TM
Costa Blanca
Welcome to the January edition of T.I.M.
... for you this month! 2
¿ Hay un estanco por aqui?
Covering the Costa Blanca, inland and coastal
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Why not Treat Yourself?
134th Edition
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Let’s Get Wild
10 The Gadget Page 32 The Fun Page
SPOT THE BULL COMPETITION! Last months bully was on page 39 on the jandafaom advert. Congratulations to Mrs M Westbrook of Los Montesinos who spotted bully ,and won the 50 euros for doing so. For a chance to win €50 this month, the entry form can be found on page 45. GOOD LUCK!
Advertise with us Nickie Pickering: 606 891 644 editor@timspain.com Alicante Area, La Romana, Aspe & Hondon de las Nieves areas.
Zoe: 634 362 474 zoe@timspain.com Castalla & El Campello
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DISCLAIMER
John McGregor: 600 088 341 La Marina area, Quesada, Torrevieja and surrounding districts. Chris Wood: 622 349 668 chris@timspain.com Hondon de los Frailes, Albatera, Catral, La Murada, Fortuna, Benferri and Orihuela Costa.
TIM is an independently published magazine and cannot accept any responsibility for claims or advice given in articles or advertisements and reserves the right to withdraw or alter material without notice. It is advisable for the reader to check information prior to acting on it. RENUNCIA La revista T.I.M no se hace responsable de los errores cometidos o de las ideas u opiniones expresadas por los colaboradores o anunciantes. Mientras tengamos un cuidado razonable, los publicistas no tendremos culpa ninguna por insatisfactoria que resulte cualquier transacción realizada atravez de la revista.
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the editor or staff. And the TIM magazine and or its staff will not be held liable for views in articles that the reader may not agree with.
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¿Hay un estanco por aquí? was one of the very first phrases I learned in Spanish. It comes from the 1970s BBC Spanish course “Dígame!” It translates as “Is there a tobacconist nearby?” So estanco means tobacconist. At least I always thought that it did but, apparently, I was wrong. An estanco is, in reality, a type of monopoly established to control the sale of any goods or service. The word estanco has become synonomous with the 13,500 shops that sell tobacco in Spain simply because tobacconists are one of the last, and most visible of the state monopolies. The accurate name for the shops, identified by their brown and yellow signs, is Expendeduría de Tabacos y Timbres del Estado – or, loosely translated, an authorised tobacco and government forms outlet. It was the Spanish who introduced tobacco into Europe. Right from the start its sale in Spain has been controlled by the state. Even today, before anyone can sell tobacco, they have to get a licence from a division of the Tax Ministry. In the early and middle part of the 20th Century, when tobacco was in vogue, new licences were issued regularly. Nowadays, with a shrinking market, there is no need for new shops. The last licences were issued in 2013 after a ten year gap. In the interim if you wanted to take over a tobacconists your only option was to buy an existing licence. Estanco licences have traditionally been awarded in a concurso, a competition, often to reward people for service to the state. After the last Civil War, for instance, lots of licences went to Francoist side war widows. The licences, once indefinite, now last 25 years but they are usually renewed without any fuss iprovided there are no problems. The last round of licences were awarded by auction rather than concurso There are several controls on the licences. Anyone applying for a licence must be an EU citizen and live in the area they want the licence for. Once the licence is granted the applicants must work in the shop themselves, though they can employ other workers as well. That’s why there are no big chain
tobacconists in Spain. Tobacconists can’t be in shopping centres, they can’tt be close to schools and they can’t be too close together. All estancos sell tobacco, smoker’s paraphernalia, printed government forms and stamps. As they apply potential licensees have to say what additional items they want to sell. Nearly all sell stationery, sweets, newspapers, magazines and phone top ups. Lottery tickets are also common. Some products, like foodstuffs, cannot be sold. The decision, on what can be sold in estancos, varies across the various autonomous communities but most allow more leeway in rural shops. There is an application fee, an opening fee and an annual fee on each estanco plus a much larger levy on sales. The profit levels,set by the state, are 9% above wholesale for cigars and and 8.5% on other tobaccos products. For printed forms it’s just 4%. This means that out of every euro paid for tobacco the government gets 80 cents, the wholesaler 12 cents and the retailer about 8 cents. In the last few years cigarette sales in Spain have nosedived. In 2009 some 90 million cigarettes were sold but by 2014 that was down to 48 million. Remarkably tax revenues have remained relatively stable over the same period though both Central Government and the retailers are concerned at the high levels of cheap tobacco being smuggled into Spain from neighbouring Gibraltar and Andorra. As well as estancos there are about 100,000 tobacco vending machines in Spain which are mainly in bars and petrol stations. Cigars can be sold separately. These “Points of sale with a recharge” are also licensed and controlled by the commission that controls the estancos. The tobacco in the machines has to be supplied by one of the three nearest local tobacconists with the retail profit coming from a surcharge over the estanco price.
by Chris Thompson
¿Hay un estanco por aquí?
TIM Magazine™
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™ So, here we are in 2016. The time for new beginnings, especially if you’ve just come round a week after New Year’s Eve. What is a ‘new beginning’ anyway? Isn’t a beginning bound to be new? (Liverpool supporters may want to groan and turn the page here). It’s the time for the ‘triumph of hope over experience’ as Dr Johnson (no, not Boris) put it. Though as he also said the person ‘who’s tired of London is tired of life’ perhaps we can ignore him.
bloodiest battle of World War One, with half a million casualties, for a gain of a few square miles, all to be given up eighteen months later. The focus, no doubt, will be on the first day, July 1st 1916, when the British Army broke its record for casualties on one day – 57,000, of whom 18,000 were killed. If it happened today, we’d be saying ‘Lessons must be learned’. They were then. On the second day the total dropped to 40,000..
It is the time when tired old clichés are trotted out each year, with the possible exception of the two months before Christmas (season of goodwill, let’s make this year’s special), or the ten months before that. Foremost among the recycled clap-trap, of course, is the New Year’s Resolution. The struggle to find a different spin on the activity gets more tortured each year. ‘I’m going to resolve not to make any New Year resolutions this year’ was no doubt funny in 1792, though not if you were in Paris in the queue for the guillotine at the time. ‘I’m going to resolve to be a better person’ is equally hilarious. And futile. ‘I’m going to read every single page of TIM this year’ sounds really innovative though the advertising department asked me to say that. Actually they said ‘every page but one’ – I’m not taking it personally.
At least the Somme commemorations will probably be muted, the passion and anger now dissipated. We can only hope that two other significant anniversaries this year whose legacies have been more bitter can be remembered as opportunities for reconciliation rather than the continuation of hatreds: the centenary of the Easter Rising in Dublin and, of course, the eightieth anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War. On a less blood-drenched note, the ninetieth anniversary of the General Strike in 1926 is unlikely to cause much celebration in the Corbyn household.
The big resolution this year (again) is for a dry January. OK, I know it never rains. I mean a non-alcohol January. Ah, too late (again). Apparently the medical evidence for the benefits of this is very strong. (Just like it was for smoking but did that stop anyone?) The liver of people who’d managed a dry January last year (well, the person, to be strictly correct, if you’re going to be picky) showed a far lower amount of damage than normal. Pity he died of boredom on February 1st. (Some of you may recall an Andy Capp cartoon in the ‘Daily Mirror’ - an old man tells Andy Capp “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t chase women and today I’m celebrating me ninetysecond birthday.’ Andy Capp stares at him and says ‘How?’) Right, having failed with looking forward, perhaps we should focus on the past. Anniversaries in 2016. Hmm, on second thoughts... Not much jollity there. Centenary of the Battle of the Somme. The
A more personal anniversary is the sixtieth of the first FA Cup Final I saw on TV and, coincidentally, my first lesson in the fallibility of newspaper predictions. ‘Hart and Revie may play but (Birmingham) City will win 3-1’ was the Daily Express headline. Revie (later to become England manager) did indeed play (for Manchester City) but the predicted win for Birmingham was a 3-1 defeat. The game is chiefly remembered now as Trautmann’s Final, the Manchester City goalkeeper and former German POW Bert Trautmann playing the last fifteen minutes of the game with a broken neck. Who could have predicted that? Predictions proliferate at New Year, only avoiding fallibility by stating the blinking obvious, as in ‘It’s going to be a hot summer.’ Totally pathetic. Are they written by idiots? So where are mine, then, you say? I’m glad you asked me that. I’ve given the subject a lot of thought and am confident I’ll set new standards. Ready? Here goes. Oh dear, run out of space... Happy New Year.
THE BISH BASH Words by John Bishop.
https://johnbishopauthor.wordpress.com 4
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Costa Blanca
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The Inland Magazine™
Why not Treat Yourself? You only live once, or twice if you are 007, so why not treat yourself? Maybe you have heard the urban myth that travelling on Spain’s high speed train services, the most modern being the AVE (Alta Velocidad España) is expensive. Well let us consider the facts. I frequently visit Madrid and travel on the AVE from Alicante, a distance of around 310 miles. Usually I book a seat in ‘Preferente` what British Rail lookalikes still call First Class. This has nothing to do with snobbery but sound economic sense. Why? Because on most of these services (dependent on time of day) you will be served an excellent hot meal. On my last trip I enjoyed consommé, salad, cod with spinach and carrots, a sweet, bread, wine, coffee with a brandy (I was celebrating not on a dipsomaniac excursion) Cost of ticket? A mere 54,70 €. So let us say the meal was equivalent to a 15€ menu del dia net cost of travel was 40€, which is around 29 pounds. Cost per mile equals just over 9 pence. Thetrainline.com (UK web site) quotes a first class fare of 282 pounds to travel between Worthing - Manchester (a comparable distance) Cost per mile equals 91 pence. So, now does the AVE look expensive? But wait there is more. A fellow TIM contributor recently told me he travelled from Birmingham to London first class on Virgin trains and was served a sausage sandwich and cheese and crackers on his return journey. The words gourmet cuisine do not spring to mind. A big deterrent to travelling on any RENFE service is their unpredictable online booking service. Their web site does indeed move in mysterious ways and even internet savvy would-be travellers will need perseverance and frankly a lot of luck. If these are not traits of yours do yourself a favour
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and purchase your tickets at a travel agent or a RENFE station. The small commission charges are well worth it. There is a rumour that RENFE have admitted their system’s shortcomings and are planning a major upgrade. Timescales etc. currently unknown. Another anomaly is the Tarjeta Dorada. RENFE boast various tempting discounts are available for the Over 60s who are the proud owners (Costs 6€) of this (flimsy paper) card. Frequently the published fares included a ‘Promo’ price which means they cost less than using the Tarjeta Dorada for your ticket purchases. Needless to say you cannot have a Promo price and use the card - no having your cake and eating it too. But to be positive - you can get some very cheap fares. I have been told of another quirk - buying 4 tickets can be cheaper than 3! How? RENFE offer a table price which means you buy all 4 seats around a table. Unit cost can be less than only buying 3 because the 4 with table are sold cheaper. So find another friend to travel with or sell the 4th seat on to another traveller. RENFE score top marks on their Android app - only useful of course if you have a smart phone, mind you most people do these days. Well certainly the Spaniards (of all ages) anyway. If you achieve the holy grail of buying your tickets online, well done welcome to Geek status and you can opt to have your ticket as an e-ticket. This means you do not have to print it off to board the train you merely show the RENFE ticket checker person your e-ticket on your phone and they will wave a magic wand and you can proceed to board. Naturally anybody losing their phone or arriving at the station with a flat battery will not be going on their journey. But hey who said being a Geek was easy? If you have taken my advice and booked Preferente (can you taste the cod yet?) be prepared for a long walk at Alicante because
E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
Costa Blanca your seat will be in coaches 1-3 which will be at the far end of the platform. But you can sit smugly in your seat (recovering from the long walk) as you glide along at around 300km/h because your coach will be at the front when you arrive (and re-board for the return) at Ma-drid. Yes the smart readers amongst you will have sussed you will face the trudge again at Alicante. Another fact you can smugly (take plenty of smugness with you) is that you are travelling on the world’s second longest high speed modern rail network. Do not let any French persons dissuade you of the fact with talk of their TGV being the best in the world. ´France has the second largest high-speed network in Europe, with 2,037 km of operative HSR lines in December 2011, only behind Spain’s 2,665 km.’ (Source WIKI) This figure is now 3,100 km in service according to ADIF, the Administrator of Railway Infrastructures, the state-owned company that answers to the Ministerio de Fomento. ADIF plays a leading role in promoting the railway sector, working towards converting it into the ideal mode of transport and facilitating access to the infrastructure under fair conditions. (Claims their web site) Spain is second only to China. But (from what I have read, no travel experience) the Chinese system leaves a little (actually a lot) to be desired regarding infrastructure build quality and reliability. So OK the AVE system is not 100% Spanish manufactured with rolling stick sourced from other European counties but the Spaniards have accumulated a vast knowledge of civil engineering as the AVE system hurtles along, over and under Spain. Some of this experience is currently being employed on the London Cross Rail project. Ah we have arrived, on time (as usual, if not refunds available) time to meet my friends in Madrid and have an enjoyable weekend and, of course, look forward to the return journey. Maybe this article constitutes a beginners’ guide to rail travel in Spain. I am a mere novice to the acclaimed world wide rail travel expert - The Man in seat 61. More here http://www.seat61.com Google RENFE and ADIF to join the Spanish rail revolution, no anorak required.
Words by Rob Innis
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TIM Magazine™
If you want to live in Spain you´ve got to love wildlife. And no, I´m not talking fluffy bunnies and gentle doe-eyed deer, but things that crawl, creep or buzz in the scrub on the mountain. They´re all very well if they stay on the mountain but not when they decide they want to snack on human flesh or stage a mass incursion into the kitchen or the bedroom. Let´s start with beetles and bugs. Some are beautiful, but you need to be really dedicated to pick up a huge shiny black one when it´s lying on its back in the middle of your bedroom floor waving its legs frantically. I think it might be screaming too but I can´t hear it because I´m deaf. Anyway, back to the beetle. Keeping a tumbler and a bit of cardboard is the best solution. But use a big one or the legs get trapped. It´s no good patting yourself on the back if you´ve rescued a beetle with two legs missing because it´s going to die.
spider who sits quietly waiting for lunch to be delivered. He knows he´s safe because I can´t reach him with the feather duster. I´m certainly not climbing a ladder so if guests notice him I tell them he´s my nature project. A skull and crossbones hanging from the balcony means the pirate spider has returned. He´s an impressive sight with long spindly legs striped black and yellow that wave in all directions while he searches for prey. His name says it all for he only eats other spiders although if he´s desperate he might try a small insect. Producing offspring must be a dodgy business if you´re likely to get eaten the minute you say “Yes”. I leave him well alone to get on with the job of dispatching the less attractive members of his species. There are more than twenty two thousand types of ants of which only twelve thousand have been classified. The rest live in my kitchen.
My two o´clock beetles are small and black with far too many legs.
My little crumb pets, not much bigger than a pinhead, are my favourites.
They´re the ones you find having a party in your bed when you come home slightly the worse for wear at 2am. Trying to catch them is like trying to catch quicksilver. The sensible solution is to retire gracefully and sleep on the sofa.
These tiny ants hide in my bedroom waiting to pounce on biscuit crumbs. They prefer Digestives but anything will do at a pinch although they´re not keen on Ginger nuts.
If you hate spiders don´t read the next few lines because I´m going to tell you about the ones I live with. The one by the door is a persistent little web weaver who, in spite of my efforts with the feather duster, gets the better of me every time. I never see him but the new webs and the neatly wrapped parcels of little flies bear witness to the fact that he´s still there, waiting to start weaving again the minute I hang up the duster. I´ve come to the conclusion that the only way to get rid of him is to move the door. A dusty web high in a corner of the guest room is home to a grey house
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Of course, if you don´t eat biscuits in bed then you won´t be bothered by these mini- invaders. All that and we haven’t even mentioned wasps using the pool as their drinking fountain, giant millipedes looking to take a chunk out of your toe, or scorpions writhing under garden stones. The thought of living alongside these fascinating creatures may not be your idea of a good time but there is a solution. Since they all seem to prefer clean lodgings what better excuse can you have for lying in the sun and forgetting about housework? After all, isn´t that why you came to Spain in the first place?
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By Mary Dinnis.
Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
The
Gadget Page
Terminology One of the hardest things about explaining how to fix something over the phone, or trying to understand the problem over the phone is terminology. Below are some of the more common ones that people get wrong.
Each of these are completely different programs, and if you are having a problem getting on the Internet with one, try a different one. It’s often useful to have more than one installed on your PC, just in case of an issue. All Windows computers have Internet Explorer on them, and Windows 10 always has Microsoft Edge on it.
Click, Double Click, Right Click, Drag Start Button This refers to how to use the mouse. Normally, to open a file, or open anything on the desktop, you need to double click. This is generally the ONLY time you double click. Within a program (no matter what the program is), you generally only click (press the left mouse/touchpad button once). If someone says “Click” – this ALWAYS means a single left click.
The start button is that thing on the bottom left of the screen – and varies depending on your system. On Windows XP, it actually said “START” on it – now it’s just the Windows symbol (Vista – Windows 10). - The Windows Start Button (Vista/7)
Drag is slightly different, in the fact that Drag means to click and HOLD the mouse button down, and then keep the button held down until you have moved the mouse to a new place. This is also a common error when people “lose” things – as they have often accidently dragged a file into a different folder on the PC. Opening “Computer” on the desktop? Double click. Opening Word from a desktop shortcut? Double click. Opening Word from the taskbar, or from the Start Menu? Single Left Click.
One thing worth noting is that you can get special features by RIGHT clicking on the start button - for example, want a quick way to get to the Control Panel? Right click the start button, and choose Control Panel! Don’t forget, you have to start to close down! (Yep, 14 years later and they still haven’t fixed that anomaly!). Minimize/Restore/Close
Browser One of the most common things I hear when I ask how you get on the Internet is “I use Google”. The main problem is that Google is a company. That’s a bit like saying “What car do you drive? It’s a Renault. A Renault what? You know, a Renault one.” A browser is a bit like a car – you get different ones, and they all look and work slightly differently – but they all get you to the same places. I have listed the common ones below: Google Chrome Browser Mozilla Firefox Browser Internet Explorer Browser Microsoft Edge Browser
These buttons appear at the top right of almost every window, and allow you to reduce the size of a window (a window being a browser window, such as a website, or a program window, such as Word). This means you can search of something on the Internet without having to close down that document you are working on. It also means you can open your list of saved passwords without closing the website that’s asking for it (although personally, I would recommend writing down your passwords somewhere safe, rather than saving them to your PC!). Except for Skype and Torrenting programs, the close button physically turns off that particular program. On Skype and Torrents, it just hides the program. Hopefully this has been helpful, and until next month!
by David Fraser
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
There is little justice for the worst of men. By Marty Funkhauser
Nonce broadcaster Stuart Hall was released from prison today after serving half of his 5 year sentence. Hall was convicted of abusing more than a dozen girls aged between 9 and 17. Nonce bearded Antipodean Rolf Harris remains in prison for the time being after being convicted of a similar number of girls including the best friend of his daughter from the age of 13, he received 9 months more than Hall. Please bear in mind that Hall´s sentence was originally 15 months and was then increased to 30 months following a Court of Appeal, a further 30 months was then added for a further assault on a 13 year old girl. Hall is said to have spent much of his time in prison writing his second autobiography whilst Harris has penned songs that he promises to record when he walks free, one of which contains lyrics as follows:“That old bandwagon you crawled out of/(rotten to the core)/ conceals a host of foul accusers,/ Twenty maybe more/ My guess is they’ll slide after you/ All following your stench/ Perhaps you believe you’re pretty still, some perfumed sultry wench.” Hall and Harris have shown no remorse whatsoever for their deplorable crimes and it is unknown as to whether they have received any therapy or counselling whilst inside. When there are reports on the television of rapists, my wife often says to me “why would a man do that?” and I always answer “I´m a man and I can´t ever imagine doing anything remotely 12
like it so I can only assume they are sick”. By research one can see clearly that the sentences imposed on the two despicable men have been given due to their advanced ages which are not a decision that should have been allowed to be made; the law does not take age into consideration in these matters and, subsequently, neither should judges. As I write this there are 10 days left before Christmas and I am sickened that Hall will be spending his Christmas at home, the 1.2m home that he signed over to his wife before his court appearance, in the company of his family and friends, if he has any. Meanwhile I cannot imagine what Christmas will be like for his victims and their families. The actions of these repugnant creatures have far reaching effects. There have been numerous occasions in my life where the actions of men like Harris and Hall have caused me to think about what is appropriate whilst I have been in the company of children and I detest them for that. Tis the season of goodwill and I find myself hoping that something quite terrible has happened to Hall and Harris whilst they have been incarcerated and I dearly hope it happened in the showers. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy new year and to apologise that there is a total lack of humour in my scribblings. Generally, I would be ripping the Labour Party to shreds but they´re already doing that for me from the inside. Be good people.
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
To eat, or not to eat,
Panga!
A few years back we bought a fish we hadn’t heard of – Panga – from a supermarket in Alicante. On getting home the wife , the Google Queen, insisted on looking up panga recipes online to find out what it was and how to cook it. We were glad we did! Within a few minutes our neighbours were presented with the fillets as a ‘treat’ for their cats. Panga is widely available throughout Spain, and all over the world. I’ve read a few articles since that claim that the farmers have cleaned their act up (pardon the pun), perhaps they have – but we’ll never be tempted into buying it again! We never buy fish now without reading up on it first! Nor would we buy processed fished products such as crab sticks. Given the low production costs of Panga, and I guess some other cheaply produced fish, they must almost certainly be used to bulk up such products Here are the claims made about Panga, which it turned out is imported from Vietnam. Pangas are teeming with high levels of poisons and bacteria. (industrial effluents, arsenic, and toxic and hazardous by-products of the growing industrial sector, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), metal contaminants, chlordanerelated compounds (CHLs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)). The reasons being that the Mekong River is one of the most polluted rivers on the planet and this is where pangas are farmed and industries along the river dump chemicals and industrial waste directly into it. They freeze Pangas in contaminated river water. Pangas are not environmentally sustainable. “Buy local” means creating the least amount of environmental harm as possible. This is the very opposite end of the spectrum of sustainable consumerism. Pangas are raised in Vietnam. Pangas are fed food that comes from Peru, hormones (which are injected into the female Pangas) come from China. And finally, they are transported from Vietnam throughout the world. All this results in a massive carbon footprint. There’s nothing natural about Pangas – They’re fed dead fish remnants and bones, dried and ground into a flour, from South America, manioc (cassava) and residue from soy and grains. This kind of nourishment doesn’t even remotely resemble what they eat in nature. But what it does resemble is the method of feeding mad cows (cows were fed cows, remember?) What they feed Pangas is completely unregulated so there are most likely other dangerous substances and hormones thrown into the mix. The pangas grow incredibly quickly: 4 times faster than in nature… Which a has to make you wonder what exactly is in their food? Pangas are injected with hormones derived from urine – Somehow someone discovered that if they inject female Pangas with hormones made from the dehydrated urine of pregnant women, the female Pangas grow much quicker and produce eggs faster (one Panga can lay approximately 500,000 eggs at one time). Essentially, they’re injecting fish with hormones (which come from a pharmaceutical company in China) to speed up the process of growth and reproduction. You get what you pay for – and then some. Don’t be lured in by insanely cheap price of Pangas. Is it worth risking your health and the health of your family?
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Costa Blanca
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15
TIM Magazine™
Written by Rob Innis with Pedro Heredia (Abogado- Solicitor – Barrister) of Pellicer & Heredia Abogados Did you buy a property off plan which was never built? Did you lose your money? We start 2016 with excellent news for people who have lost money buying off plan.
breach of these obligations by professionals -developers and financial institutions- can never be to the detriment of the buyer. This Law 57/68 requires Banks to guarantee all deposited amounts but its wording was interpreted in different manners. However, now the Supreme Court has made clear that:
During the Spanish property boom many people opted to buy off plan as demand exceeded supply of completed properties. Many of these buyers successfully completed on their purchase without problems.
1) if other buyers of the same resort received individual bank guarantees then all buyers should have received them and the fact of not having an individual bank guarantee would not stop them from claiming the money to the bank.
However, some others were unfortunate in that their builder failed to complete the planned building projects. Leaving many out of pocket due to having paid deposits and stage payments which were ‘lost’.
2) if the amount covered by the bank guarantee is lower than the money actually paid to the developer the bank should pay back the full paid amount plus interests.
Some builders and their financing banks failed to observe the law which was in place to protect buyers in these situations.
3) if there is not an individual bank guarantee but there is a general bank guarantee this should cover all buyers as if they would have received an individual bank guarantee.
Now justice has been done and people who have lost money on these deals may have the right to a refund. The Supreme Court has recently found Banco Popular (Banco Pastor), SGRCV and BBVA responsible to pay the money back to buyers of off plan property for not issuing the compulsory individual bank guarantees Buyers who received a Bank Guarantee or Insurance Policy to cover the payments made towards their property or even those who never had it due to the developer or Bank failing to comply with the Law might have a valid claim. Due to a Judgment from the Supreme Court of Spain, which has ordered these entities to pay back to the buyers of off plan properties, all the money they invested, plus legal interests from the time they made the payments. The imperative and inalienable rules contained in Law 57/68 are compulsory to developers, banks and insurance companies. The 16
4) there is no need to sue the developer before suing the bank. One of the main articles of the 57/68 Law is art. 1: “The bank receiving up front payments in the developer special account must request the existence of those Bank Guarantees under its own responsibility”. If you bought a property off plan, you paid a deposit down or even made stage payments, whether you received the compulsory individual bank guarantee or not, you might be interested to learn more about your rights. This is only general information. It is recommended that all legal matters pertaining to specific cases are referred to a lawyer for advice, guidance and execution. Pellicer & Heredia Lawyers will be pleased to help you with a study of your case. For more information and free advice, call us on +34 965 480737 or e-mail info@pellicerheredia.com Please mention that you are a TIM reader.
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TIM Magazine™
CYCLOGICAL. 2015 A Hectic Year .
Well that was a pretty hectic year. It started in January when my daughter and her boyfriend came over and we took a week off and went skiing to the Sierra Nevada, February was really quiet as it was quite cold and windy, March started with 15 members of team Cyclogical participating in the Valley of the grapes Sportif in Monforte Del Cid with 5 of the riders ( including 75 year old Mickey ) doing their first ever Sportif. Our last 3 team riders ended up cycling in torrential rain for an hour but everyone finished and we won the Team event a lovely seranno ham. Next Lynn and I decided to take on an assistant Josh to train up as a cycle technician and generally assist us in the shop, he is still with us and is fitting in well , we wonder how we managed without him. April we had 12 riders again entered into the Sportif at San Vincente this was a lot tougher with more climbing but again everyone finished with good times. As the summer approached we all had our own agendas with family and friends interfering with our normal routines but Hey! Ho! It’s great to see them all just sometimes difficult to fit them in especially when you try to fit your work in too. Tony took part in La Sufrida (the suffering ) which is a really tough Sportif in the mountains in and around the Almeria Area. Martyn went to Ireland to take his son in law on his first Sportif and took part in the Wicklow 200 (Garden of Eden) which is one of Irelands Premier Sportifs and is a tough 200kms around the beautiful Irish countryside. Owen and Torry went to the Pyreness to take part in Quebrantahuesos (the bone crusher) which is one of the toughest 200kms Sportifs in europe. In May Lynn and I went back to Elgin, Scotland via Norway to surprise my best mate at his 60th birthday bash ( it rained for 4 days ) but we enjoyed the break. Every Saturday for our Saturday afternoon hybrid ride we would get more and more people turning up to join us and we met some great people and had some super rides with them. Chico by this time was getting bigger and heavier but not too much, he now has a big basket on the rear of my bike and still comes with us every Saturday and Monday and if we can’t find him he’s in the garage trying to get into his basket and is just one of the guys now. He still comes to work with us every day and has many girlfriends who come in just to see him and Pauline still comes in to walk him every day at 11am and he really looks forward to her visits. July was really warm with temperatures in the high 40s but we all still went cycling as there is always a breeze. My daughter’s boyfriend and his mate cycled across from Elgin, Scotland to Quesada in 21 days (2000kms ) and still wanted to cycle up to Hondon de las Frailes with us on the Sunday. The Tour de France was on and again team Sky had a fantastic 3 weeks cycling with Chris Froome winning again. August we had the La Vuelta right on our doorstep with thousands of people lining the route in our area a spectacle not to be missed and hopefully we will see more local routes this coming year. We also had a record amount of buckets of beer (15 ) after our Thursday night training ride. September: we started a beginner’s road bike group with 11 18
www.cyclogicalcostablanca.com
people turning up to try road bikes, the object was to encourage people to try a road bike or if they already had one to learn how to cycle in a group, teaching hand signals and safety, building up their confidence. This proved very successful and we now have a couple of new guys joining our main group. Lynn went to the doctors with a minor problem and ended up in Alicante hospital having tests, an mri scan and eventually an operation so she was out of action for a few weeks but thank goodness is now back to normal. We also managed to get sponsor money for our gents hybrid group and got them all really smart team kit so the guys now look more professional and are all chuffed to bits. We then had a night cycle with a difference it was Owens birthday and he had booked the Bicibar for 20 of us ( the beer wagon that you cycle round whilst drinking beer ) that was a great night but really hard work for the ones that put the effort in. October : My parents arrived for a month which was great as they looked after Chico while Lynn was out of action we also had the builders in and they kept an eye on them. My mate Willie flew across to take part in his very first Sportif and not just an easy one but 126kms around Calpe I just took my time and cycled round with him, he did really well and we still won the team trophy. Alan led a 6 man team at the 6 man time trials in Murcia and they finished in a creditable 4th place. Peter and his girlfriend moved back to the UK after 6 years here in Spain so we will all miss him as he has been a great buddy. November things got Quieter so Lynn and I took a few days off and went to Alicante and just chilled out, it’s a lovely place and right on our doorstep but you never think of going there. December started with our Couples Hybrid groups Christmas dinner in the Minigolf which was fantastic, then the next day we had our Road bike group Christmas dinner at Ronald’s restaurant followed by drinks at Shananigans bar which again was a brilliant night, the Hybrid groups male and female both had their Christmas rides followed by Christmas dinner in the Minigolf then things quietened down. Boxing day was a nice cycle with the couples group to La Marina and a coffee on the beach then it was Hogmanay. Over and above all of that we also had to fit in all of our kids and their partners , parents, brothers, sisters and friends for their annual holidays but it was all great and we look forward to doing it all again this year. We are really looking forward to a few days off at the start of the year and a nice gentle quiet January and February before it all starts again. Lynn and I would like to thank you all for your support and wish you all good health and happiness, all the best for 2016. Get on yer bike and keep those wheels turning. Gary and Lynn All of our routes are now available from our website on www. cyclogicalcostablanca.com
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Costa Blanca Remember Gary and Lynn are available at “Cyclogical” in Quesada, Monday to Friday from 9.30am till 5.30pm and from 10.00am till 2.00pm on a Saturday to assist and advice you on all your cycling requirements including route maps.
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TIM Magazine™
ALLCOCK & BROWN (Part One)
By John McGregor
As an ex-serviceman I’ve always been fascinated by stories that tell of strange, innovative exploits of young men in uniform, miles from home serving their country with time and perhaps, dare I say Her Majesty’s resources at their hands. There is one intruiging RAF story I was vaguely aware of at the time, the bald facts are that another airman, the same non-exotic rank as me, ie an SAC (Senior Aircraftman) and the same RAF trade, aircraft radio somehow managed to own and fly his own plane on the station. As I worked on a different part of the airfield I hardly knew the man at the time. For our annual reunions held since 2012 we have been trying to cast the net wider to find more ‘old’ friends from that fantastic period of our lives, nearly fifty years ago (it cant be – surely, I don’t look old enough...). So: questions, questions over the years have fascinated me. How did this airman become a pilot? How did he afford it, both initially buying the aircraft and then running it on an SAC’s money: £8 a week if I remember rightly. Well, from our reunions at that same RAF station I am gradually putting together the pieces of this amazing tale as new/old faces have steadily joined our numbers and supplied more information . A new reunion recruit discovered now living in France recently enriched the tale about one particular venture which takes some believing - but I’ve now seen the evidence – so it’s true – and getting even more interesting... The unusual airman’s name was Colin Scott. Most people called him Scottie and he had a well-deserved, or perhaps from other lurid stories that should that be well-endowed reputation for chasing anything in a skirt. His best mate who features in many of the exploits and who regularly accompanied Scottie in his aerial and romantic pursuits was a dusky young man of Indian origin - and so their naturally apt RAF nicknames evolved of ‘Allcock and Brown’. Apparently Allcock had been to a public school, rumour also said he had been expelled for indecency (the mind boggles), and his parents were wealthy – and somewhere along the line Colin had acquired a private pilot’s licence. The aircraft itself (pictured) was very basic called an Aeronca , coming from America. It was definitely built with economy in mind with the bare minimum of controls. It possessed no seats, the pilot and passenger sat on a plank of wood across the fuselage. I have no idea of how Scottie obtained the necessary permissions but with his plummy accent and his natural elequency his manipulation of people was well known.
At the time Scottie didn’t own the Aeronca, but we’d quite often drive up to Biggin Hill at the weekends in his little Bubble Car. There Colin would hire a Piper aircraft or similar (pictured), and we would fly to various airfields around the South of England (Goodwood/ Isle of Wight. etc.) and attend various events. I also got the flying bug from Colin, and took lessons in an Auster at nearby Portsmouth at £4.50 an hour (now costing up to £120 an hour). One day out of the blue he said to me ‘Come and see what I’ve got’, and took me to one of the servicing hangars at Thorney. On seeing the Aeronca for the first time I couldn’t believe my eyes. After giving me a guided tour of the plane Colin decided I was going to be his co-pilot and Chief Engineer, I was always tinkering with cars and motorbikes. The Aeronca’s instrument panel was very basic, we fixed a small spirit level to the instrument panel to act as a turn and slip indicator, but eventually it vibrated off. I grilled him about it all; apparently he had borrowed £400 from his sister (who was a prison officer) to buy it. He told me that the Commanding Officer of RAF Thorney Island had given him permission to store the Aeronca in one of the servicing hangars and only use the grass areas surrounding the main runways to take-off and land. He was only to fly it at weekends with prior permission from Air Traffic Control as the Aeronca had no radio. The Allcock and Brown tag Colin and myself were awarded was quite an honour at the time. I’ll never forget the first time as a passenger as we sat waiting to takeoff. Colin opened up the throttle but nothing happened. Because the engine was only 36 HP, if two adults were on board and the grass was long, friction would prevent the main wheels from turning. So to get going we both had to bounce up and down and if that didn’t work I would have to get out, and once the aircraft was moving I would jump back in (no health and safety then...). We then had many happy flying hours visiting vintage aircraft rallies and the Aeronca would always attract amazement, intrigue and attention’. There’s much more to tell you about this true story, but it will have to wait until next month: chock’s away!
Colin Scott
Well, that was all the knowledge I knew – until last week. Amazingly I received an e mail from – no, not from Allcock - but the next best thing: Brown! His real name is Derek Heard and he now lives in Chichester, not far from all the action in those far-off days. This is the abbreviated information I received from Derek: ‘I first met Colin Scott in 1964 and we discovered a shared interest in flying, clubbing and females. Although Colin was married to Val (an ex WRAF) whom I met on several occasions, she seemed quite a nice woman. He never used to say much about his private life, only that he was educated privately, but never about his background. Colin got his PPL whilst serving with the RAF In Singapore.
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AeroncaC-2CF-AOR
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TIM Magazine™
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SPAIN.
Spain is more than just sunshine and beaches. Test your knowledge with this mix of informative and interesting facts about Spain. When you think of Spain, images of bull fighting, Flamenco dancing and fiestas undoubtedly spring to mind. But what else is there to Spain? These interesting Spanish facts will get you prepared if you’re planning a move to Spain, or if you are already here, test yourself to see how well you know the Spanish!
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The Kingdom of Spain, as it’s officially known, is the second largest country in the EU – with an area of 505,955 square kilometres, Spain covers about 85 percent of the Iberian Peninsula, which it shares with Portugal. Spain was once a number of separate kingdoms with different languages – which were unified in the 15th century after the marriage of two Catholic monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. These kingdoms became the basis for many of the different regions in modern Spain. Today, there are 17 autonomous regions (15 on the mainland and the Balearic and Canary Islands), and two autonomous enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world– with more than 406 million people worldwide speaking Spanish, it comes only after Chinese. Back home, while Castilian Spanish is the official language, in Catalonia, the Basque country and Galicia, the regional languages of Catalan, Basque and Galician all have official status. Nudity is legal in Spain – some say all the better to enjoy the country’s mainly Mediterraneantemperate climate with its hot dry summers, mild, rainy winters and more than 3,000 hours of sunlight a year.
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The population of just under 47 million is the sixth largest in Europe – with more than three-quarters living in urban areas. Around six million people live in Madrid and five million in Barcelona – both cities have more inhabitants than the entire populations of Ireland or New Zealand. Spain has the fourth highest life expectancy of all the OECD countries – with a life expectancy of 82 years, it comes after Switzerland, Italy and Japan, and ranks 15th in the world. Spanish women live longer than men: 85 compared to 79 years. The United Nations projects that Spain will be the world’s oldest country by 2050 – with 40 percent of the population aged over 60. Only 13.6 percent of Spain’s population actually goes to church on Sundays – yet some 70 percent of the population are Roman Catholic, according to a 2012 study by the Centre for Sociological Studies in Spain. Spain is a constitutional monarchy – former king Juan Carlos I came to the throne after the right-wing dictator General Franco died in 1975. Once one of Europe’s most beloved monarchs, Juan Carlos fell from favour in recent years and abdicated in favour of his son, King Felipe VI, in 2014. There is only one tax inspector for every 1,928 taxpayers – compared to one per 729 people in France. So while Spain’s economy ranked 13th in the world, with a GDP of 1,356 billion USD (EUR 989 billion) in the 2013 Centre for Economic Research (Cebr) World Economic League Table, the Spanish Inland Revenue says a quarter of the GDP comes from the ‘black’ economy.
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In 2015, Spain has the second highest unemployment rate in Europe – and third highest among the OECD countries at 24.2 percent, only slightly behind Greece and South Africa, and high above the OECD average of 7.3 percent (2014). Youth unemployment is even worse: around half of 16 to 25 year-olds who could be working are unemployed. Female entrepreneurs set up 40 percent of all new businesses in Spain – since the beginning of the recession in 2008 to 2013, totalling some 800,000 businesses.
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the French King Louis XV – and every single staple was engraved with the royal emblem. Spain has also given the world the mop and bucket (1956), the forerunner of the modern cigarette (17th century) and the astronaut’s space suit (1935). Spain produces over half of the world’s olive oil – more than some 1.5 million tons, and almost all of it comes from the southern region of Andalusia. It’s also the third largest wine producer after France and Italy, making 3.3 million tonnes (metric tons) in 2013.
Spain has Europe’s biggest wealth gap – according to findings in two reports by Credit Suisse and the Catholic charity Caritas. In 2012, while more than 6 percent of the population lived on EUR 307/month or less (double that of 2008), the number of dollar millionaires rose to 402,000, an increase of 13 percent on the previous year. Out-of-school hours childcare is limited – about a quarter of all grandparents take care of their grandchildren on a daily basis. Only half of all adults aged 15–64 have the equivalent of a high school degree – the OECD average is almost three-quarters. Younger people are staying on at school longer than the previous generation though, as 65 percent of 25–34-year-olds gain the qualification. The Spanish love to chill out – according to the 2013 OECD report, on average they devote 16 out of every 24 hours to leisure, eating, drinking and sleeping. The first ‘novel’ is attributed to a Spaniard – Spain Cervantes’Don Quixote, written in 1605, is considered to be the first modern novel. Spain has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites – pre-historic rock art, historic cities and buildings, bridges, national parks and landscapes. Only Italy with 49 sites and China with 45 have more. The next time you use a stapler, thank the Spanish – the first known stapler was made in the 18th century in the Basque country for
By Steve and Emma Full Time Bloggers in Spain www.indefinitewanderers.com/
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500g pack shortcrust pastry plain flour, for dusting 250g/9oz shredded leftover turkey 8 tbsp double cream or crème fraîche 8 tsp cranberry sauce 1 egg, beaten
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface so that it’s just thinner than a £1 coin. Cut out 8 x 10cm circles using a pastry cutter or small saucer, then cut 8 x 9cm circles for the lids – you may need to re-roll the trimmings. Push the larger circles into 8 holes of a muffin tin, then divide the turkey, cream and cranberry sauce between them. Season well and brush the edges with a little egg. Place a lid on top of each and pinch the sides together to seal. Chill for 15-20 mins.
cut out and keep
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the tops with more egg, then bake for 25 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm, or leave to cool and enjoy cold.
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Going Out E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
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TIM BIKERS
TIM Magazine™
Well Happy New Year to all you two wheeling folk out there, oh that’s not fair AND to those of you who just want to be. After all, there’s only two types of people eh? Bikers and wannabe bikers. So what does 2016 hold for you? A new bike maybe…. Well there are absolutely tons to choose from. As most of you are cruiser riders (I think) I’ve restricted my favourites to that class.
notable milestones.
It was the Clubs 5 year anniversary in September 2015 and the club also reached its hundredth member in May. The club also participated in the annual Santa Toy Run in December, in Alicante, see pix below.
This is my out and out favourite. The KTM 1290 Super Duke GT turning in a whopping 173 horses and neck damaging acceleration. Cornering ABS and blistering all round performance.
Our photo and video galleries, and club news page, can be seen on www.costablancarawhiders.com and we also have a Facebook page as well.
Also very interesting the New Victory Combustion. A 1200cc V twin it’s an absolute beauty. With its engine built by Zach Ness of Arlen Ness it’s an all round belter.
Well done the Rawhiders who are always looking for new members and raise loads for charity.
Stand to attention out there. Not be outdone by ‘foreign’ competition Triumph have refined the Tiger. This little beauty is the new Explorer, yum, yum. More power, more torque and cornering ABS! Ducati are keen to make an impression in the cruiser market and have come up with the new XDiavel to really test the competition. With a new 1262cc V-twinengine, 60 changes made to suit the cruiser market with belt drive and 156bhp it’s an absolute stotter as we say up in God’s country. A quick end of year roundup from our friends at Costa Blanca Rawhiders –
Well have a great January guys and remember if you have any comments or want to advertise your club, group or an event I can be contacted via email at timbikers@gmail.com or on Facebook at Tim Bikers where you will also find details of events where I have got less notice. Spanish word of the month – Nieves, snow. We’re unlikely to see any but Hondon de Las Nieves didn’t get its name for nothing. Be particularly careful when riding in the mountains in the sun. It can drop a lot when you hit the shade and there is ice about. Stay safe moteros and all the Biking Best,
The club has enjoyed a very successful 2015 year, including two
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Jack
Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™ One of the most mouth-watering uses for aubergines in Spanish cooking is the way they are served as a ‘ración’, - in portions – shallow fried, with a drizzle of sugar cane honey on the top. The dish is very simple to prepare. They can be prepared either cut into rounds – a little less than half a centimetre thick - or cut into fingers as you would prepare potatoes for chips. The skin is generally left on, although you may remove it if you wish. The first stage after chopping up your aubergines is to put them in a colander and sprinkle them with salt. Leave for about 20 minutes and then pat dry with kitchen paper. Now, beat one egg in a shallow bowl and in another sprinkle in some bought breadcrumbs. Heat up some oil in a frying pan on a medium heat while you are doing this. Dip each slice, on both sides, first into the egg and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Some recipes use flour instead of the breadcrumbs and may even leave out the egg, or use milk instead. Others will make up a batter into which the aubergines are dipped before frying. Lay out the slices on a large, flat plate until you are ready to fry them. Or, if you’re good at multi-tasking, you could have one batch on the go in the pan while you prepare the next lot to be fried.
Berenjenas
fritas
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Sudoku Solutions
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Costa Blanca
IBERIAN FUNERAL PLANS PROUD TO SPONSOR T.I.M. FUN PAGE PROUD TO PROMOTE COMPASSION, HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY
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Clues Across 1 Tedium (7) 8 Turned a blind eye to (7) 9 Entrance (7) 10 Thrill (7) 11 Repeat the word(s) above (5) 13 Objects of gold, iron, copper etc (9) 15 Sleep inducing (9) 18 Neat and tidy (5) 21 Magical lamp rubber (7) 22 Rain gently (7) 23 One of the Three Tenors (7) 24 Small mongoose of southern Africa (7)
Clues
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Across
Down
1 Put up (5) 2 Properly (5) 3 An arm? Good idea! (anag) — footballer (5,8) 4 Square peg in a round hole (6) 5 One way to go round (13) 6 Second largest of the Scilly Isles (6) 7 Polish seaport (6) 12 Facts (abbr) (4) 14 Hindquarters (4) 15 Beer and lemonade (6) 16 Blood liquid (6) 17 Enthusiastically supportive followers (6) 19 Background music (5) 20 Deal with (5)
1 Shirk responsibility (4,3,4) 9 Informal game of cricket (3-3-3) 10 Twenty-second Greek letter (3) 11 A temporary stunner? (5) 13 Reddish leafstalks cooked and eaten as fruit (7) 14 Headgear (for those in tails?) (3,3) 15 Make a surface design in low relief (6) 18 Coffee bar worker (7) 20 Garden plant with long, spiky flowers (5) 21 Spanish shout of triumph (3) 22 Darken — bewilder (9) 24 Sticky fairground attraction? (6,5)
2 Device to up the sound of an electric guitar (abbr) (3) 3 Red wine, fruit juice, sugar and spices (7) 4 Zimbabwean capital (6) 5 Language group of central and southern Africa (5) 6 Jubilant (4-1-4) 7 Record of all laws passed by a parliament (7,4) 8 Semi-barking (anag) — actress (3,8) 12 Spiderman, for example (9) 16 Weed (7) 17 Flummox (6) 19 Ridicule — guzzle (5) 23 Trouble (3)
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TIM Magazine™
Horoscopes
December 22nd - January 20th
Aries Selfish behaviour won’t create long term satisfaction. You’re happiest when everyone around you is comfortable and content. You will be offered a job that involves taking advantage of vulnerable people. Although the salary is impressive, it won’t be worth your while. Hold out for work that makes you feel like you’re contributing something positive to the world. It will take time to find the right position, so be patient. Take a temporary job in the interim. That way, you can cover your expenses.
Leo Trying to escape your obligations is a serious mistake. You may not be happy with an arrangement, but that doesn’t absolve you of responsibility. Fight for a more equitable agreement, but in the meantime do what is expected. By demonstrating a healthy respect for the legal system, you’ll avoid trouble. It’s also important to remember you are not above the law. What is being asked of you is also expected of everyone else in your situation. If a regulation is unfair, challenge it instead of breaking it.
Sagittarius Refusing to compromise will make you incredibly unpopular. Although you’re in a position to issue ultimatums, it’s better to find a middle ground. Being cooperative will pave the way for future assignments. It will also improve your relationships with neighbours and relatives. You’ve always had pride in yourself for being principled. Sometimes clinging stubbornly to an idea creates more trouble than it’s worth. This is one of those times. Lighten up. Save your energy for a truly important issue.
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Taurus Be scrupulous when it comes to business. Making false claims about a product or service will come back to haunt you. The same principle holds true for applying for jobs. Don’t exaggerate your experience. Contrary to popular belief, successful people don’t have to cheat to get ahead. They simply have to do their best and conduct themselves honourably. Following in the footsteps of a shady rival will be serious cause for regret. You can gain distinction by being fair, honest and accurate.
Virgo
Gemini
Cancer
Retreating to a fantasy world will cause you to miss a golden opportunity. If work is unpleasant, take steps to improve the situation. You can do anything from look for another job to confront a bully to apply for a promotion. There are more options than you realise. Starting your own business is another possibility. Working for yourself will be challenging. It will require you to be more diligent and steadfast. These are qualities worth growing if it means breaking free of the rat race.
An insistence on good manners can be taken too far. Don’t take newcomers to task. People from different cultures can also inadvertently offend you. Instead of mocking their behaviour, review it in context. Think back to when you were thrust into an unfamiliar situation and didn’t know what to do. Wouldn’t it be better to offer gentle instruction and lead by example? If you’ve never been an outsider, maybe it’s time to explore unknown territory. It will make you more sympathetic.
Libra
Scorpio
Worrying about the future is a waste of time. Focus on the present moment. That’s where all the opportunities lie. If you’re not happy with your current situation, make some changes. Learn a trade, move to a stimulating city or make your wants and wishes known. Taking control of your destiny will be empowering. When you encounter difficulty, you’ll be able to handle it. Trust your impulses and don’t be afraid to propose alternatives. Nothing leads to trouble like blindly following authority.
Stand up for yourself, especially when challenged by a bully. Someone who always gets their way thinks you are no competition. Take this opportunity to show them to be wrong. You’re much more talented than this blowhard. If you’re competing for the same job, don’t adopt a self-deprecating attitude. Be willing to promote your accomplishments. Draw attention to your background and offer bold opinions during a job interview. Your future employer is looking for somebody with a strong personality.
Capricorn
Aquarius
Being deceitful may bring short term benefits, but it will keep you from forming supportive relationships. If you’re going to advance, you have to be trustworthy. Be honest with a potential client, even if it means quoting a price higher than they’re willing to pay. Deliver the truth about inferior merchandise and propose alternatives. When a job can’t be finished within a certain time frame, offer a reasonable alternative. Your professional reputation is on the line.
Someone will try spreading a nasty piece of gossip. Don’t take the bait. There’s a good chance this story is pure slander. You don’t want to spread false stories about a perfectly innocent neighbour or colleague. Even if there is some truth to this tale, it’s not your job to repeat it. If there’s anything you hate, its mob rule. Situations like this can easily spiral out of control, causing a regrettable backlash. Do your best to talk logically to someone who is carried away by emotion.
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Use a little common sense when making plans. Instead of promising to deliver a job in record time, set a reasonable deadline. That way, you won’t panic when small things go wrong. If you don’t have any previous experience with a particular type of work, give yourself a chance to learn. Studying with a tutor may be necessary to fill the gaps of your knowledge. When you encounter problems, ask for help. Acting like a know it all will make people suspicious. You’ll gain their trust by being truthful.
Pisces Ignore someone who continually brings up controversial subjects. You have better things to do with your time than argue with people who are never going to change their minds. If you stumble upon a contentious exchange on social media, keep out of it. This should be a time of rest and relaxation. Soak in a scented path, take a nap or go on a nature walk. Seek the company of compassionate people who share your concerns and want to do something constructive with their time.
Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
JAGUARS THE BIG CAT BURGLARY
Written by Eric Arnold
After months of planning The Trip Down South as it became to be called actually happened. A joint meeting between The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, Spain, Costa Blanca and The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, Spain, Costa Del Sol. The result was 43 fabulous Jaguars cleaned and polished to “within an inch of their lives” and 81 very enthusiastic Jaguar owners. The main event took place on Saturday 21st November and Sunday 22nd November 2015.
You may be asking, why have I called this article “The Big Cat Burglary”, at some time during that Saturday evening a “Cat Burglar” stole our Club Mascot, a one metre long Jaguar Cat from the hotel reception. I am delighted to say that with the help of the CCTV in reception and the tremendous efforts of the staff and management of the hotel our beloved mascot was recovered the following day.
Cars and owners came from both regions and congregated at the fabulous Parador Malaga de Golf Hotel in Malaga Costa Del Sol. This stunning modern hotel situated on a golf course on the coast of Malaga was a perfect location to gather the outstanding collection of Big Cats. Lined up in the specially reserved parking with everything ranging from a beautiful 1950’s XK 120 to brand new cars. A glorious site to behold if you love Jaguars. Most people checked in on the Saturday afternoon and took advantage of the beautiful warm sunny day with drinks on the terrace. On the Saturday evening we all gathered for the
“Black Tie & Bling” Gala Dinner. A selection of exquisite “tapas” starters were delivered to the specially prepared Jaguar monogrammed tables then a veal or a fish dish, accompanied with some stunning wines. Dessert and coffee was followed by the Grand Draw. Prizes included bottles of Gran Reserve Brandy, a presentation bottle of 12 year old Chivas Regal, an Iberico Cured Ham, a gold plated Jaguar fob watch, Swarovski encrusted Jaguar jewellery, a superb bottle of wine and many other prizes. This was followed by a request for donations partly towards club funds but mostly for a most worthy cause, Help For Heroes. Many, many thanks to all those who made such generous donations. The donations totalled a fantastic 780.00 Euros plus a small profit was made from the Grand Draw and the administration charge. I am delighted to inform you that a total of 700.00 Euros will be donated to Help For Heroes.
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you to Philip Wray, Regional Director, JEC Spain Costa Del Sol who helped arrange and organise the event. A big thank you to Parador Hotels for helping to make this event such a success.
Sunday started leisurely, breakfast then a group picture and “start your engines” was called at 11:00 and 43 shining Jaguars headed of into the mountains of Andalucia. A beautiful scenic but testing route out to Lake Vinuela, a turquoise jewel of water sparkling in the sunshine. Perched on the edge of the lake, the Hotel Vinuela hosted our lunch. A Cava reception followed by an exquisite lunch that I thought was just fabulous especially as it only cost 27.00 Euros per person including wine and other refreshments. I had the goat pate, with pressed fig, salad, glass bread and quince jelly, I followed that with “sea and mountain”, huge king pawns and a “rooster” leg on a bed of aromatic rice. Many other options were available. Tiramisu and coffee to finish. That brought the organised parts of the event to a close. People made their own way back to Malaga Golf in their own time. Most people stayed the night and left after breakfast the following morning. May I take this opportunity to offer a very special thank you to all those that attended, I know many of you travelled many hundreds of kilometres to attend this event. A special thank
JEC Spain has regular meeting through the year with a few special events spread across the year. For details of these events go to www.jec-spain. com and select events. We have something very special planned for April 2017, “the Big One” at the fabulous Hotel Parador De Leon, the flagship Parador 5 star hotel, details can be found under special events on our web site. This event is proving to be extremely popular, register your interest now. The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club is the largest of the worlds Jaguar Clubs, apart from joining in the fun at the meetings, full members also benefit from a glossy 140 page A4 monthly magazine, Jaguar spares department and a technical advice service second to none. If you live in Spain and own a Jaguar you should be a member of The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club. The JEC in Spain is organised by Eric Arnold , Ian McMenemy and Philip Wray. Eric can be contacted by email at jaguarspain@outlook.com or by phone on 609931647 or alternatively check out the JEC Spain website www.jec-spain.com Our Events Director, Ian McMenemy can be contacted at McMenemy@JEC-events.com. Our Costa Del Sol Region is organised by Phillip Wray who can be contacted on jec.costadelsol@gmail.com Come along and join us, you will not be disappointed.
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
Sterling v Euro update Adios 2015GPB/EUR Rollercoaster ride, 1.28 – 1.44 ! By Janet Lees Operations Director - Spain 965 070 584 / 635 015 818 E. janet.spain@currencies4you.com
or come and have a chat for advice. There’s no charges or fees at all and we will always get you the best rates. We can save you around 5% compared to transferring through the banks. Sterling/Euro rates have been trading in the 1.37 – 1.38 levels for most of December after another plummet from 1.42, following Mario Draghi, Head of ECB, announcing an extension of the QE program and not the expansion as markets had been expecting. He stated he will not be increasing the Quantitative Easing program’s monthly increments seen as sign of strength for the Eurozone and strengthening the Euro. There is a possibility of this happening in the second quarter which could push the rate back to 1.40.However, if this doesn’t occur it may well hold below that level. The UK is currently facing one of its worst levels of inflation, the main reason why the BoE took an interest rate hike off the table for the entirety of 2016. UK inflation levels currently sit at 0.1% and the target is 2%. Mark Carney has also stated that the high value of Sterling is hindering UK exports and he is willing weaken the Pound!
Safety of your funds is paramount, we only use protected escrow accounts authorised and regulated by the FCA. We can also help you set up a Spanish bank account so you can benefit from our banking agreements offered to all Currencies4Youclients, saving you 100s of Euros if you are buying or selling property, If you are interested in any of the other services in we offer in ‘The Foreign Exchange office’ in Pinoso call us of pop in for more details:-Vehicle Change of ownership & Vehicle re-registration, NIEs, Residencias, SIP Cards, UK Passport renewals, Car, House, Pet & Health Insurance and mailbox rental.
On a slightly separate but interesting note which affects us all, Oil is currently seeing it’s longest losing streak in four months with oil prices at their lowest levels since 2009. Seemingly triggered by the OPEC’s decision to lift the output ceiling. This was followed by congressional leaders’ decision to end US oil export ban. Meanwhile, Iran’s Rouhani came out on the wires expressing hope that the nation would reach the deal in January, which will pave the way for more Iranian oil supplies. The drop in Oil price &impact of Christmas sales, will see inflation fall further and paint a picture to the markets of a UK economy which isn’t spending enough…a worry for businesses, who are the main drivers of the currency markets. All that said, there is a bigger picture! You can see from the 3 year GBP/ EUR chart that the meteoric rise in spring 2015 pushed it way above its steady trendline of comfort. Having had two pops at 1.45 it would appear to now be correcting itself and trying to settle back on the trendline. If this pattern continues there may be a drop to the 1.36 area before resuming course, taking it back to the 1.40 area in the first quarter of 2016. However… nothing is ever set in stone! Whatever you are considering moving money for, large or small, call us
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
New Year R By the time mid January has rolled around, you’ve probably forgotten all those New Year’s Resolutions you really promised to keep this year. But how about making sure you’re better off financially by the time 2017 arrives? Take a look at these bitesized monthly tips from MoneySaverSpain.com, they’re easy and totally doable!
JANUARY: Return, keep, sell, donate month. Decide now what to do with your Christmas gifts. Put unwanted items for sale on Segundamano(Spain’s top website for second hand goods) or eBay. You could also donate items to charity. If you replaced your mobile sell your old one quickly as models soon lose their value. And don’t forget to check your cupboards for all that left over food & drink and make sure you use it up before the best-before date!
FEBRUARY: Credit card detox month. Now that your card has recovered from the Christmas overload, ditch any cards you have with an annual fee and get a free one. Do you know where to call if your card is lost or stolen? Make sure you find the emergency phone number now and store it both on your mobile and on paper somewhere easy to locate at home. MARCH:
Insurance blitz month.Get out your home and car policies then compare, haggle and threaten to change company to get the best deal. Re-check your house & contents insurance and revalue if necessary – you may still be paying for items you no longer have or the value of your contents may have changed.
card regular payment, so avoid the latter if you can.
MAY: Health check month. The recession in Spain has meant clamping down on “medical tourism” which could affect you, even if you’ve been living here for years. Take the time to go over your options and remember that EU citizens who think they can rely on theEHIC (European Health Insurance Card) for free treatment in Spain could be asked to pay. JUNE: Prepare Gifts. The summer sales will be starting this month so make sure you’ve got a list of all special events until the end of the year and buy items while they’re discounted.
JULY: Back to school. Schools have just broken up for the summer, but don’t forget that text books are often cheaper at supermarkets and many schools now encourage getting books secondhand. Buy school materials now rather than in September to avoid the last-minute rush.
AUGUST: Get ready for winter. Unless you live in the Canary Islands, Spain can get cold in winter. Make sure you get your boiler checked and consider insurance. Preventative measures could avoid a costly repair or replacement.
SEPTEMBER: Electric shock. If you never check your electric bills, you might be unaware that in Spain electricity prices have increased by over 70% in the last six years
APRIL: Reduce recurring bills. Get out bank statements for the last full 12 months and identify all recurring payments and make sure you know exactly what they are, how much they should be and whether you still need them. Small bills often get missed and soon add up. Now do the same with a full year’s credit card statements. Remember it’s always easier to cancel a bank direct debit than a credit
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Costa Blanca
Resolutions (compared with 20% average increase in Europe). Get your last bill out and follow the MoneySaverSpain.com guide to reducing your electric bill.
OCTOBER: Broadband rethink. If you’ve been paying the same price for your broadband connection for some time, there’s probably a good chance you could get a better deal either with the same company (by threatening to leave) or with another one. Companies are increasing broadband prices to “force” customers to contract fibre, however it’s still not available nationwide.
scam to pay premium rate SMS messages.
DECEMBER: Beat the supermarkets at their own game. Prices will creep up this month in preparation for the festivities, but if you make sure you use food discount couponsavailable from big brands and buy ahead, you should avoid paying over the odds. Take a look at Nestle, Unilever and Danone websites. Remember, many foods can be frozen and having a wellstocked freezer uses less energy (and money) too. By Maxine Raynor
NOVEMBER: Become a bookworm for free. Shorter days mean more time at home with a good book. Check your local library (normally there’ll be an English language book section). Find out aboutfree book downloads at Gutenberg. org ordownload the Kindle app and take a look at the freebies on offer every week.Take care with websites offering free books (or films)that request your mobile phone number to sendcodes for free downloads – normally it’s a
For more and to sign up (free) to start saving visithttp://moneysaverspain.com/
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TIM Magazine™
HONDON VALLEY GOLF SOCIETY ANOTHER WIN FOR JOHN FORRESTER AS THE YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE The final outing of the year was played at Font del Llop with thirty-seven members and four guests meeting on a chilly morning in the club’s bar. However, the temperature was rising as the first groups teed off. All together it was a perfect golfing day. The course was in very good condition, the greens were true (perhaps a little faster than usual), it was dead calm and the Christmas spirit was palpable. John Forrester notched up yet another win with a solid 37 points in the Gold Division. Pat Cooke triumphed in the Silver Division by putting 40 points on her card. Albert Baggley captured the Bronze Division prize with a good 35 points. Once the competitors had had a chance to enjoy their refreshments on the sun soaked patio, Steve Munn thanked the staff and initiated the presentations. Steve then went on to pass the Captain’s baton over to Ken Knight who has been elected the society’s Captain for 2016. Ken has already managed several of the Away Days during 2015, so the members are looking forward to a successful transition. The Society’s Annual Presentation and Dinner Dance took place in Roca’s Restaurant, Aspe earlier in December. One hundred and fourteen dinners enjoyed a fine meal and were entertained by Zodiac and Start Time. The newly elected Chairman, Les Goddard and Treasurer, Martin Taylor, presented the 2015 trophies.
PRESIDENT’S PRIZE Winner Second Place Third Place
Clive Dalton Martin Taylor John Ainscough
KEVIN WELLS TROPHY Winner Second Place Third Place
Jamie Smith Clive Dalton Dug Blair
Font del Llop – 15/12/2015
Winners
Category
Pts
John Forrester Mike Clancy John Ainscough Pat Cooke Ken Cooke Maclcolm Robins Albert Baggley Trevor Batchelor Graham Smith Terry Brown
Gold Winner Gold Runner Up Gold Third Place Silver Winner Silver Runner Up Silver Third Place Bronze Winner Bronze Runner Up Bronze Third Place Best Guest
37 36 32 40 36 26 c/b 35 30 29 33
Jim Lynch Marius Damen Mike Clancy Graham Palmer Les Goddard Martin Taylor Koos Van Beek
Nearest the Pin Nearest the Pin Nearest the Pin Nearest the Pin Nearest the Pin Nearest the Pin in 3 Nearest the Pin in 3
Hole 3 8 12 16 17 5 11
John Forrester Jim Lynch Jan Hendriks
Two on the card Two on the card Two on the card
Wallace McKillop & Bernie Cox
Lowest Scoring Pair
Paul Hawes
Football scratch card
Dug Blair
Green fee refund
Ken Knight
Best Hat
BOB WATSON MEMORIAL Winner Ken Knight MATCH PLAY Winner
John Ainscough
Two special awards were presented this year to recognise the work carried out on behalf of the society. One was given to Dave Bratley, who retired from the committee earlier in the year. The second was presented to Ron Graham, who stepped down as the Society’s Chairman and accepted the post as Honorary Life Vice President.
Forthcoming Fixtures & Social Events Tuesday 12th January – Alicante Meet in the clubhouse at 08:30 Tuesday 9th February – Alenda Meet in the clubhouse at 08:30 Tuesday 16th February – Las Colinas Meet in clubhouse at 10:45 Tuesday 8thMarch – Bonalba Meet in clubhouse at 08:45
For information on how to join HVGS contact the Secretary, David Fellows, on 965 978 104 & 649 552 730 or email davidfellows13@gmail.com. To reserve your place on the list for the Society Golf Days contact the Captain, Ken Knight, on 638190 567 or email him at kjknight1954@gmail.com
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Costa Blanca
Hondón de los Frailes – Christmas Street Market On Saturday 21st November, the centre of Hondón de los Failed was ablaze with lights and the sound of festive music echoed around the pedestrianised area. This was the village Christmas Street Market organised by Simone and Marcus from Restaurante Veintiocho, together with the co-operation and help from Sue Ashley from the Community Shop, Victor from the Ayuntamiento, plus members of Neighbourhood Watch and local residents who kindly decorated the street. The street was full of stalls selling jewellery, bags, pies, cakes, clothes, candles and all manner of Christmas items including the much welcomed mulled wine and hot soup! To top off the occasion, there was some lovely Christmas music provided by the Hondón de los Frailes Youth Band. Simone said “I would like to thank all those who helped us set up and all our staff at the restaurant who worked extremely hard and also the public who supported us, coming along for the evening – not only from the village, but from further afield as well. “ “This was the first time we had staged a Christmas Street Market and it was a huge success, we are now starting to arrange our second Easter Market for 2016. If anyone would like further information, please contact me at veintiocho.28@hotmail.com “
The Royal British Legion in Spain, Pinoso The Pinoso branch of the Royal British Legion in Spain held a Christmas Dinner on Thursday 10th December at Oasis Restaurant. Special thanks to the Staff at Oasis, Richard Stephens who gave his free time to do the Disco, Paul at T de Tapas and everyone who donated items for the Christmas Hamper Draw, which raised €520.
N.B. Monthly Meetings held the last Tuesday of the Month 19:30 at Meson Tonet restaurant in Pinoso. For more details, please contact: Email: robinson. sandra60@gmail.com l: (0034) 693790843
Next monthly Quiz is Wednesday 13th January Grand Spring Ball Saturday 5th March at El Timon Wine Festival Saturday 19th March at Jumilla The Pinoso branch of the Royal British Legion in Spain has a full programme of social events throughout the year. The monthly quiz and our popular Menu Del Dia, gives you the opportunity to meet old friends and make new friends together with trying many local restaurants. Please remember, you do not have to be an ex Member of the Armed Forces to join. Meet people, make new friends and raise money to help the armed forces of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Visit our new website at http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/pinoso E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
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TIM Magazine™
BOXED TRADE ADVERTS
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FIREWOOD 658 626 315 Free kindling and free chimney sweep to all customers who purchase firewood from us. Also Mulch available Fruit tree, Olive and Almond wood cut to size of wood burner
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Care of the Elderly, permanent, respite and dementia clients, affordable rates TEL 659401945 or 677 804 691
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE TIM TEAM
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TIM Magazine™
Classifieds
EMAIL your small ads to bargainads@yahoo.es or TEXT your FREE small ads up to €1.000 to 680 976 823
ADVERTISE YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS FOC UP TO THE VALUE OF 1,000 EUROS Sell it Fast Sell it For FREE! From July you can place your unwanted items in our Classifieds section FREE of charge up to the value of 1.000 euros. Simply text your unwanted items too 680 976 823 or email them to bargainads@ yahoo.es remember, no more than 25 words per item and no more than 3 items per household, and please always include what area you live in, we do not take FREE classifieds over the phone. Last day for Free ads is the 18th of the month. When sending through your items by email, please only send in normal size text.
GENERAL Various expensive pictures all framed. Up to 2ft x 3ft. ie. Moonlight Dancers by David Miller. Many more items for sale at less than what I paid for them . Genuine reason for sale. San Vicente del Raspieg. steve.harrington2014@gmail. com 635 938 330 For sale. Chrome finish walking frame, never used, immaculate condition. €25.00 or near offer. Orihuela Costa area. Tel :- Ann or Alan on 965 073 193 Golf clubs full set in red leather bag 36 euros strimmer electric perfect working order 29 euros Sax 965 474 288 Frister Rossman sewing machine. (Beaver 5.) Seen working, Multi Function. Hardly used. 55€ Call 690 772 178 (San Fulgencio) Panasonic Vacuum Cleaner,Upright model, MCE53, 900 watts, good tinsel clearer,, spare bags and belt 35€, (San Fulgencio) 690 772 178 Travel Cot,Folds up. Hardly used. 25 € Euros Ring 690 772 178 (San Fulgencio) 46
For sale 1 Pace Digi box. Immaculate. €25 inc sky remote. tel. 671 493 090. Pinoso area Twelve 6 x bottle section ‘Erce’ make wine racks, 25 euros. Thirteen 4 x bottle section ‘Erce’ make wine racks, 20 euros. Pinoso 660 042 859
If you have an item for sale over 1.000 euros or if you have a commercial advert and would like them listed in the Classifieds section of the magazine, then call 606 891 644. Closing date for Classifieds in the magazine is the 19th of the month. Advertise Your Classifieds For FREE No Value Restrictions. Sell anything fast at www.timspain.com classifieds, its totally FREE. Sell you House/car/boat or what you have at www.timspain.com
Halogen Oven.... Brand new and unused ... Unwanted prize. €30.00 or near offer. Orihuela Costa area. Tel :- Ann or Alan on 965 073 193 SERVICES
Twin lnb, universal type, brand new and unused, 20 euros Hondon de La Nievies 663 664051 Various Metal artwork hangings. Different sizes up to 60cm x 60cm. E15 to 25 Unused. Many more items for sale at less than what I paid for them. Genuine reason for sale. Also Framed Original American Railroad Share Certificates. I have 4 of 37cmx30cm, and 4 of 47cm x 37cm E20 to 25. Unused. Many more items for sale at less than what I paid for them. Genuine reason for sale. San Vicente del Raspieg. steve. harrington2014@gmail.com 635 938 330 Corner Jacuzzi Bath, as new, hardly used, bargain at 200€ Hondon de las Nieves Phone: 965 480 605.
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SPANISH CLASSES AND TRANSLATION SERVICE Hospital, Notary, Court, etc. In the Castalla Area, Spanish Classes for all levels from Basic communication to advanced conversation. Feel confident in your Day to Day life in Spain !Also, TRANSLATION SERVICE Hospital, Notary, Court, etc. PHONE PETER 625-834-920 flow-talk@hotmail.com PERSONAL
Peak Transport, Vince Webster Large Van UkSpain-Uk, Monthly runs, competitive quotes, reliable, friendly service. Telephone 690 818 090 and Uk mobile 0750 492 7034 email: spain2ukpeaktrans @yahoo.co.uk Translation and multiservice. For all you needs in Spain. Nie numbers, building permits etc. call Michael 647 150 827 mjcaw87@gmail.com Qualified carer available for personal one to one care Tel Barbara 675 874 665
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Looking for a lady 35--60 years young to spend a little time sharing some of life’s simple pleasures, any nationality live in Alicante province speak English some Spanish and a little German, I’m also a biker, contact me. wilboyracer@ gmail.com or call 651 943 037. WANTED
Costa Blanca Wanted. 6ft x 3ft poolSnooker Table with no need for repairs. Hondon de las Nieves. Tel 639 564 242 Wanted chest or stand up freezer also multi gym Tel 688 805 958 WANTED: Can anyone give a permanent home to a beautiful stray good natured Peacock. No charges involved. Photograph can be emailed on request. Albatera area. Tel: 96-619-5231. Wanted: self employed graphic designer. We are a long established business in Spain and are looking for a graphic designer who can work with and has experience with Adobe Creative Cloud, particularly Indesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. Requires knowledge of the print process and creating suitable print ready PDF’s.You must be 100% reliable and be able to work to a strict deadline and be able to use your own initiative and be flexible. In total you will be required to work 4-5 days per month and possibly 20/40 minutes or so every other 3/4 days just to check emails etc. The pay is 480-500 Euros per month which is to include IVA. If you have the aforementioned skills, and feel you could meet the criteria, please email us in the first instance with your contact number, name, address and age to: max6valentine@yahoo.co.uk
VEHICLES 2nd hand cars bought and sold Tel 691 260 502
CASH CASH
CASH
INSTANT CASH WAITING Cars Vans M/Bikes Quads etc. MOTOR VEHICLES SCRAPPED ALL LEGAL PAPERWORK ISSUED
COLLECTION SERVICE Tel Phil (Fortuna) 607 848 332
Vehicle Specialists Cars 4x4s Vans, trailers for sale or hire. We buy vehicles “Top prices paid” Call us seriously Phil 693 059 444 Or Connor 0044 7766 150 666 or mail fubbytucker@yahoo.com CLUBS/MEETINGS TORREVIEJA PHILATELIC SOCIETY. We are Stamp Club with members fro many European Countries who share a like minded interest in collecting stamps. We were established in 2003 and currently have 26 members mostly British, but others from Germany, Belgium, Switzerland & Spain. Our members collect, sell and swap stamps from every country in the world, our meetings are informal and friendly, we hold stamp auctions, quizzes and have talks on stamp collecting. We hold meeting on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month and they start at 3pm, Meetings are held at he “La Torre” Hotel on the outskirts of Los Montesinos. Did you collect stamps when you were young? are you interested in taking-up the hobby again? or perhaps you have an old Stamp Album that you would like to share with other collectors. Everyone is welcome to attend any of our meetings. For further information please contact Alan on 868 171 936. or e-mail alan.aylward@rocketmail.com BADMINT0N AT PILAR DE LA HORADADA Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs. 10-1pm. For information ring John McGilvray on 966 786 774 or Mobiles 634 658 506/695 871 707 or e mailcarolejohn_3@ hotmail.com email bargainads@yahoo.es to place your classifieds today.
A group of us meet every Thursday at 9.30 at Waldamars Restaurant in Orihuela Costa All makes of bike and nationality welcome. For more info contact Rob via mollyandbaileybassett@ hotmail.com or call Rob on 671-826-201 The Castalla community church, meets every Sunday at 10.30 am. Held at 137 Avenida Fernando Fenoll Bergua Castalla International all welcome. For further information call Ruth 686 818 113 EVENTS PARTY YOURSELF INTO SHAPE FOR THE NEW YEAR!! Ditch the Workout, Join the Party!! Zumba Fitness Classes with Licensed Zumba Instructor in Pinoso, Fortuna, the Hondons. For details contact Donna 966 195 876 / 699 408 773 www. zumbaiberia.com CHARITIES The Samaritans cover the whole of Spain and operate 24/7. We also have a drop off centre and charity shop at Punta Prima off N332 24 hour Helpline 900 525 100 or email pat@samaritansinspain.com EMPLOYMENT
PROPERTY RENTALS For long term rent, 3 bed fully furnished period property, recently refurbished, small fenced garden, more land available, quiet country location, short distance from village La Font de la Figuera, 250 euros per month, INCLUDING water, electric and council tax. 963 146 701, workshop/ garage/store available. House to rent, center of Salinas, 3 beds, furnished, small outside space, short term or long term, 200 euros per month ex bills. Tel 0044 1924 865 668 or 0044 7583 100 143 email petermcshane@ ymail.com For long term rent, new 1 bed apartment in Guardamar, near the High Street and 10 minutes walk to the beach. Beautiful modern furnishings, spacious double bedroom and well equipped kitchen area. Call 636165880 for more info. PROPERTY SALES
NEW PROPERTIES URGENTLY REQUIRED IN THE SAX/SALINAS/PINOSO/ VILLENA AREAS. FABFINCAS IS A FULLY LEGAL & INDEPENDENT AGENCY. NO SALE - NO FEE. Contact Steve or Claire on 965 474 314 / 675 218 436 fabfincas@gmail.com Website: www.fabfincas.com
PETS Canaries for sale this years. Singers varies colours 12 euros, ideal Christmas presents. call 672 924 557 Castalla.
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TIM Magazine™ Are you one of those people who every January religiously makes New Year’s resolutions but by mid month you have broken them all? Well don’t worry because you are not alone. Perhaps 2011 will be the year that you actually accomplish a few of them or maybe not. Wikipedia says “A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. Some examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more environmentally responsible.” Donating to those less fortunate is of course very charitable but in these days of crisis maybe difficult for many to afford. Don’t forget voluntary organisations are frequently looking for helpers. Becoming more assertive might stand you in good stead on many occasions. However, my wife said I couldn’t go the assertive classes. (The old ones are the best) ‘Environment’ is on everyone’s lips now – being green is in and can save you money. Think we ought to have that on our list. Why don’t we get the tricky ones out of the way first. Learn Spanish This one does of course have many obvious benefits. No more getting confused by Iberdrola or Movistar and you could then actually understand their invoices. Always going home with what you actually wanted from the shops or market would be fantastic. So why not just set your sights a little lower and undertake to learn a few more verbs and maybe, even more importantly, improve your pronunciation. It is great having all those verbs and vocabulary but you have to pronounce them correctly to be understood. Get Fit Get fit and lose weight. Another perennial favourite for many of us. Now is a great time to start, we are all to poor after Christmas to buy lots more food and chocolate and it is not too hot to get outside and do some exercise. Why not try walking (not to the bar), or maybe gardening, do not have one – well try an allotment.
I recently met an allotment holder here in Spain, yes, they do have them. Afraid of fresh air? Sounds like you are the Gym type so don the latex and hit the abs machine good luck. (You won’t see me there) Action 1 Review options and commit to getting fit and shedding a few pounds/ kilos. Give up Smoking Perhaps you will have some help soon if the Spanish lawmakers ever finally make their mind up and sort out the no smoking laws. Action 2 Decide once and for all the nicotine has to go. Apart from those perennial favourites which other ones might be beneficial? New Hobbies We all promised ourselves new hobbies and interests in our retirement or our new life in Spain. So what has been holding you back? There are groups for just about everything (that’s legal) if not why not start your own. Want to write your memoirs – join a writing circle. Always wanted to wield a Nikon camera now is your opportunity. Digital cameras are cheap and no more fussing about loading rolls of film. Plenty of camera clubs around. Drama – showcase your talent on the stage and not in the bath. You will meet new people and have fun. Now those M&S ready meals are not so readily available (who has found a Spanish equivalent, nobody, thought so) Why not buy some of those lovely fresh street market ingredients and start preparing the dishes that you have always wanted too. Alternatively, go for some more Spanish culture and try some local dishes, you might be surprised that you actually like them. So spend less time in front of the TV or computer screen and give some new hobbies a go – you never know what hidden talents you might discover. Action 3 Select new hobby and develop those hidden talents. So, if we were able to commit to all of the above we could become fluent Spanish speaking fit people, preaching about the benefits of non-smoking whilst we rushed around boring people to death with our new hobbies trying to lose the extra weight put on from not smoking. Actually, it’s no surprise we break our new years resolutions is it?
By Rob Innis 48
E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
Costa Blanca
FAB FINCAS FAB Pr oper ti es • FA B P rice s • FA B S e rv ic e
Tel: 965 474 314 • Mob: 675 218 436 www.fabfincas.com • fabfincas@gmail.com Apartado de Correos 3, 03630. Sax. Alicante
Monovar - Ref: ff0808. Price only 134,995 euros A country house in a lovely location, close to the towns of Monovar and Pinoso. This beautifully renovated detached house has 2/3 bedrooms, large living room with dining area off, fitted separate kitchen, family bathroom and very large master bedroom. There is a large bolsa swimming pool and various outbuildings. The views from this property are breathtaking. There is about 11,000m2 land.
FAB PROPERTIES, FAB PRICES, FAB SERVICE FULLY LEGAL ESTATE AGENCY ESTABLISHED 10 YEARS. GENUINE CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS UNRIVALED CUSTOMER SERVICE. Tel: 0034 965 474 314 / 0034 675 218 436 www.fabfincas.com Email: fabfincas@gmail.com
ESTABLISHED 10 YEARS NEW YEAR - NEW START? DUE TO A PHENOMENAL 2015, MORE PROPERTIES URGENTLY NEEDED
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Salinas - Ref: ff0712
Caudete - Ref: ff0774
Sax - Ref: ff0809
Sax - Ref: ff0715
Country house close to village 3 beds, 2 baths Guest casita Pool & tennis court
Beautifully renovated villa 3 beds, 2 baths Swimming pool, landscaped gardens Conservatory/sun room Reduced - now 164,995 euros
Finca for renovation. 5 beds, 1 bath Bolsa swimming pool Outbuildings
Country house in natural parkland 4 beds, 2 baths Large fitted kitchen/diner Swimming pool, garage Reduced to 145,995 euros
Reduced - now 134,995 euros
Only 76,000 euros
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