 – Saundra Santiago, American actress 1974 – Darren Turner, English race car driver 1978 – Carles Puyol, Spanish footballer

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 For finding weight on a fish? (6) 5 New time-table for fight (6) 10 Had faith in rust, inside Edward (7) 11 My sonny changes or equivalent word (7) 12 Harass inside ape’s terrain (6) 15 Illuminates slight, slight change (6) 16 Sober grave (7) 17 Return sad hotel run (4) 18 Employed you and me, and editor (4) 19 Forge in defective alien (7) 20 Groups of TVs? (4) 22 Returning good French potassium handle (4) 25 Meat product of South African employment (7) 27 Typical - Mrs Major, 50 (6) 28 Surplus of two letters, we hear (6) 31 Arrange retrial to be attached to car (7) 32 Bombed that woman, returning hollow (7) 33 City blond one hides (6) 34 Testify at trial (6) Down 2 Parts of meal company uses right inside (7) 3 Lister arranged units of measurement of liquid (6) 4 Team is coming back to dead end, initially (4) 5 Finest George? (4) 6 Sport inside rotten Nissan (6) 7 Uncle’s hotel prepared meals (7) 8 Puts back before I’d be dumb (6) 9 Entertained Medusa, oddly (6) 13 Extraction of vale mostly, after concerning moment (7) 14 Illness Sid came back with - simplicity (7) 15 Carry long time about good suitcases etc (7) 20 Musical composition boy at American capital (6) 21 Twister ripped a party! (7) 23 Pointed implements are virtually unnecessary (7) 24 Next to bee, confused IDS inside (6) 25 Ladies, perhaps, travelled by boat (6) 26 Pet Rex became skilful (6) 29 Chagrined - hiding smile (4) 30 Starts to aim scuds intensively at part of the world (4)

soltimes famous quote

28

April 2016

FOOD & ENTERTAINING...

One-Pan Salmon With Roast Asparagus

INGREDIENTS Ser ves 2 400g new potato , halved if large 2 tbsp olive oil 8 asparagus spears, trimmed and halved 2 handfuls cherr y tomato 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 salmon fillet, about 140g each handful basil leaves

For an easy side dish to complement a spring roast, just cook this recipe without the salmon .

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the potatoes and 1 tbsp of olive oil into an ovenproof dish, then roast the potatoes for 20 mins until starting to brown. Toss the asparagus in with the potatoes, then return to the oven for 15 mins.

Throw in the cherr y tomatoes and vinegar and nestle the salmon amongst the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil and return to the oven for a final 10-15 mins until the salmon is cooked. Scatter over the basil leaves and ser ve ever ything scooped straight from the dish.

Ruby’s

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

TEL 622 434 912

Opening times 10am till Late Tuesday - Sunday

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

GREAT FUN NIGHT OUT

Continuing our spring dining experience, sit back and enjoy these lighter spring meals from BBC Good Food. Ideal to enjoy on a warm evening with a glass (or two) of wine.

Asparagus, Sundried Tomato & Olive Loaf

INGREDIENTS Cuts into 10 slices 100ml olive oil , plus ex tra for greasing 250g asparagus spears, each cut into 3 pieces 200g self-raising flour 1 tbsp thyme leaves 3 large egg , lightly beaten 100ml milk handful pit ted black olives 100g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped 100g Gruyère or Beaufor t, grated

Spring flavour in ever y bite of this savour y bake Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/ gas 5. Oil and line the base of a loaf tin (approx 22 x 10 x 5cm) with baking paper. Cook the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 mins, drain, then cool quickly under cold running water. Pat dr y.

Mix the flour and thyme with seasoning in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the eggs, milk and oil, stirring all the time to draw the flour into the centre. Beat for 1 min to make a smooth batter.

Reser ve 5 asparagus tips and a few olives. Add the remaining asparagus, tomatoes, olives and two-thirds of the cheese to the batter. Pour into the tin, then put the reser ved asparagus and olives on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake feels firm to the touch and is golden and crust y on top. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Sausage & Spring Mash Pie INGREDIENTS Ser ves 2 1½kg potato , cut into large chunks ¼-½ Savoy cabbage, shredded 100ml milk 50g but ter 1 tbsp Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard (optional) 2 tsp vegetable oil 16 good-qualit y pork sausage 10 shallot , peeled and halved if large 4 carrot , thickly sliced 2-3 thyme sprigs, plus ex tra to ser ve 2 x 250g packs mushroom , halved or quar tered 400ml full-bodied red wine 300ml beef stock 2 tbsp caramelised red onion

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 mins, adding the cabbage for the final few mins of cooking. Drain, then allow to steam- dry for a few mins. Add the milk and butter to the pan, warm through, then mash into the potatoes and cabbage with plenty of seasoning. Stir in the mustard, if using.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large, shallow flameproof dish or a large non-stick frying pan. Brown the sausages, shallots and carrots for about 5 mins until nicely golden and the shallots are starting to soften. The sausages should be almost cooked through; lift them out, then set aside. Tip off any excess fat released by the sausages.

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Turn up the heat under the pan, tip in the thyme and mushrooms, then fry until golden, about 3 mins. Splash in the wine, then let it bubble and reduce by half. Add the stock and caramelised onions, then simmer until it has reduced a little to make a shiny gravy, and the carrots are cooked through. Season, then add the sausages to the gravy.

Spoon the mixture into a baking dish or keep in the pan if it’s ovenproof. Top with the mashed potato, spooning it over in even dollops to prevent the gravy oozing up the sides. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 mins (or 45 mins from chilled), removing the foil for the final 10 mins to brown the mash.

Sprinkle with a little thyme to serve.

29

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il 2016 (5 of 7) 73mm high x 111mm wide,

F O K TAL N W O T E H T

Plaza de la Constitución, Benijófar 03178. Open Daily from 9.30am

Combine & Save on Summer Evening Drinks and Dining* A bucket of 5 ice-cold Mahou cans with large plate of Patatas Bravas €8, or litre of Sangria and small Spanish platter for €12 For lovers of tapas, enjoy the warmer evenings on the Oasis sun-drenched terrace with our range of International tapas starting from just €1.50. Or select three tapas from the deal menu and include a bottle of wine or litre of beer for €12 or, three tapas and litre of Sangria for €14 Tel: 603 169 090 / email: oasisbenijofar@outlook.com / www.oasis-benijofar.es *From 7pm Thurs to Sat until end April. Then Tues to Sat from May until October

Open 7 Days a Week 12noon till 10pm

EAT IN OR TAKEAWAY

QUESADA FISH & CHIPS

Menu of the Day 12noon till 5pm

Cod or Haddock Chips, Peas, Bread and Butter

€7,00

Sunday Special Fish, Chips & Peas

€6,00

All Day

Takeaway Also Available Quesada Villamartin Plaza

966 719 136

966 764 441

PERFECT STEAK EVERYTIME AT THE HOT STONE The Hot Stone, Urbanisation El Raso has become well known now for quality food.

Their signature Argentinian steaks are the most tender and succulent cuts of meat you will find on the Costa Blanca. Each steak is presented to you on an individual hot volcanic rock, heated to optimum temperature. Every piece you cut will be almost instantaneously cooked to your own personal perfection. The pure quality of the meat is realised within the very first bite. Due to the high temperature of the stones, each cut of meat is sealed ensuring that all the flavours and juices get trapped inside, making the steak truly succulent.

This team believe that top quality meat is fundamental in making the dining experience one to remember and have imported the very best cut of Argentinian meat, which is globally renowned as being the most tender and flavoursome, giving you the finest quality meat, without having to go to Argentina! Prices start from only 12.40 for an Argentinian rump steak, including any side order and 3 sauces.

If you are not quite the carnivore, chicken, pork and local seafood dishes are also all available on the stone. Vegetarian options are available. They also serve other house specialities off the stone.

The Hot Stone, El Raso is open Tuesday to Sunday: 12.30pm – 10pm (Menu del Dia 12.30pm-4pm).

For more information or reservations, please call 656 613 356.

Daily Specials Freshly Battered Cod Home Made Doner Kebab Kentucky Style Chicken Piri Piri Wraps Sirloin Ribeye & Rump Steak

Evening Special Steak 3 or 2 course meal 3 course €12.50 2 course €10.50 Sunday 1-4pm Homemade Steak pie Veg and Roast potatoes Only €6.50 TakeAway Whole Roast Chicken Veg and Roast Potatoes enough for 2 to 3 people Only €10.50

Shorty’s Diner, Alley Palais, Camposol B Tel 642 011 266 QUOTE ‘SOL TIMES’ FOR THIS OFFER FREE BOTTLE OF HOUSE WHITE OR ROSE WITH THIS COUPON Valid until 30th April When you purchase a minimum of 2 main meals (not to be used in conjunction with any set menu or other offers)

Call 656 613 356 for Reservations OPENING HOURS: Tuesday-Sunday:12:30 to 10pm

Urbanisation El Raso, just off the Lemon Tree Road, Guardamar

30

April 2016

How celebrity chefs destroy classic Spanish dishes Many are the foreign chefs who have raised ire with their takes on paella, tortilla and other specialties

Jamón, sangría, paella and tapas – the symbols that represent Spanish cuisine abroad, at least at the amateur level. And thanks to Spanish chef José Andrés’ efforts to educate audiences, some people also know how to identify and prepare fabada (a bean stew), arroz con leche (rice pudding) and bacalao al pil-pil (cod with olive oil, garlic and chili).

Meanwhile, the sudden ubiquity of chorizo across the globe has sent overseas chefs bonkers, coming up with things like chorizo meatballs, chicken and chorizo paté, chorizo pizza and even chorizo jam, complete with a label bearing the words “Oink. Olé.” And all of it marketed as “Spanish.”

Jamie Oliver has made Spanglish food a personal trademark and enthusiastically adds chorizo to pretty much everything But that’s okay, because Spaniards also do horrible things to foreign dishes, such as using cream in spaghetti carbonara. It’s normal for home cooks to play fast and loose with international dishes. Sometimes you just can’t find the correct recipe, or you might tailor a dish to fit your tastes or whatever you happen to have in the fridge at that particular moment.

But a professional chef is another story – especially the media-savvy ones. You might expect individuals with specialized training, experience, fame and travel time under their belts to know that real carbonara uses no cream and that paellas are made in paella dishes.

But no. “Spain is different and its cooking is whatever I want it to be,” they seem to think. But it’s one thing to be creative and loosely base your dishes on some foreign idea or product (they call this “fusion” nowadays), and quite another to pretend you know exactly how to make A, then come up with Z. Here we review some of the more appalling examples of how celebrity chefs from other countries have altered Spanish cuisine. At the same time, however, we should also remember the upside of all this: that our cooking is now renowned enough to be subjected to the same kind of torment as the cuisines of Italy, Mexico and countless other suffering nations.

Paella Gordon Ramsay, a chef with a total of 14 Michelin stars and umpteen TV cooking shows, teaches an Englishwoman how to make a paella. Without even venturing into a detailed discussion of what, exactly, constitutes a paella – an issue that raises passions in Valencia – you should be warned that what follows does not even deserve to fall into the category of “rice with stuff in it.”

In best Kitchen Nightmares style, Ramsay awes the poor lady with his perfect “I-know-what-I’m-doing” pose. Then he launches into making a “paella” with (what else?) chorizo, chicken, shrimp, squid and clams.

He then jazzes it up with a generous squirt of sherry, as well as a few chili peppers – because it’s never too late to confuse Spain with Mexico.

But perhaps the worst part is the fact that he prepares this concoction in a frying pan, and it comes out so runny that he is forced to serve it with a ladle. Yum yum.

But that’s all right, because the unhappy woman’s family is delighted, and blown away by the exoticism of it all.

John Torode, an Australian-born celebrity chef, restaurateur and host of the UK version of Masterchef, also claims to know a lot about paella. Cooking to the sound of Spanish guitar chords, he makes his paella in a sauté pan. Moved by the spirit of his inner Spaniard, he stir-fries onion, garlic, turmeric and paprika, then adds the rice, the broth and, instead of just leaving it be, stirs everything vigorously, lest the flavors should not gel completely together.

In all fairness, Torode should be credited for using beans in his paella, which might not have been of the bajoqueta or garrofó variety, but which will still earn him brownie points with Valencian viewers. But then he botches it by sautéeing cod to decorate the paella, which he also tops with shrimp, mussels and the classic – and utterly useless – lemon quarters.

Then, when the rice is done, he shakes it up passionately one more time, because he knows that a good paella needs to be mushy and that the rice grains should be crushed. This is what his unappetizing eyesore looked

like at the end of it.

Marco Pierre White also rises to the paella challenge.

Ramsay’s mentor, the enfant terrible of British cuisine and once the youngest holder of three Michelin stars, White has a video of his paella creation. But we dare not put it up here, because he states that he had the best paella of his life in northern Spain, and Valencians are going to have a stroke when they hear that. Let’s just reveal that he adds a more-than-generous helping of white wine to his rice, and enough paprika to stop a moving train.

Fideuá David Chang, lord and master of the Momofuku restaurants, made a fideuá using instant noodles in season one of The Mind of a Chef (available on Netflix).

“Now I will make a very famous Spanish dish: noodles,” he asserts before frying a cartload of chorizo with clams and mussels, then adding broken-up noodles and chicken broth. To top it all off, he sprinkles paprika generously, adds a couple of spoonfuls of alioli (an oil and garlic sauce), and voilá.

The fact is, it’s a good idea to use instant ramen noodles in this way – but to call it a fideuá goes beyond the limits of decency.

The poor guy did look a little alarmed even as he perpetrated the dish, so we can forgive him. That, and the fact that his show is worth it if only to hear him sing in the company of celebrity Basque chef Juan Mari Arzak in San Sebastián.

Spanish omelet The tortilla de patatas, or Spanish omelet, is so simple – just oil, potatoes, whole eggs and, depending on preference, onion – that it has been subjected to all kinds of cruel treatment at the hands of cooks who believe that it needs something more. Either they add chorizo, vegetables and herbs without blushing, or they cook it in the microwave or oven rather than a frying pan, as well as committing a thousand other evil things besides.

Unquestionably, the most psychedelic version of tortilla was made by the very famous (in his country) Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Using a minimal amount of oil, he stir-fries onion, chilies and green pepper with a few boiled potatoes.

The saddest part of all is that he uses five egg whites and one single yolk for the tortilla. Not content with this, he then sticks it in the oven for no fewer than 20 minutes at 180ºC. Ouch.

Jamie Oliver has made Spanglish food something of a personal trademark. He enthusiastically adds chorizo to pretty much everything, and his odd “Made in Spain” combinations make for a good laugh for any Spaniard watching his program. Oliver cooks this way because he is a free spirit and because that’s the way he feels like cooking – not because he lacks experience in Spain.

Yes, Jamie, it looks like a tortilla, but a Mexican, not a Spanish one.

Olé, paella, pata negra, Serrano ham! It’s all so psychotropic that it is a pleasure to hear him speak Spanish. His highly personal tortilla de patatas is another one of Oliver’s specialties, like this “open Spanish tortilla” with potatoes, “chouriso,” onion, parsley and tomato.

Gazpacho Jamie has also traveled through Andalusia where he had the nerve to make his own version of gazpacho. His ingredients were correct: tomato, cucumber, pepper, vinegar, olive oil and bread. But the end result was visibly questionable. His gazpacho had a sad hue as a result of the small amount of tomatoes he used, and bloodthirsty Spaniards tore him to pieces for it on YouTube.

Fortunately, Oliver’s FoodTube now has someone named Omar Allibhoy, a Spanish cook who knows both how to make a decent “tortilla de patatas” and how to explain it in English. At this rate, between him, Mario Batali, Claudia Roden and a few other evangelists, we’re soon not going to have any cause for complaint.

Good thing we also have some truly deplorable paellas in Spain to moan about. http://elpais.com/elpais

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REGULAR EVENTS CRAFT GROUP - every other Wednesday from 1.30 at the MABS Information Centre – restarts 9th September after the summer break BOOK SALES – every 3rd Friday at Commercial Sector B Event tickets on sale at the book stall between 10.00am and 1pm or from the MABS Information Centre on Sector B Camposol or by Calling 620 582 418

CHURCH OF ENGLAND COSTA CALIDA & ALMERIA

Priest: Reverend Pauline Williams 950 956 166 / 687 250 860

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Welcome Group Events Thursday April 21st. This months dance at Mariano’s features PDQ, a live band with excellent musicians and vocalists. Dance your socks off while enjoying this superb group. €8 Wednesday May 18th. - Dance the night away this month to the music of the ever popular Woody & The Peckers. Book early as always a sell out. €8 Wednesday 15th June. - Ladies Afternoon at The Club House, Camposol - Fashion show, Stalls, Bingo plus a Cold Buffet. Dancing to Terry J. €10

Every Day, Open from 10:30-14:00 and 17:00-20:00. Wednesday June 22nd. The Welcome Summer Ball Closed Monday mornings. At C/ Conde de Aranda. at La Cumbre Hotel, Puerto de Mazarron. Start the Tel: 968 493 287. Entry: Individual €1.20 Groups evening with a champagne reception, followed by a €0.60

TABLE TENNIS AT PILAR DE LA HORADADA

6 course meal including drinks, and then dance the

Sports Centre every Monday at 10am Five tables night away with Rob Sweeney. Rooms are available equipment supplied, coaching given if necessary, all standards welcome. Contact George on 965 326097 for €50 if you would like to stay the night or book a or Gordon on 966 848304 or e-mail drewgeorge49@ seat on the coach for €5. This is always a very popular yahoo.com. event so book early to avoid disappointment. €30

St. Nicholas Ecumenical Church

November 3rd. Benalmadena & Gibraltar. Due to We hold services each week at 10.30am on Camposol, Mazarron. Everyone is welcome to join popular demand this trip returns for 2016. Staying us. For further details, CALL the church on 665 302 3 nights at Hotel Mac Puerto Marina on half board 019 inc. wine & water with dinner. A trip to Gibraltar and

31

HAVE YOU BEEN TO CHATTERS?

Chatters is an informal social group, free of charge and open to all without membership. Just turn up, join in and enjoy. We are sponsored by Help At Home Mar Menor. We meet on the third Wednesday of each month at The Pasty Shack, Rio Nalon, near to the Mercadona in Los Alcazares.

Free refreshments are served between 10.15am & 10.45am before we start the meeting at 11am. This includes a Quiz and Picture Quiz with the opportunity to win modest prizes, after which we always have a different Guest Speaker talking about and answering questions about a range of topics of interest and use to Expats. The Speaker at the next Chatters on Wednesday April 20th will be from Coach Trips sl, aka Dave’s Coaches. He will be telling us about all the places they visit, and which trip would best meet you own particular interests.

Why not come along and join in? Meet old friends and perhaps make new ones? After the meeting several people regularly stay on to enjoy the Pasty Shack’s delicious range of snacks and lunches. Attendance is growing, and more and more attendees are coming regularly, so be sure to put the date in your diary and to arrive early.

Help At Home Mar Menor is a local charity who makes no charge for providing a little temporary help to those in need. We rely solely on fundraising and donations.

Find out more about what we do and upcoming events by following us on Facebook or by visiting - www.helpathome.es

A parkinsons Support Group an evening Ricky Lavazza show included. €200 p.p.

On Tuesdays at 11am At Bobbie Jo·s, Los Montisinos For a chat and a cup of tea For further information November 9th. We are off to Benidorm Market for a morning of shopping and then on to the Rich Bich contact Wally Williamson On 966 770 871 Roman Catholic Church

Saladillo, Mazarron ( close to Camposol) Mass in English every Saturday at 4.30 pm Mass in Latin every Sunday at 4.030pm For further information please contact Father Octavio on 676 219 445 or Father Carlos on 628 824 555.

show for an afternoon performance. More time for shopping and dinner before returning home. ONLY €15 November 24th. Madrid & The Races. Staying 4 nights at the city centre 4* Tryp Cibeles on B&B. Shop on Black Friday for bargains and enjoy a trip

to the horse races on Sunday. Also included a trip Talks & Workshops MABS Murcia North East - Sew’n’So’s - Sewing to the beautiful Palace of San Lorenzo on Saturday.

Group Every Mon Fortuna. Taking place every other Monday at Urb. Las Kalendas from 14:00. For further €350 p.p. information email: mabsmurciane@gmail.com NEW December 23rd. Welcome Christmas at The

SAMARITANS IN SPAIN -

In 2016 we aim to expand our teams of listeners around Spain.

If you are resident in the Mazarrón área and would like to hear how you can join us as a Listener or spare a few hours a week to help with fundraising / other events held in the area please contact our General Manager stephenrbaker@outlook.com to register interest in attending an initial group meeting locally. www.samaritansinspain.com Also on Facebook and Twitter. (Volunteer positions are unpaid but certain expenses can be claimed)

MARKET DAYS IN THE AREA

Monday - San Pedro del Pinatar Tuesday - Los Alcazares / Alhama de Murcia Wednesday - Santiago de la Ribeira / Fuente Alamo / Totana Thursday - San Javier / Camposol Sector A / Lorca Friday - Isla Plana (Summer only) Saturday - Mazarron Pueblo / Aguilas Sunday - Puerto de Mazarron / Mar Menor / Cabo de Palos

Helios Hotel Benidorm. Join us for 4 nights on full board including a Gala Christmas Lunch. Don’t be lonely or worry about cooking this Christmas. Coach travel included. €260 p.p.

For more information or to book your tickets, call Rosemary on 620 105 179

Ex-Servicemen’s Association

Mazarrón District (Founded 1 May 2006) events 2016 Friday 6th May - Annual General Meeting - The Clubhouse Rear Room - Camposol “C” - 11.30am Wednesday 11th May - Costa Celbracion Rooms Mazarron Town - 10th Anniversary Dinner Dance with Grand Raffle and Live Entertainment - 7.30pm for 8pm Wednesday 8th June - Spice Villa - Camposol “B” 7.30pm for 8pm Membership and enquiries, Ian 629818611 or esamd.espana@gmail.com

AGE CONCERN SPRING FAIR

SATURDAY 23rd APRIL 11am – 2pm MARIANO’S RESTAURANT CAMPOSOL, A SECTOR BAR & RESTAURANT OPEN ALL DAY 1€ ENTRANCE INCLUDES DRAW TICKET Lots of market & fun stalls: TOMBOLA, GARDEN PRODUCTS, SWEETS, PIES, CERAMICS, BAGS, BLING, CARDS, JEWELLERY, SPICES, CURRY MIXES, CLOTHING AND MUCH MORE! Stallholders contact: 634 336 484

Luz del Sol

new properties s.l.

Call us on 968 199 068 www.luzdelsol.co.uk

Centro Comercial #34, Sector A, Urb. Camposol, Mazarron 30875, Spain

SolTimes

Have A Drop Off Point Here For Payments Private Or Trade Advertisers, Birthdays Or Other Announcements

32

April 2016

animal corner

To advertise here call : 950 121 936

cora CORA is a 3 year old medium sized girl. She is healthy, vaccinated, friendly with all the dogs and very loving.

For more information contact Santa Clara,

Call Margaret 697 495 315.

Fun Dog Show

We, acraa, are delighted to report the results of our fun dog show last Sunday 3rd April in aid of The Dog House Foundation.

Despite a dull start in the weather with the prospect of rain which held off and brightened up later, the dogs and owners arrived from far and wide, all shapes and sizes and all brilliantly behaved, as were their owners.

Cassandra Casandra is a beautiful black and white Schnauzer cross, 6 years old and spayed.

Would benefit from a home with a large garden.

Mountain View

Cat hotel Hondon de las Nieves/Frailes

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

Pick up & delivery service offered for coastal areas

If you would be interested in adopting Cassandra

Answerphone - we will call back: Mobile 654 155 473

Please contact K9 or PHONE: 600 84 54 20 for more info

Telephone: 966 195 816

www.k9club.es

www.mountainviewcathotel.webs.com

SOL CLASSIFIEDS AIRPORT PARKING

For sale

ADVERTISE YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS UP TO 300€ FOR FREE EMAIL:SALES@SOLTIMES.COM BY THURSDAY 5PM

pool tables snooker tables, table tennis tables, darts.

Tel: 666 933 726 www.spainpool.com

Gas Fire & Bottle 35€, Roof Bars & Top Box to fit Ford Fusion 35€, Fold up put u up Bed 10€, Gas BBQ little used 25€, Tel: 865 774 401/653 561 952 Sam s ung programmable electronic w a s h i n g m a c h i n e approx.

5 years old 150€.

4 x wooden dining chair s , good clean condition. 20€, 4 x childrens mountain bikes, ages 4 to 6 years.

30€, Fridge

freezer clean w o r k i n g condition 60€, Can deliver reasonable distance at cost Tel: 606 075 644.

Gas fire & Bottle 55€, Roof Bars & Top Box for Ford Fusion 50€, Fold up Double Bed 20€, Gas BBQ Little used 45€, Tel: 865 774 401 or Mob: 651 563 952 G arden Gate round top steel gate with aluminium privacy panel 1,760 cm high x 98.5 cm wide 50€. Tel 966 713 297

B r a n d new white slate shower tray 80 x 70 95€, Wrought iron DB headboard in cream 35€ Headboard - DB size in white with black inset 35€, Pair of bedside cabinets in white 25€ Tel: 966 713 707 Quesada area.

F RID G E FREEZER w WHIRLPOOL size 170 –60 –60 white no frost fast freeze option can be seen working ex condition 75€, Tel: 966 716 646 Quesada.

4€ 1 DAY

30€ 10 DAY

60€ 1 MONTH

Annual contracts from 229€

• New Indoor parking too • 100% secure and insured • Cheap car repairs & MOT • Meet & greet valet parking service • Only 2 mins from the terminal (closest airport parking) • 24hr short/long term parking

Tel: 615 374 404 info@europarkingalicante.com www.europarkingalicante.com

alternative power

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

All twelve classes were well attended and a good time was had by all with a display of line dancing by Dusty Boots and music and MC by Ray Peters of Smooth FM. The whole event Raised a fantastic 1,200€ which will settle vet bills for The Dog House.

We would like to say a massive thank you to all who attended and those who helped before and on the day and special thank you to the local media for the publicity.

Thanks again from acraa and look forward to seeing you all again next year.

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

electrician

B BETTER B BUILDING COMPANY C

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

Extensions - Terraces Tiling - Patios - Roofing Brickwork - Plastering Balustrades - Gates - Grills

insurance

ALL WORK FULLY GUARANTEED

asssa medical

email: betterbuilding@hotmail.com

Asssa Mazarron, Diane Nolan

968 030 674 642 321 472

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

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

every single month.

For Free Information Visit

www.howtomakemoneyfrommembershipsites.co.uk

insurances

968 153 396

mazarron@asssa.es

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

ELEGANT slim, sexy, naughty Italian lady available home/house visits. Torrevieja, La Manga, Torre Pacheco & Mazarron, Quesada plus all other areas. Escort available home & house visits.

Tel: 693 357 526 Spanish lady Playa Flamenca near new Carrefour before La Florida. 37 years, attractive, classy lady, private house, parking. Offers all erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie, prices from 40€. Full discretion. Tel: Ana 865 646 437

33

www.soltimes.com

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

www.soltimes.com legal

SERVICES WE OFFER ● INHERITANCE ● fiscal representation ●TITLE DEEDS ● CONVEYANCING •SPANISH WILLS CALL 609 656 056 - 965 352 552

Email: info@costamedconsulting.com www.costamedconsulting.com Office: C/ Gabriel Miro 1, 1D, Pilar de la Horadada

pools

All Swimming Pool Reforms, Re-grouts and ReTiling, Pumps Repaired and Replaced, New Roman Steps, New Sand Filters and Sand Changes, New or Repairs to Skimmers, Jets, Hoovers, Bottom Drain, etc... Structural Repairs, Leak Detection Tests.

Fully Legal in Spain 24h rs a servicre e 10 Y Over erience E xp Covering all areas from Miraira to Mazarron

Call 634 186 710 or 638 175 699

Pets- Transport

removals

Pet transportaion 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:

TRANS-PET 600 55 20 30 r Doo 965 96 06 58 2 00 44 7801 272 162 or Do

Kennels & Cattery Passport service-DEFRA authorised Fully insured- Vehicles inspection certificates www.trans-pet.co.uk sharon@trans-pet.co.uk

van.man@hotmail.co.uk

DEADLINES All adverts Friday at 5pm prior to publication

sat/tv services

spas

SAT MART

euro spas Spas at factory prices.

Used & Ex display models.

Spares & repairs.

FOR ALL YOUR TV NEEDS FULLY LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL QUOTATIONS SPARES & REPAIRS 1.4M HIGH GAIN DISH FULLY INSTALLED HD OFFER OR STANDARD BOX NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS OVER 250 TV & 60 RADIO

299€

FULL SKY TV PACKAGE 150€ PER YEAR HOLIDAY PACKAGE UNLIMITED INTERNET 19€/MONTH. FREE TO TURN ON/OFF SO YOU ONLY PAY FOR THE MONTHS YOU USE PLEASE CALL JOHN / MIKE 693 969 872 MOBILE 965 319 830 LANDLINE WWW.SATELLITETVTORREVIEJA.COM SATMARTINSTALLATIONS@GMAIL.COM Rainbow Satellites for all your TV needs with clients all over the Murcia Region. Contact Matt or Alan on 686 358 475 or rainbowsats@gmail.com

Part exchange Telephone 650 722 905

SITUATIONS VACANT

AGE CONCERN

Require an experienced volunteer driver for Tuesday mornings, 10am - 1:30pm.

You must have a Spanish Driving Licence.

If you think that you can help Age Concern in this respect, please call ito the Day Centre at La Siesta, or call Age Concern

966 786 887

UK-SPAIN-UK fortnightly service SPAIN: 914 143 164 UK: 01773 513 013 www.britonsremovals.com britonsremovals@ic24.net

Call Jane To advertise TODAY on on this page 950 121 936 vehicle hire

surveyors

structural

surveys

Mark Paddon BSc Hons. MCIOB. CAAT.

Property buyer’s surveys and expert defects diagnosis

962 807 247 653 733 066

www.surveyorscostablanca.com

upholstery KENT UPHOLSTERY

For all your upholstery needs Homes Sofas/Garden furniture etc Cars Seat repairs inc. soft top Boats Interior/exterior

Foam cut + supplied

Contact Ken: 634 334 776 email: kentuphol@yahoo.com near Lumsden Auctions Formentera www.zenithupholstery.org

wigs

WIG BOUTIQUE Choose from the best human or synthetic hair.

Private fitting room.

Ladies & Gents Professional Service

Head to Toe

Hair, beauty, nails, massage La Zenia 966 773 216

34

April 2016

motoring section for sale and Wanted

vehicle registration

“RE-PLATE” MATE GB

E

Don’t take a chance!

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

Alan 662 249 159

www.replatematecostablanca.com

Email:info@replatematecostablanca.com

For re-registration of cars, motorbikes and motor homes contact Graham Shelton Who after re-registering over 1800 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

BMW 318D 2008 - 5 door hatch 1.8D, 101,000 kms 2 owners Full service history A/C (Climate), PAS ABS, Cruise Front fog lights E. windows/mirrors, High spec model, CD Remote locking F/R park sensors Head lamp wash Metallic grey

Hyundai i20 Aug ‘12 - 5 door hatch 1.2 54,000 kms, 1 owner Full service history A/C (Climate) Isofix PAS ABS E. windows/mirrors CD player Remote locking Rear head restraints Metallic silver

Kia Picanto 2008 - 5 door hatch 1.1 76,000 kms, 2 owners Full service history A/C PAS, ABS Electric windows CD player Remote locking Rear head restraints Awaiting full valet Metallic silver

VW Polo 2004 - 5 door hatch 1.4 124,000 kms 3 owners Fully serviced A/C PAS, ABS Electric windows CD player Central locking Rear head restraints Metallic black

BMW 630i Cabriolet Auto/Tip May ‘09 - Cabriolet 3.0 (270 bhp) Auto/Tip 67,624 kms, 2 owners Full service history A/C (Climate), Alloys Cruise, Nav, Xenon Wind deflector Memory/heated seats Park sensors, Phone Wind deflector Met champ. Full leather Black power hood

pt cruiser RHD (Spanish reg) 2001 - 5 door hatch 2.0 Automatic 70,000 kms Fully serviced A/C, Alloys, PAS, ABS Electric windows, Cruise, 1 owner Front fog lights, CD Remote locking Metallic burgundy

Seat Ibiza July ‘08 - 5 door hatch 1.4 Sport 67,000 kms 2 owners Full service history PAS, ABS, ESP Cruise control Multispoke alloys E. windows/mirrors CD, A/C (Climate) Remote locking Rear head restraints Light metallic blue

€10,450

€7,450

€4,950

€4,950

€26,950

€3,750

€7,450

www.fwreurocars.com

www.fwreurocars.com

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www.fwreurocars.com

www.fwreurocars.com

600 726 221 965 687 976

Do you have a vehicle, boat or motor bike for sale?

Phone Jane 950 121 936

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

600 726 221 965 687 976

600 726 221 965 687 976

Looking for a car ?

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

www.fwreurocars.com

600 726 221 965 687 976

600 726 221 965 687 976

600 726 221 965 687 976

600 726 221 965 687 976

wanted cars for cash CASH CASH

Best prices paid Spanish English Anythingconsidered

tel: Tim on 662 211 993

CASH

Same day collection

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

From 1€ to 10,000€

Call Phil: 607 848 332

mechanic

Mobile Auto Electrician ENGINE MANAGEMENT DIAGNOSTICS

fault Finding & Repairs Engine Diagnostics Air Bag, ECU, Instrument Cluster, Diagnostic & Repair Air-Conditioning Re-Gas & Repairs

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

638 323 499

ACB Diagnostics andybulletvan@gmail.com

658 109 849

Bugatti set the benchmark even higher with the plan of turning the supercar into a luxury road car suitable for everyday use. The development of the Veyron was one of the greatest technological challenges ever known in the automotive industry.

Barely any parts, components or systems could be taken from existing car concepts and used in the Veyron. Everything had to be developed from scratch in order to achieve the performance specs and then everything had to be implemented in the car. The process also drew on the experiences of other industries in which materials and systems are routinely subject to extreme speeds and forces, such as aviation and space travel. The Veyron is the first – and the only – supercar to be developed and constructed with a series configuration that can master any driving scenario at any time. Even ten years after its launch, the supercar is still setting benchmarks and inspiring emotion and enthusiasm across the globe.

Service parts included from 80€ All brakes with labour from 170€ The Veyron 16.4 harmoniously combines athletic performance and elegant form, bringing the proud history that is part of the RHD to LHD light conversions Bugatti-DNA into the present. from 100€ The classic two-tone design creates the characteristic side view with the signature Bugatti line. The centre line and horseshoeAccident repairs shaped radiator grille also bridge the gap between the early Bugatti models and the present day. The broad rear section features free collection or repairs an imposing retractable spoiler and prominent wings, while the horizontal headlamps and radiator define a striking front. at yours www.acbautorecambioscostablanca.com

are you a mechanic? do you have a motoring business?

Phone Jane 950 121 936

To advertise here in the motoring section & reach over 32,000 readers This size advert for less than 4€ a week

Book Review

Anything for a Quiet Life by Jack Hawkins

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

“This can’t happen to me. But it can, and it did, and it does.”

“So malignant, so cruelly and destructively greedy as it gnaws and destroys; the most dread of all diseases.”

Jack Hawkins’ autobiography was written towards the end of his life and published shortly after his death and my gratitude is that we still have a personal record of a remarkable, understated man who was a brilliant actor, so versatile in the roles he chose and working with other equally famous heart-throbs such as Peter O’ Toole, Omar Sharif, John Gielgud and Lawrence Olivier. The list is endless but oh so admirable.

He was such an ambitious actor intent on reaching the bright lights and the dazzle of Hollywood fame from such an early age and succeeding much to his surprise. His revelations indicate the equal importance he allotted to his family and friends and his memoirs reveal a warm, caring and colourfully interesting man who cared deeply for his family and friends. He also carried much guilt for his failure to become a good husband to Jessica Tandy, his first wife and his daughter, Susan who disappeared from his life.

Starcrossed like Romeo and Juliet. He blamed his ambition and perhaps his young age and inexperience also contributed to their demise?

The greatest tragedy was when he eventually lost his battle with cancer after fighting it for so many difficult and frightening years. He was in his prime, his career at its zenith and only 62 years of age when he died.

His inwardly private fears were hidden from the public and he lived in self-denial easily persuaded by Hollywood to continue filming, to continue floating on this bubble of fame. Undeniably he showed great courage to persevere and behave like a typical trooper although Jack admits it was “cowardice pure and simple” as he experienced his own private hell because he was terrified and haunted by dark and worrying thoughts.

“Even a voiceless life held far more than the silence of death.”

He chose not to write openly about his fear of dying and admitted what was suppressed in the dark recesses of his mind. “An irreversible fact” he called it, something he had feared for five years, something he had covered up and made copious excuses for- his vocal problems. Cancer.

Jack’s career was as diverse as sunshine and rainfall covering the stage, films and t.v. His repertoire covered Gilbert and Sullivan in those early days with The Cenci followed by Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Beau Geste, Journey’s End, The Breadwinner, The Cruel Sea, Lawrence of Arabia, Ben Hur, Bridge Over the River Kwai, Mandy and Dr Kildare and many others.

He was acclaimed a star by Hollywood to be “handled with care” because he was seen as “valuable propert y” which amused Jack. Refreshingly without pretentiousness Jack was cynical of the razzmatazz of Hollywood stardom.

He was pragmatic about those demons that could destroy and cites the tragic circumstances surrounding Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland. The stresses of stardom can become intolerable and lead to tragedy. Sadly it wasn’t this that destroyed such a fine actor as Jack Hawkins.

In 1933 J.C.Bergel critic for the Evening News bemused Jack by referring to him as “the most indubitable of matinee idols.”

“Mr Hawkins looks like training to be the irresistibly breezy, infectiously gay

Special Offers Visit:

35

950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com

www.soltimes.com

young hero.”

The most dramatic memory of Jack’s childhood was the “clamour” outside which produced excitement and delight with people dancing in the streets.

The Cause? The war of course. Remember, attitudes have changed and today people are sickened by fighting but this was 1914-1918. Jack “delighted in the thrills of war” and he cherished “the thrill of the dash for the safet y of the broom cupboard under the stairs” with Zeppelins dangerously hanging overhead.

The church and choir dominated his early life but once he had experienced “the thrill and the smell of the theatre, the thrill of a full house, the brightness of the limelights” amateur operatics and choir seemed dull, flat and uninviting for his ambitions.

Surprisingly there was a time in Jack’s life when the theatre lost its magical world of make believe and he felt lonely, unhappy and restless. So he joined the army, travelled the world and met the love of his life, Doreen Lawrence who he rated as an extremely talented actress and physically attractive. It sounded like love at first sight. They performed to troops in south-east Asia and then after the war, throughout Europe. The nesting instinct came once they both returned to the U.K. A journalist commented on his attraction: “Women fall like a ton of bricks for the strong, silent charms of actor Jack Hawkins. They have made him the biggest romantic idol in British films since the heyday of James Mason.”

At the end of his autobiography his widow, Doreen Hawkins added an emotional post-script covering the period April-July 1973 describing her heartache and the final moments surrounding his battle to stay alive: “I am so cold. We all are. Nick fetched some brandy, and we sipped it between us and comforted ourselves that at least he would not suffer any more, and we would not have to watch his despair and unhappiness. Jack has found his quiet life. Now I have to try and find mine.”

Dramatically ironic but a fitting tribute to a husband and father.

Publisher: Coronet Books, Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN: 0-340-19866-4.

www.ecocorpshop.com

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

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

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

from 6995€

including battery bank.

9 PANELES (250W Full systems - special offer, while stocks last 12 PANELES (250W Eurener) + Inverter Eurener) + Inverter and analizador de and analizador de redes, panel mounting redes, panel mountsystem, cables and ing system, cables and breakers – only €5,995 breakers – only €4,995 (save around €1,100 (save around €750 per per year) year)

No Tax On the Sun! (Real Decreto 900/2015 Boe 243 10th October 2015) Now that the government have passed the new laws with regard to solar energy, there is no better time to subsidize your electricity bills. Our systems can be scaled to suit your energy requirements so as you attain the fastest payback. All systems meet EU and Spanish requirements for connecting to the grid and there is NO TAX to pay!

Solar swimming pool filtration pump kit.

Run your swimming pool on solar

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Why not consider PX your old, tired system for a new, more efficient one.

36

April 2016

motoring

N332 - Driving In Spain

Advice and information about driving in Spain.

Common Causes of Road Rage

For the majority of motorists, driving in a courteous manner is the most natural way to progress, however, there are occasions when a normally calm driver see red and is transformed into a monster. Road rage can affect everybody, but most of the time the most frustrating causes of an increase in stress levels are caused by other people, often unintentionally, but sometimes by those few drivers whose selfish and almost bullying attitude poses a risk to everybody on the road.

Amongst the most common bad habits is “aggressive driving”, defined as “any ways that directly or indirectly affect both pedestrians and drivers and cause, harm or damage to other people moving at the same time where traffic flows”.

In high-traffic situations, when there are many drivers who interact at the same time, there is often an increase in aggressive behaviour by some, but this is not necessarily a new phenomenon as it has been present almost as long as roads and cars themselves have existed.

Social factors largely determine this aggressiveness. Haste, noisy environments, many people in a confined space, stress that accompanies our daily lives, are all situations that increase our aggressiveness behind

the wheel, according to a recent report by LegalCar. Their report offers two main reasons why this aggressiveness increases. When driving a car without being aware of the many psychophysiological mechanisms that will be useful to strengthen the capacity to react in time to adversity when we are driving, and the increase caused by drivers being seemingly unpunished for their actions.

Many of the elements that influence the violent reactions behind the wheel have to do with stereotypes. For example, some people react aggressively on the grounds of sex against women, against novice and older drivers. In addition, racism and even a person´s clothing can cause an increase in driver aggression.

Other driver´s actions such as seeing a driver using a mobile phone or carrying out a seemingly dangerous or unnecessary manoeuvre, or speeding, can all increase the stresses of driving. Many of these factors are illegal, as they can all be extremely dangerous, and so we will look at some of the most common mistakes, in the hope that if we are aware of some of the factors that can cause road rage, we can avoid creating the situation ourselves, either unintentionally or otherwise.

Traffic Police Suggested as Driving Test Examiners

Some of the most common avoidable “mistakes” that can lead to road rage include blocking junctions, such as a vehicle stopping in the middle of a crossroads when their exit wasn´t clear, thus blocking the flow of traffic across the junction when the priority changes.

Centre-lane hogging on motorways, or even, in some cases, remaining in the lefthand lane on a motorway. In Spain we drive on the right, in fact as far right as possible, according to the law, and although multiple lanes exist for overtaking, a vehicle must return to the right-hand lane once the move is complete, subject to instructions from signs and signals.

Weaving in and out of lanes in a traffic jam causes frustrations, largely as this impedes the flow of the lane that the vehicle is joining and can amplify delays for everybody waiting.

Dazzling oncoming vehicles because our headlights are not set correctly or we may have them on full beam unnecessarily. The same applies for fog lights, which should only be used in the case of a severe reduction in visibility. Having alight out is also a frustration for many, and a dangerous and illegal situation too. At night, a car with only one headlight may be confused for a motorcycle. Having a back light or brake light missing can not only cause confusion, it is extremely dangerous, which is why it is illegal.

Stealing parking spaces is high on the list of frustrations for many drivers. When you wait patiently for a vehicle to vacate, and another car sneaks in the gap before you can be one of the most frustrating conditions that drivers find.

Trying to sneak past traffic cues by using the hard shoulder or slip road is equally frustrating for many.

At these same slip roads, some drivers will actively accelerate in order to prevent a vehicle from joining the main carriageway.

This increase in speed also means that your vehicle is heading faster towards a potential collision situation. It is far better to take the courteous option, if possible, and back-off to allow vehicles to join the flow of traffic with you.

The same applies for overtaking. A vehicle is only allowed to overtake if it can return to the flow of traffic safely in front of the vehicle it wants to pass. However, if that, or any other vehicle prevents its safe return by perhaps increasing speed, then the situation becomes extremely dangerous.

Failing to maintain the correct distance from the vehicle in front is a very dangerous and illegal move, and it is one of the biggest frustrations for many. Maintaining a safe distance is crucial at all times.

However, the biggest cause of aggressive behaviour and the biggest frustration for many road users is failing to use indicators.

Remember, indicators are there to “indicate” our intentions to other road users. They should be used BEFORE a manoeuvre is carried out. Always remember the basics, Mirror – Signal – Manoeuvre. If you don´t indicate, or if you indicate too late, you are not telling other road users of your intention, creating a potentially dangerous situation, and for that reason you face a fine. The same applies to cancelling your indicators. Make sure they have been cancelled once the move is complete. http://n332.es/

25’95 € A national federation representing driving schools across Spain has come up with a proposal to help reduce the backlog of examinations caused by recent industrial action by examiners.

The CNAE say that more than a dozen provinces have not yet recovered from the action, with student drivers having to wait for between one and two months for an appointment for their driving test. In some cases, the student driver isn´t notified until 48 hours before the practical examination.

The situation seems to be getting worse, according to the federation, with attempts to fill vacancies for examiners failing and more leaving the industry on a daily basis.

The solution the CNAE have come up with and are proposing, is utilising serving officers from the Guardia Civil traffic department to conduct both the theory and practical examinations.

Although the idea of a uniformed traffic cop sitting alongside a nervous, novice driver conducting the test might well be one of the most daunting prospect that the candidates may face,

the federation believe that the officers are uniquely placed in their knowledge of traffic law and procedure to conduct the tests, and would require very little additional training in order to achieve this.

The idea comes from France where the government has allowed other departments to control the theory test, and, in some cases, have used gendarmes in test situations on closed tracks.

It should be pointed out however that this is just a suggestion from the federation and has not been formally p r o p o s e d, so is unlikely to become a reality any time soon, if ever. h t t p:// n332.es/

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37

SPORTS SHORTS by Tony Matthews the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with PSG. The game stands at 2-2.

• Tonight West Ham meet Manchester United in their FA Cup 6th round replay.

• And tomorrow Liverpool meet Borussia Dortmund in the return leg of their last eight Europa League tie with the teams locked at 1-1.

• This weekend it’s ChelseaManchester City, Leicester-West Ham, Norwich-Sunderland and Stoke-Spurs in the Premiership while Hibs-Dundee United and Celtic-Rangers meet in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

• In the semi-finals of Rugby’s European Champions Cup it’s Leicester v Toulon/Racing 92 and Saracens v Wasps.

• GB’s Anthony Joshua knocked out American Charles Martin to become world heavyweight boxing champion and legend Manny Pacquiao beat Timothy Bradley junior in his last fight before retiring.

• Teenager David Mullins rode 33-1 shot Rule the World to victory in last Saturday’s Grand National.

• This weekend it’s the Chinese F1 Grand Prix from Shanghai.

• The World Snooker Championships start on Saturday.

• The British Swimming Championships and Olympic trials are taking place in Glasgow.

• And the 2016 County Cricket Championship season is also underway.

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Fuel Savings of 20% can be achieved

The tuning process consists of software changes, where we modify the operating parameters in the vehicles ECU (engine control unit) program or ‘map’.

We do not change or add any hardware in your vehicle. In many cases the map stored on the ECU’s micro processor can be accessed via the on-board diagnostics port (OBD) in the vehicle, normally found under the dashboard. In some newer models the ECU will have to be removed from the vehicle and programmed on the bench.

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Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent of political parties, private investment and government. Our policy is to provide readers with a news and information service that is fair, accurate and balanced. Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent publications. Published weekly and produced exclusively in Murcia & Blanca. Sol Times News Group cannot be held responsible for claims made by advertisers, nor can it be held responsible for errors in advertisements caused by poor quality text, photographs or layout instructions. Furthermore, no responsibility can be accepted for any loss or damage resulting caused by any error, inaccuracy or non-appearance of an advertisement. Deposito Legal Sol Times Calida AL 851-2010. Sol Times Blanca AL 852-2010

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• Sheffield-born golfer Danny Willett claimed a shock Masters win as 2015 champion Jordan Spieth crumbled in the final round at Augusta.

Willett won by three shots to become the first British victor in 20 years.

England’s Lee Westwood tied with Speith for second place with Paul Casey joint fourth.

• Leicester City beat relegatedthreatened Sunderland 2-0 to remain seven points clear at the top of the Premiership and they’ll be in the Champions League next season after second-paced Tottenham defeated Manchester United 3-0.

• West Ham drew 3-3 with Arsenal; WBA lost 2-1 at Manchester City for whom Sergio Aguero netted his 130th goal on his 200th appearance; Southampton beat Newcastle 3-1; doomed Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Bournemouth; Swansea ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run with a 1-0 win; Liverpool crunched Stoke 4-1; Crystal Palace defeated Norwich 1-0 in a vital relegation battle and Watford and Everton drew 1-1.

• Burnley still lead the Championship from Middlesbrough, but Bolton have been relegated!

• Wigan Athletic, promoted Northampton, Celtic, Rangers (champions), Dunfermline Athletic and East Fife are top of the FL1, FL2, SPL, SLC, SL1 and SL2 respectively.

• In Spain, Atletico Madrid beat Espanyol 3-1 to close within three points of La Liga leaders Barcelona who lost 1-0 at Real Sociedad. And Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first player to score 30 goals six seasons running as Real Madrid whipped Eibar 4-0.

• Last night Manchester City contested

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38

April 2016

Great Easter Sunday Racing

Easter Sunday, the second Race Day of the SAMM Spring Series, turned out to be a great and exciting day, despite the tardy start no doubt due to the clocks going forward the night before. There were two races of 4 laps each with the cruisers starting 10 minutes before the dinghies.

The Race Officer set what he thought was an interesting course.

With a southerly wind at about 10 to 12 Knots he set the first mark due SE of the gate near the moored ferries, the second due north, the third west and finally beat back. Number one proved to be very tricky and forced all crews to think and work out their strategies.

In race 1, Sirocco and Mistral went over the line together bang on the start signal and after the first lap were only 20 seconds apart. Poor old Connie just about completed one lap when all the other boats had finished. Shoestring Cuatro and the Hartley crossed the line together right on the dinghy signal and exchanged the lead over the four laps. Shoestring Uno had reefed and then lost time shaking it out. The start gate proved to be a magnet and by the time of the 4th lap the boats had to dodge, canoeists, a dozen Polish windsurfers and four CAR boats loaded to the gills with children. A very close finish, with Shoestring Cuatro winning by a few seconds.

By race 2 the wind started to

change from the South to the East and slightly faded. This resulted in the first lap taking twice as long as the first lap in the first race.

However two cracking starts again.

With a shortened course in mind, the wind picked up to 15 knots and lap times were cut to about 18 minutes, finally resulting in another win for Shoestring Cuatro.

Photo – The Winning Crew (L to R) Vernon O’Byrne, Ingo Wilson, John Down Next race day April 10th For more information about SAMM have a look at their web site www. sailingmarmenor.com

San Miguel Golf Society at Villamartin.

April 6th, 2016.

A very early and rainy start, with little light for those heading off first, from the 10th just before eight, saw 43 members and 9 guests take on Villamartin for a stableford competition. Although rain had fallen the previous day and overnight, the course was well drained and in good condition. With the final drops falling a touch before 9a.m., cloudy conditions remaining until the sun started to come out as the last players came in, and only a slight breeze, the weather couldn’t be held responsible for poor scoring, a long course set up and difficult pin placing could. Highest handicappers were the most affected and returns in the Bronze category were particularly poor with only Ray Ewins (33) breaking the 30 points barrier. Silver category faired much better, with the day’s best score of 36 points being posted by the groups’ winner and runner-up, Ken Flaherty and Grattan Forber respectively. In Gold little separated the five prize winners, with first, Jesus Lozano (34),

Smale) in a closely fought battle, 1 up.

The day’s competition results, by category and in reverse order, were the following: Bronze Category: 5th Mick Roscoe (23), 4th Ian Parkinson (24 on CB), 3rd John Bodner (24 on CB), 2nd Keith Stevenson (27), and 1st, Ray Ewins with 33 points.

Silver Category: 5th Brian Mulligan (32 on CB), 4th Mike Jordan (32 on CB), 3rd Glen Rapley (32 on CB), 2nd Grattan Forber (36 on CB) and 1st, with the same score and winning on count back, Ken Flaherty.

Gold Category: 5th Paul Wainwright (33 on CB), 4th John Osborne (33 on CB), 3rd Bjorn Pettersson (34 on CB), 2nd Barry Roehrig (34 on CB), and 1st Jesus Lozano, also with 34.

The Abacus Stenhouse.

was

won

by

Ron

Nearest the pins on the par 3’s (open to all) went to Barry Roehrig (6), Bo Lejdstrom (9), Mike Jordan (13) and John Aitchison (17) The Best Guest was Mark Pope, returning a very respectable 34 points.

Our thanks go to the staff at Villamartin golf course for their contribution to the day.

only beating 5th by a single point.

One match, the first of the doubles quarter finals, was played in this season’s SMGS match play competition, with MF’ers (Mike Frankish and Steve Higgins) beating Long and Short (Alan Gilbert and Tony

Keep up to date with all SMGS matters by logging on to our website www.smgs.org or simply give Barry Roehrig a call on 966 731 033 to find out more about the society and its weekly golf get-togethers. Next week we will be at Vistabella.

el plantio golf society

Today`s `Gruesome` competition had to be replaced by a `Joker` as the numbers playing needed to be divisible by 2 and 19 members turned out on 5th April.

BRADLEY BREAKERS

Nearest the pins : Hole 1 , Gordon Wayne, Hole 4, John O`Brien 3rd Place, Martin Rickman, Handicap 10 - Score 38 Points.

2nd Place on C/B, Ray Housley, Handicap 10 - Score 38 Points.

1st Place, Keith Smith Handicap 11 - Score 40 Points.

If anyone would like to join our Society, we play at El Plantio Golf Club on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. We use both courses - the Par 3 nine hole course and the main 18 hole course, so we cater for all abilities. The membership rates are very competitive, so call for more details. Anyone who wishes to play in the Society as a guest or join as a new member, contact Ian Henderson on 966 716 616 or 636 116 230.

965 723 270 607 848 332

www.soltimes.com

39

40

SOLTIMES APRIL 2016

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