Edition 18 Mar Menor Focus APRIL 2010

IssIssuu e 18e 18April 2010April 2010

see our ad on page 27see our ad on the Back Page

THE LITTHE LITTLE MAG TOTLE MAG TOKEEP IN YKEEP IN YOUR BAGOUR BAG

Property Management and Rentals

see our ad onpage 6

Tel: (0034) 968 545 204

Biarritz Sea Front

TTraders Directorraders Directoryyand Index on page 25and Index on page 25

Zaragoza, Biarritz, Lourdes- an Adventure, see page 3

2 Telephone: 968 145 572 the Mar Menor FOCUS

Please mention Mar Menor Focus when contacting any of our advertisers

3the Mar Menor FOCUS www.MarMenorFocus.es

In the autumn, my wife and I visited our familyin the UK. Normally we would fly out fromAlicante airport to begin our travels, but wedecided to do something very different thistime, and fly from Biarritz, France to the UK.Ryanair were doing very good deals at that time.

We commenced our journey from Pinoso witha stopover in Zaragoza. I have always wantedto drive across Spain, just to see how differentother communities are compared to ourAlicante province. The drive along the A35motorway from La Font de la Figuera towardsValencia is very interesting, with a diverserange of countryside to admire. Along the wayI noticed some towns which deserve a later visit.

From Valencia, we travelled along the A7towards Sagunto. This is obviously a majorshipping port area, but on the outskirts of thetown I noticed a Castle up on the hillside, thisis another area I would like to visit in the future.From Sagunto, we travelled inland on the A23passing Teruel before arriving in Zaragoza forour first overnight stop. The A23 is a very longmotorway, with a lot of wide open spaces. Onthe outskirts of Zaragoza we saw a hugeamount of Wind turbines which must be goodfor Spain’s eco awareness, and they do have theopen spaces to accommodate these machines.

I had read an article about Zaragoza, and we didhave sufficient time to drive into the city andhave a quick look at the old quarter and in par-ticular a look around the Catedral Basilica deNuestra Senora Del Pilar. This is a very spec-tacular cathedral, very ornate inside and out.On the particular day we were there, a festivitywas taking place in the Square in front of theBasilica, with a number of groups performingdances to accompanying musicians. I wouldcertainly recommend a visit to this city.

The following day was a drive to Biarritz. Thistook us through Tudela, Pamplona and Irun. Asyou enter the Basque region, one notices thebig change in scenery, everything is so greenand we saw ‘cows’ grazing! We haven’t seen any cows for 5 years!

A lot of the properties we saw reminded us ofSwiss Chalets. It was all so very different to ourprovince, but of course we have a totally differ-ent climate to that of the Northern areas of Spain.A night stopover in Biarritz gave us our firstchance to have a quick look around the mainBay of Biarritz. It has a nice picturesque coveand it was pleasantly warm for October withplenty of people promenading, to my surprisethere were a large number of surfers in the seahere. We managed to find a nice restaurant,which provided us with a decent steak andchips meal for around 8€ each, but I was verydistraught when I discovered that the 2 largebeers we had with our meal cost 6.50€ each.Don’t ever moan about Spanish inland barprices again!Biarritz is a small airport, I parked my car in the‘Parking Economique’ area for 2 weeks and Idon’t consider that the charges were excessive. On our return to Biarritz on the 1st November,we chose to have a 2 night stop in Tarbes, nearLourdes. This was a one and a half hour drivefrom the Airport. We stayed in an Ibis Hotel,which I have to say was very nice, clean andcomfortable with helpful English speakingstaff. The following day, we explored Cauterets. Thisis mainly a winter skiing resort, but the sceneryis so spectacular here. To me it looks as if it isa nice summer holiday location also, but inNovember, everything appeared to be closed,as if they were have a break from the summeractivities and waiting for winter to arrive.

(continued on page 8)

ZZaarraaggoozzaa,, BBiiaarrrriittzz,, LLoouurrddeess ññ AAnn AAddvveennttuurree by David Billington

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar


For information on our newDigital Print-on-demand service, ‘FocusPRINT’

call us onTTel: 968 145 572 - el: 968 145 572 -

mobile: 667 821 082mobile: 667 821 082email: [email protected]

We can use artwork provided by you, or designyour advert using text & images approved by

you.(there is a minimal standard origination charge

of €10 for this service)Prepayments for 3, 6 & 12 months will qualifyfor 5%, 10% and 15% discounts respectively.All prices quoted are subject to IVA @ 16%.

Our deadline for adverts, to ensure insertion inthe next issue is the 20th of the month.Payment, in full, is required prior to the

advertising deadline.Disclaimer: ‘Mar Menor Focus’ does not accept responsibility for the standardof goods or services given by it’s advertisers and does not endorse, unless statedotherwise, any company or individual published in the magazine, or any views or

opinions expressed in any articles. ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS designed by the Mar Menor Focus magazine

for use in its publication remain the property ofMar Menor Focus and may NOT be reproduced in any other publication

without our prior written consentPublished by Robert McKinley, C/Himilce, Cartagena, Murcia 30385. X5128759N.

DEPOSITO LEGAL MU-2307-2008

Distribution points include:Bars, Restaurants, Golf Clubs, Shops, EstateAgents, Tourist Offices, Post Rooms, Tabacs,Supermarkets and more, throughout the Mar

Menor area, coastal and inland.Advertising Rates

Full page Colour €130 - Mono €80Half page Colour €70 - Mono €45Quarter page Colour €42 - Mono €28

Special Positions (full colour)Front Box or Banner, Back PageInside Back / Inside Front page

Phone or email for prices - Tel: Bob on: 968 145 572 - email:

[email protected]

WWeellccoommee to the April edition of MMaarr MMeennoorr FFooccuuss,

tthe magazine for the Mar Menor coastal area,

Thank you to our readers for their continuing support and feedback, and our contributors forsharing their knowledge of the area, its historyand culture, allowing us to keep the magazine

informative and interesting for everyone. Our website has everything in the magazine, and

more! Every edition is archived, so you canalways refer back - check it out on

www.marmenorfocus.esWe now offer low cost banner advertising

on our website, also budget web design & hosting.

Advertise your Businessin the next edition ofMMar Mar Menor Fenor FocusocusThe place to be seen

AAffffordableordableaadvdverer titi singsing

thathat really wt really worksorks

Full colourFull colouradvertisementadvertisements froms from

only €25only €25Full Page Full ColourFull Page Full Colour

only €130 (+IVonly €130 (+IVA)A)discounts for 3, 6 or 12

months advertisingCall Now on

TTel: 968 145 572 -el: 968 145 572 -mobile: 667 821 082mobile: 667 821 082

or email: [email protected]

see our online magazine at

www.marmenorfocus.es



Why Use Resort ChoiceResort Choice booked over 16,000 nightsand 1,200 families for our owners in 2009Established for over 5 yearsFully licensed for management and rentalsFull insuranceMulti-lingual staff and websitesRegistered with Murcia tourist boardAll keys locked away and alarmedAccept all major credit cardsAll work guaranteed and invoicedEach property certificated with Murcia tourist boardState of the art reservation software in many languagesRental contracts with leading reservation agenciesEmergency cover 365 days a year, 24 hours a dayMembers of PNAG rental guarantee programme

Services IncludeProperty ManagementKey HoldingHoliday RentalsLong Term RentalsLocal Tourist InformationCleaningLinen ServiceProperty InspectionsLegal Airport Transfers24 Hour Guest ServicesGeneral Maintenance and RepairsSecurity GrillsAir ConditioningPlumbingElectrical workPainting and DecoratingSwimming Pool andGarden MaintenanceTranslation ServicesAlarms

Property Management. and Rentals

Tel: (0034) 968 545 204 - (0034) 680 650 471UK Freephone: 0800 316 6181 - Fax: (0034) 968 970 212

Email: [email protected] - Website: www.resortchoice.com

Resort Choice (Resort La Manga SL)Avda. Mar Menor, Edif, Geranio Bajo 14, 30384 Mar de Cristal, Cartagena, MurciaCompany Reg No. B30780316 – Registro de Empresas y Actividades Turísticas A.MU.209

Car Hire Holiday Insurance Attraction TicketsProperty Snagging Reports Complete Furniture PacksLegal and Financial ServicesBooking Activities inc.Tennis and Golf

NEW OFFICE NOW OPENIN SAN JAVIER,

Calle Lanzarote No.1 307305 Minutes from Murcia Airport


email: [email protected]

MABS CANCER SUPPORTGROUP MURCIA/MAR MENOR

EVENTS FOR APRIL 2010Saturday 3 April & Sunday 4 April - Craft Fayre, Las Claras, Los Alcázares. Doors open 12 until 4pm. 1 Euro entryWednesday 7 April , 11:00 - Volunteer MeetingCentro Las Claras, Los Narejos, Los AlcázaresSaturday 24 April - 7:00 pm Spring Dance,Centro Las Claras, Los Narejos10 euros entrance to include Chicken & Chips& a drink. Disco by Steve from Nuovo RadioFor info & tickets contact Janet 968 192 768Wednesday 28 April - Auction, La Zona,Calle Penelope, Urb. Oasis Viewing 2 - 4 pm.Sale starts 4 pm, Contact Carol 968 173 842for info or to sell or donate items Every Saturday (weather permitting) 10:30-1:30 Book Sale Los Alcázares, MercadonaSquare, (outside D & G Garden Supplies). Allproceeds to MABSNEW VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS WELCOMEFor further details, please call 693 824 511


Saying that, we went to the Pont D’Espagnelocated in this part of the Pyrenees National Park.This is an area of outstanding natural beauty,mountains, rivers, waterfalls, it is all very spec-tacular. We walked around this section of the Parkfor hours, taking in the beautiful scenery. I wouldlove to have a summer holiday here in the future,it is such a lovely picturesque area to be in.

After a morning of taking in our fill of the Park wedrove back to Lourdes. Having seen programmeson TV about Lourdes and its religious connection,I was curious to see what it was like. I parked mycar on the outskirts of town and walked along aparticular road towards the Basilica, which wasfull of tourist shops selling items of a religiousnature, they all looked a little tacky and out ofplace to me. The main town centre itself though isvery nice. After passing through this tourist street,it opened out onto the view in the distance of avery spectacular looking Church – The Basilica ofthe Rosary. All I can say is that it is a very largeand imposing Church that makes you stand therefor a few moments just staring at its grandeur.

After spending some time looking around theoutside of the basilica, we took a walk to one sideof the church to the famous Grotto of Lourdes,where people go on their pilgrimages for a cure.It is not as big as I thought it would be and therewere not many people there at this particulartime. But I can now imagine that when there is aspecific event organised this place would bepacked with thousands. What made it feelpoignant to me were the few people we saw, withobvious disabilities, some who could hardlywalk, making their way to the Grotto to touch thewalls and pray for their cure. It makes you think!

To complete our day’s tour, we travelled to theedge of town and had a ride on the FunicularRailway to the summit of the Pic du Jer

Mountain. This is a 100 year old ‘train’ ride tothe peak at 1000 metres high, taking around 6minutes. Needless to say, there is a 360 degreeview of all the peaks around this locality andstunning views of Lourdes way down below.

The following day was our return back to Pinoso.After a 7.30am start from Tarbes, we arrivedhome at 6.30pm, which included a lot of comfortstops. Unless you are a really keen driver, I donot recommend driving that distance in one go, ifI do this sort of trip again I will definitely incor-porate a stopover.

Through the borders of France into Spain, wedrove for almost an hour through a section of thePyrenees National Park, crossing the border at ElPortalet, which has an old unused Border Postbuilding. El Portalet is another Ski resort anddriving through the area, we saw many ski liftslying dormant, waiting for the season to begin.Once again, the scenery, ruggedness of the coun-tryside and waterfalls, were all spectacular withmuch to admire as we drove along the zig zag-ging roads. I believe that this pass is1794 metreshigh at its peak and can be closed during wintermonths if the snow is bad. It was quite cold andraining as we drove through but nonetheless it iswonderful to look at.

We are, possibly like other Expats, careful withmoney during these uncertain times, but wefound hotels for less than 50€ per night. I did notuse any toll roads and my fuel costs were notexcessive. I do like to visit relatives in the UK,but it is not like having a holiday as such, soadding these little trips before and after, madethis break feel more like an adventure and wesaw some fantastic sights that normally we maynever have thought about exploring before!

Next time you plan your UK trip, perhaps dosomething different!

The Grotto at Lourdes

Basilica of the Rosary - Lourdes


New activities in Los UrrutiasA group of neighbors are organizing newactivities in this town. Recently aerobicclasses (Monday and Wednesday 10 to 11am) and fitness classes (Tuesday & Thursday3:45 to 4:45 pm) have begun in the SocialCenter (all ages and levels of fitness are wel-come). Now we need your ideas for otheractivities in this area (games, entertainment,workshops, courses,...). Ideas for inside oroutside activities will be considered.Suggestions and more info: 654 332 214

The British Consulate in Alicante will hold a‘super surgery’ event on healthcare entitlementsthis spring in Orihuela Costa. Representativeswill provide thorough and up-to-date informa-tion and answer questions from British residents.This unique initiative will be held jointly withlocal campaign group PUMA22 who will chairthe event.

Local British residents recently voiced their con-cerns about healthcare, among other issues, in anopen meeting in Torrevieja. Martyn Standing,advisor for the British Consulate Pensions,Benefits and Healthcare Team is familiar withthe issues raised, and assures “we are aware ofthe stress that problems with accessing health-care can cause. By representing the UKDepartment of Health and maintaining commu-nication with local health authorities, we havelots of relevant knowledge useful for Britishpeople in the area.” Martyn’s team advise hun-dreds of people each month on healthcare issues,which can often be complex due to the region’srecent changes in legislation.

The ‘super surgery’ event willinclude a presentation on health-care topics and a question andanswer session open to attendees.There will also be an opportunityfor British residents to discusstheir individual cases withexperts.

More details will be availablenearer the time, or see the website http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk

Notice To All Dog OwnersDo you want to go away?

I will take care of your dog, Large or small not a problem,

my home is their home when theystay with me, with all home comforts.

Please NoteThis is a private house in Playa Paraiso, not kennels

Established 4 years, References availableTel Joanne 620 460 557

British Consulate to setthe record straight about healthcare entitlements


Local MarketLocal MarketssSaturdayLos Alcázeres (Los Narejos)Torre Pacheco (Dolores)SundayCabo de PalosLos NietosSan Javier AutocineTorre Pacheco (Roldán)

MondaySan Pedro del PinatarSucina

TuesdayLos BelonesLa UnionPilar de la HoradadaLos AlcazeresMil PalmerasWednesdaySantiago de la RiberaSan JavierThursdayLos UrrutiasLa palma

Torre Pacheco (Balsicas)San Pedro del Pinatar (Lo Pagan)

FridayEl AlgarLlano del BealPilar de la Horadada

FOR SALE - 300 E Mercedes BenzDiesel, Avant gardeJust Serviced - ITV

Metallic Blue, AutomaticElectric Windows

€3,495Tel: 968 564 551

La Manga - Santiago de la Ribera Ferry Winter timetableLa Manga Santiago deTomas maestre la Ribera

10.3012.3014.3016.30

11.3013.3015.3017.30

Monday to Saturday




The aim of the sudoku puzzle is to insertnumbers in the boxes so that:each row, column and 3x3 boxcontain one each of the digits 1-9

sudoku

A Codebreaker is a crosswordpuzzle with no clues! Instead,every letter of the alphabet hasbeen replaced by a number,the same number representingthe same letter throughout thepuzzle. All you have to do isdecide which letter is repre-sented by which number! Tostart you off, we reveal thecodes for two or three letters.When these letters have beenentered throughout the puzzle,you should have enough infor-mation to start guessing wordsand discovering other letters.

Codebreaker

A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

TIME FOR A BREAK


Indulge Beauty is the newest beauty Salon toopen in Los Alcazares, who are proud to offera vast range of beauty treatments to include:

Bio Sculpture, a leading brand in soak offcoloured nails which do not damage naturalnails. To complete this treatment we alsooffer two preparation treatments FREE aspart of the package.

Minx, a revolutionaryand unique manicureand pedicure thatpromises not to chip

or smudge and requires no drying time withmany hot designs to choose from.

To compliment our manicure and pedicuretreatments we also offer hot oil and waxtreatments.

As a Salon that is veryconscious about theirclients safety Indulgeonly use PhD safe wax.PhD is the safest applicator waxing system inthe world, as each applicator is disposed ofafter use, preventing cross contaminationwhich can occur when using pot and spatulawaxing.

Facials, Spray Tanning, Eye Treatments, EarPiercing, Body Wrapping the list is endless.

So why delay? Indulge today!!!

Please call or email for appointments,

Tel: 605 395 427www.indulgespain.comEmail: [email protected]

Indulge Beauty Salon

Find us at: Shape and Tone Wellness Centre,Avenida Mariano Ballester 5,

Los Alcazares, 30710

Indulge Special Offer for April:Bio Sculpture Nails for just 20 euros

a third off normal recommended price! Seevoucher on page 21.

Try this lovely nutritious recipe for SpanishAlmond Soup. It is full of all those things thatmake the Mediterranean Diet one of the health-iest in the world. Not only are almonds rich invitamin E and magnesium they are also full ofphytochemicals which help to protect the bodyagainst degenerative diseases such as cancerand heart disease. Almonds have also beenshown to lower cholesterol levels and help thebody to block the absorbtion of fats and carbo-hydrates thus helping to control obesity.Also containing garlic, you can enjoy thiswonderful Spanish dish with the addedknowledge that you are benefiting your health.Spanish Almond Soup is traditionally served inSpain as a first course at Christmas but it isdelightful served at any time of the year. There are many regional variations of it andthis has a slight reminder of it's Moorish past inthe hint of cumin.

Ingredients.

50 ml olive oil400gms. almonds,blanched.2 cloves of garlic.1/4 tsp. cumin.1/4tsp. saffron.4 slices bread, diced10 peppercorns.1 and a half litres chicken broth.1tsp. vinegar.Sea salt to taste.Chopped parsley to garnish.

Method.

Heat the oil and toast thealmonds,garlic, bread and saffron. When golden brown set a few of the croutonsaside to garnish then blend the rest in a blenderalong with the peppercorns, cumin and salt. Add a little of the broth and the vinegar topurée. Heat the rest of the broth then stir in thepuréed almond mixture and bring to the boil.Simmer genlyfor 15 minutes, stirring occa-sionally, serve hot garnished with the parsleyand reserved croutons.

Spanish Almond Soup





Iberbrit LegalSolicitors and Chartered Accountants

CONVEYANCINGMADE SIMPLE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL:Phone: +34 968 337 392

Fax: +34 968 563 224email: [email protected] - www.iberbrit.com

Conveyancing.Integral Tax advice for Individuals and Companies.Annual Tax returns for property owners.Social Security advice.Spanish Wills.

Preparation of the NIE-Identification number of foreigners.Spanish Residency.Financial advice “Mortgages”Power of Attorney.

OURSERVICES

Iberbrit Legalare located on La Manga Strip at:Gran Via s/n – Km 1.5, Edificio Monterrey – Iberbrit Legal office, PO BOX No. 163 – 30380 La Manga – Cartagena


Obtaining the new book'Mediterranean Apartment Gardening - Terraces, balconies and windowsills'

Naturally new books take a little while to get into all the shops but books can beordered for speedy delivery from www.santanabooks.com and www.bookworld.com.

TThhee MMaarr MMeennoorr TThhee MMaarr MMeennoorr GGaarrddeenniinngg OOppppoorrttuunniittyyGGaarrddeenniinngg OOppppoorrttuunniittyy

By Clodagh and Dick Handscombe, Practical gardeners & authors, living in Spain for twenty five years.

IntroductionMost readers who purchased a villa have madea good effort to turn the surrounding space intoa garden they are proud of. Something they arehappy to look out onto, wander round, relax in,cook and eat al fresco with the family andfriends. But few who purchased an apartmenthave done likewise, even though apartmentgardening is in many respects easier than in alarger space. The result is that many entireapartment blocks and apartment neighbourhoods around the Mar Menor look bare andunattractive, reducing the enjoyment of livingin the wonderful Mediterranean climate andthe chance of selling if you want to move on.We have therefore written a new book 'Mediterranean Apartment Gardening -Terraces, balconies and windowsills' to helpreaders make their apartments both moreattractive and productive places to live,whether they only have ten square metres ofterrace space or a 400 square metre penthouseterrace. It is packed with practical ideas andadvice with photographs and plans of what canbe done. We will discuss some of the possibil-ities this month and next.The space you haveWhat space you have will depend on the typeof apartment block you live in and the mix ofwindow sills, balconies and open and coveredterraces the architect designed into the build-ing. Apartment blocks vary from a convertedvillage house with two or three floors of apart-ments, ten storey blocks with one or two rowson each floor, pyramid buildings where everyapartment has an open and covered area and upto the forty storeys in Benidorm and those nowpromised for Torrevieja.

Apartment gardening, not difficult or onerous

1. With outside lights you can garden at anytime of the day or night.2. On covered terraces you could have evengardened during this winters heavy rains. If therain is being blown in pull down the blind.3. Stop attempting to use annuals in windowboxes - especially in the summer and on southfacing terraces. There are plenty of perennialsthat can last for years that enjoy the sun asinteresting alternatives, and others for semishaded and shaded areas at the back of coveredterraces. Over a hundred such plants are illus-trated in the book together with buying andcaring tips.

4. You can complete the design and layout of aterrace in a couple of days or weekends versusmonths or years in a garden.5. It's very possible for part time owners aswell as full time residents. Drought resistantplants, dried and artificial plants all have a roleto play along with interesting ceramic pots,plates and murals etc..More ideas next month.


The FThe Fun Quizun QuizGeneral KnowledgeGeneral Knowledge

1. What is the most populous 'M' country inthe world?

a) Moroccob) Mongoliac) Myanmar d) Mexico

2. Where in America is Times Square?

a) Los Angelesb) Chicagoc) San Franciscod) New York

3. In 1967, to what word in a song by TheBeatles did English Clean Up TV campaignerMrs Mary Whitehouse object?

a) Brab) Bottomc) Knickersd) Ankles

4. Hugh Laurie plays a diagnostician on whatshow?

a) ER b) Housec) Private Practise d) Grays Anatomy

5. Who released "Jagged Little Pill" in 1995?

a) Sarah McLachlanb) Holec) Jewel d) Alanis Morissette

6. What celebrity has been called "The Queenof Talk"?

. a) Oprah Winfreyb) Jenny Jonesc) Rosie O'Donnelld) Ricki Lake

7. All of these are books by J.R.R. Tolkien,except?

a) 'The Return of the King'b) 'The Fellowship of the Ring'c) 'The Power That Preserves'd) 'The Two Towers'

8. This movie adapted from a Stephen Kingnovel had a typewriter in it that eventuallysaved the hero's life. What movie is it?

a) The Langoliersb) Itc) Miseryd) Christine

9. In which country are cows considered holy?

a) Azerbaijanb) Pakistanc) Indiad) Laos

10. What is the main product used to make glass?

a) Steelb) Limestonec) Red Phosphorousd) Sand

11. January 28, 1986, 73 seconds into its ninthlaunch this space shuttle exploded as thousandswatched. What was the name of the shuttle?

a) Colombiab) Voyagerc) Challengerd) Explorer

12. Which of the following countries remainedneutral throughout World War II?

a) Bulgariab) Romaniac) Irelandd) Greece

1) d. Mexico. 2) d. New York. 3) c. Knickers. 4) b. House. 5) d. Alanis Morissette.6) a. Oprah Winfrey. 7) c. 'The Power That Preserves. 8) c. Misery

9) c. India. 10) c. Sand. 11) c. Challenger. 12) c. Ireland.

Answers



Torrevieja can boast to hosting at least one fiestaor festival every month of the year with thetwo most important being July's Habanerasand this month's Semana Santa, or EasterWeek processions.

Famous throughout Spain, we all have visions oflarge floats with sculptures of Christ upon thembeing carried through the streets and Torrevieja isno different except that the city was the first in theworld to allow an International, non-denomina-tional Cofradia to participate in the celebration.2010 is the sixth year that 'Los Costaleros' willpartake in Torrevieja's Easter processions. EachEaster offers a new experience for one hundrednon-Spanish residents, many of whom are non-Catholic Christians but have been drawn to thisspecial occasion which not only gives membersa sense of pride but also allows them to givesomething back to their Spanish hosts, in thename of gratitude and integration. HoweverSemana Santa is not just about Los Costalerosbut based around a full week of solemn proces-sions and events throughout the city. Both of Torrevieja's major musical bands supplymusic for Los Costaleros on different nights butthis year they are very proud to be marching to apiece of music that has been specially composedfor them by Jaime Belda, the Director of the'Unión Musical Torrevejense'. Music is a veryimportant aspect of the processions, as theCofradias require a steady and specific 'beat' tobe able to walk in time to.Monday March 29th is the first occasion that'Los Costaleros' shall be seen in public, splendidin their Emerald Green and Gold marchingthrough the streets with 1,500 kilos resting onthe shoulders of around 100 strong men.

Thursday April 1st processions leave from theInmaculada at 23:00-hrs. An hour later at mid-night, 24:00 hrs: a shorter procession from thePlaza del Calvario to Inmaculada Concepcióntakes place.

Good Friday falls on April 2nd and the week'smajor procession is scheduled featuring 15 ofTorrevieja's cofradias starting at 19:30 hrs fromthe Templo Arciprestal de la InmaculadaConcepción arriving back at InmaculadaConcepción around 23:30 hrs. Of all the proces-sions this is the one that everyone looks forwardto and the one that affords spectators an oppor-tunity to see all of the major cofradias at onetime. In 2008, an estimated 10,000 people linedthe streets to cheer on and applaud the cofradias. Processions on Saturday April 3rd begin at22:00 hrs starting from Avda. de la Habaneras(Estación Autobuses) and finishing at MaestroFrancisco Vallejos. This procession is open toeveryone and consists of walking through thestreets tapping tambourines, it is one of the mostpopular gatherings during the week and morefun for families and children.Easter Sunday, April 4th is an early start at07:45 hrs from the Templo Arciprestal de laInmaculada Concepción, with the participationof the Cofradía 'San Juan Evangelista' accompa-nied by the Banda Musical 'Unión MusicalTorrevejense'.For the last two years the Good Friday proces-sions have been rained off so fingers are crossedfor third time lucky in 2010. The Director of theForeign Resident's Office, Graham Knight is theCapataz/Padrino of the Cofradia de NuestroSeñor Jesus en la Oración el el Huerto de losOlivos (Jesus in the Garden of Olives) and hewould like to invite everyone to come along andwitness Torrevieja's most spectacular street fiesta.

Semana Santa processions 2010Semana Santa processions 2010 by Keith Nicol


Across1 Key above G6 Where there's smoke10 "__ we forget"14 Conductor Walter15 Trails16 Declare with confidence17 French noble18 Surprise cries19 Bundle20 "Casualties of War" director22 Breaks away24 Freshwater birds26 As much27 Lawsuit30 Segment32 Wimsey of detective fiction34 Palestinians, e.g.38 Piece of a two-piece

39 Sounds of time passing41 George's brother42 Brown tone45 One making net gains?48 "Get __!"50 Tickled51 In a pile54 Early evening56 Purported58 Like some exercises62 Pinball violation63 Lover of Aphrodite65 Dispatch boat66 Cabbage-shaped decoration67 Pathetic68 Admit69 Primitive dwellings70 Poker variety71 Clothing

Down1 Multiple choice choices2 Cleaving tool3 Hunk4 Stomach soother5 Skater's jump6 Parade spectacle7 Cambodian's neighbor8 Sounds of disgust9 Member of a Jewish sect10 Office gizmo11 Shake off12 Tennis star Monica13 Long lock21 Water-lily painter23 Andean shrub25 Sort27 Priestly vestments28 Apple refuse29 Golf course hazard31 Galls33 Spat35 Objectives36 Highlands hillside37 Make smooth40 Remove the stubble

43 Moon of Saturn44 An arm and __46 May birthstone47 Exceed49 Standards of perfection51 Concoct52 Yale of Yale University53 Dole out55 Relieved57 Mild oath59 Chomp60 Horned goddess61 Jailbirds64 Cassowary's cousin

TIME FOR A BREAKcrossword puzzle


Our friends Juana María and Salvador invitedus to join them with their family and friends fora day in the Campo last month. We weren't surequite what to expect, so we decided to wearwarm clothing: after all, it was still winter. Itturned out to be a lovely day, although wewould have been fine even if the weather hadbeen bad, as there was a small building there.Have you ever visited friends for a summer bar-beque in the UK? It was probably sunnier andwarmer at this Spanish winter barbeque!

As well as barbequed sausages and bacon weenjoyed the local speciality gachamiga, whichis a mixture of flour, olive oil, water and otheringredients such as garlic. The gachamiga istossed over like a pancake in order to cook theother side, and is eaten by dipping bread into itOne of the local traditions is to drink red wineby holding the bottle over your mouth - andhopefully not missing it! John and I decided tostick to the British tradition and use glasses,rather than wasting good wine until we got theknack. Apart from that, it was very much likeour idea of a barbeque: the men all gatheringaround the barbeque outside while the womengossiped in the kitchen.

John's niece Fiona was staying with us inFebruary, so we took her along to watch the fes-tivities of San Blas (St Blaise is the patron saintof sore throats). Once Fiona got used to noisyfireworks being set off in the street she enjoyedherself, especially the band playing, neighboursdancing and the frequent stops outside people'shouses to enjoy the food and drink which hadbeen put out on a table in the street.

We went to the Camarera's house one eveningfor a talk by a local historian. Fiona was a bitbemused to find the statue of San Blas in theCamarera's front room, so we explained thatevery year the association holds a draw to

become Camarera, which means they have thehonour of having San Blas in their house thefollowing year.

After the talk we enjoyed the customary foodand drink, which this time had been laid out inthe garage rather than outside in the street.

Jumilla celebrated a Carnaval in February, aswell as the Feria del Amor, which not surpris-ingly is held over the St Valentine's weekend.This year they have introduced a Ruta de laTapa, which is continuing until 14th March:you can buy a glass of wine and tapa for 2 eurosin any of the participating bars and restaurantsin Jumilla, plus you get a free scratch card withyour drink. I was delighted when I won one ofthe local cheeses and look forward to winningmore prizes over the coming weeks!

INLAND FOCUSby Sue Walker

Retiring The Olé Way is the intimate, honest and inspiring story of Sue and JohnWalker’s move to their new home in rural Southern Spain.

The book is available at Amazon and from all good bookshops, at a cost of £9.99.


Mar Menor Focus Business DirectoryYour business here for just 60 euros a year!

Call Mar Menor Focus on 968 145 572 or email: [email protected]

STARAIR, Air Conditioning Sales, installation& Service, Tel: 679 573 643

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT968 563 598 (Page 16)

BAR APICOCO Playa Honda 968 563 958 (Page 17)BAR EL SOL Plaza CavannaLa Manga Strip, 968 563 899 (back page)BRAMBLES BAR Playa Honda610 622 249 (page 5) DOLLY’S BAR, Plaza Bohemia, La Manga 663 608 575ELVIS’ DINER, Galerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco) 630 466 417 MARTIN’S Restaurant, Calle MayorLos Belones - 651 594 822 (Page 12)NOBBY’S CANTINA, Nuevo Puerto BelloLa Manga, 968 564 551 (inside back page)PADDYWACKS IRISH BARLa Manga Strip 968 563 648 (page 15)PEPE’S BAR Mar de Cristal (page 27)TIME OUT Sports Bar, San Javier968 192 418 (page 11)

Clinica Dental ALEMANALa Manga 968 175 300

MARUJA Garden Centre/NurseryCabo de Palos Tel 968563 905

SHAPE & TONE -Toning Tables, PowerPlates, Chiropractor, Masseur, BeauticianLos Alcazares 661 002 648 (page 21)

INDULGE - Beauty and Nails, Los Alcazares605 395 427 / 661 002 648 (page 15)TRANQUILITY - Beauty, Body & Nail SalonGalerias El Flamenco, Km 4, La Manga Strip(behind Zocos) 638 300 656 (page 2)

ASSSA INSURANCE - Los Belones968 153 396 (page 9)DAVID MASON Insurance Services (page 2)Funeral planning (page 12)Los Belones, 968 137 719 / 659 226 112LINEA DIRECTA CAR Insurance Tel: 902 123 161 RICHARD HOWARD Insurance Services,Los Belones 968 13 72 59 (Page 7)email:[email protected]

IBERBRIT LEGAL, La Manga Strip968 337 392 (page 18)

SEA-KLEAR The original Pool & Spa waterclarifier. Tel: 677 221 159 (inside back page)

ACCOMMODATION Apartment El PuebloLos Belones. 620 026 637 (page 18)

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & SALES968 563 598 (Page 16)

RESORT CHOICE (Resort La Manga) Mar de Cristal, 968 545 204 (page 6)

EDEN International, Property AgentsLos Carmenes, Gran Via Km 3La Manga, Tel: 0034 968 143 185 (page 15)

OLYMPIEZA, apartment cleaningC/La Loma, Torrevieja, 675 021 669

TOP CLASS MANAGEMENT [email protected] (page 18)

AIR CONDITIONING

BABY EQUIPMENT HIRE

HEALTH & BEAUTY

DENTISTS

GARDEN CENTRES

INSURANCE

BARS & RESTAURANTS

LEGAL & FINANCIAL SERVICES

PROPERTY SALES & SERVICES

POOLS & SPAS


Why you should have your pet neutered part 2

For your own sakeThe decision as to whether to neuter your petcan affect more than the animal itself. If you'rethinking of not neutering your pet, you shouldconsider the following.

For owners of unspayed female pets there isthe permanent stress of ensuring that your petdoes not become pregnant. If your pet doesbecome pregnant, there is the added responsi-bility and worry of having to care for herthrough pregnancy, birth and the rearing of herlitter - before facing the challenge of findinggood homes for the puppies or kittens. (Youmight want to reflect on the facts that a femalecat can produce up to six kittens, three times ayear, or that some breeds of dog can have asmany as 12 puppies in a litter.)

Bitches in heat can be messy, producing abloody discharge for three weeks or more, andattract a constant stream of hopeful male dogsto the front door. Female cats, if not spayed ormated, often come into season over and overagain, so that they may be almost continuouslyon heat. This can be exhausting for both the

cats and their owners, and usuallyattracts many amorous andvocal tomcats to the house.

Male cats will frequentlyurine-mark their territory with a powerful andunpleasant scented urine, not normally producedby neutered male cats. Bear in mind that theymay consider your house part of their territory!

Male dogs have been known to break downdoors and fences in their attempts to escape andgo after bitches in heat. In the absence of a suit-able companion, they are not too fussy aboutwhere they redirect their amorous intentionseither, frequently mounting their toys, the fur-niture or their owner's legs. They are also muchmore likely to show aggression to other dogs,whether on or off the lead.To avoid unwanted littersEvery year many dogs and cats have to be putto sleep because there are more unwanted animals than there are homes available. Thissituation could be improved if more pet ownerstook the responsible decision to get their animals neutered.

DJ’S MINI MART Los Belones 617 029 321 HONDAMAR SupermercadoPlaya Honda 968 56 43 68 (page 11)THE FURNITURE STORE Poligono Ind. Los Alcazares. 968 582 546 MISSING LINKS (Cornish Pride) (page 15)Los Belones 620 562 973 / 650 267 650

CAR MECHANIC All aspects of car mechanicscall Kevin on: 649 076 344 (page 12)SUNNY’S LAVANDERIA Laundry servicesGalerias el Flamenco 689 339 095 (page 2)TAXIS OMEGA Cheap airport transfers inthe Costa Cálida Tel: (0034) 605 87 13 31

AQUA ADICTA968 545 193 / 659 434 811 (page 28)

INTERPRETER AvailableSpanish national (10 years in England) withfluent English. For hospitals, doctors, police,banks, solicitors, schools, ITV, etc. Translationof documents. Sympathetic and totally reliable.Cartagena and surrounding areas, Mar Menor,Fuente Alamo, Torre Pacheco. Other areasconsidered. From 15 euros hour. Tel: 968165565 Mob: 626690873 (ask for JOSÉ)

CABO MANGA Ctra Cabo de PalosLa Manga 968 146 364 (page 27)

VALERIE’S NOVIAS, bridal gowns &Accessories, C/Mayor 9, Pilar de Horadada966 766 689

PHOTO VIDEO SPAIN, wedding/eventsKeith Nicol, 609 063 614

SERVICES

RETAIL

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

TRANSLATION SERVICES

VETERINARY SERVICES

WEDDING SERVICES



The two birds we will look at this month are theDartford Warbler and the Marmora's Warbler.

The Dartford Warbler could be considered to be anexpatriate, similar to many of us who now live inSpain. The Dartford Warbler takes its name fromDartford Heath in N.W Kent. They used to becommon in the UK, however cold winters got thebetter of them. They are now pretty rare in theUK, preferring the mild winters and hot summersof Spain and North Africa.

Dartford Warblers breed in S.E Europe and N. Africa and do not tend to stray farfrom their breeding ground. A small number will migrate further north for the summer.As you can see from the picture, these birds are very attractive with large heads andlong tails. They are very small, normally one or two centimetres smaller than arobin. Their colouring is also very distinctive with a reddish-brown underbelly, grey-brown upper body and red eyes.

Dartford Warblers like to live on heath land with scrub including spiky bushes andheathers. They particularly like a warm (south facing) slope near the coast (I saidthey were very like us!). There are plenty of suitable locations near the Mar Menor.

These Warblers can be hard to see, as they tend tohide within bushes, however when the weather iswarm they will sit on top of the bush and sing.Their song is a quick rattling warble that has abuzzing sound to it.

The Marmora's Warbler is a much rarer bird.They normally breed in the Balearics, Corsica andSardinia though some vagrants will stray furtherfield. They are named after an Italian NaturalistAlberto Della Marmora. They look very similar to

the Dartford Warbler with a large head and long tail, though their colouring is almostentirely grey. They enjoy the same habitat as the Dartford Warbler.

The Marmora's Warbler and Dartford Warbler mainly eat insects, sometimescatching flies in flight. They will also eat some berries.

Lesley Singleton, AQUA ADICTA


Dolly Parton and QueenElizabeth went to the PearlyGates on the same day. They both met with an Angelto find out if they would beadmitted to Heaven Theangel said "Unfortunately,there's only one space inHeaven today so I mustdecide which of one of youwill be admitted." The Angel asked Dolly ifthere was some particularreason why she should go toHeaven. Dolly took off hertop and said, "Look at these,they're the most perfectbreasts God ever created andI'm sure it will please God tobe able to see them every day,for eternity." The Angel thanked Dolly,and asked Her Majesty,Queen Elizabeth the samequestion. The Queen walked over to atoilet, pulled the lever andflushes it without saying aword. The Angel immediate-ly said, "OK, your Majesty,you may go into Heaven."Dolly was outraged andasked, "What was that all about? I showed you two ofGod's own perfect creationsand you turned me down. Shesimply flushed a commodeand she got admitted toHeaven! Would you explainthat to me? "Sorry, Dolly," said theAngel, "but even in Heaven,a royal flush beats a pair - nomatter how big they are."

*******A bloke starts his new job atthe zoo and is given threetasks.

First is to clear the exotic fishpool of weeds. As he doesthis a huge fish jumps out andbites him. To show who isboss, he beats it to death witha spade. Realising hisemployer won't be bestpleased, he disposes of thefish by feeding it to the lions,as lions will eat anything. Moving on to the second jobof clearing out the chimphouse, he is attacked by thechimps that pelt him withcoconuts. He swipes at twochimps with a spade, killingthem both. What can he do?Feed them to the lions, hesays to himself, because lionseat anything. He hurls thecorpses into the lion enclosure.He moves on to the last job,which is to collect honeyfrom the South Americanbees. As soon as he starts heis attacked by the bees. Hegrabs the spade and smashesthe bees to a pulp. By now heknows what to do and throwsthem into the lions' cage,because lions eat anything. Later that day a new lionarrives at the zoo. He wan-ders up to another lion andsays, "What's the food likehere?" The lions say: "Absolutelybrilliant! Today we had fishand chimps with mushybees."

*******'This credit crunch is worsethan a divorce. I've lost halfmy net worth and I still havea wife.'

*******The bank returned a chequeto me this morning, stamped:'insufficient funds.' Is it themor me?

The FThe Fun Spotun Spot

Crossword

Codebreaker

Puzzle

Solutions

Sudoku


EMERGENCY NUMBER - 112Useful NumbersUseful Numbers to kto keep by the phoneeep by the phone

AMBULANCE - 061GUARDIA CIVIL - 062La Manga del Mar Menor 968 563 222 La Unión 968 560 011San Javier 968 335 920San Pedro del Pinatar 968 180 610LOCAL POLICE - 092Cabo de Palos 968 337 238Cartagena 968 128 877El Algar 968 135 695La Manga del Mar Menor 968 337 300 La Unión 968 560 051Los Alcázares 968 171 919San Javier 968 570 880San Pedro del Pinatar 968 188 092NATIONAL POLICE – 091Cartagena 968 320 722FIRE BRIGADE - 112Cartagena 968 128 880Los Alcázares 968 171 782MARITIME EMERGENCIES – 900 202 202MEDICAL CENTRESCosta Calida 968 142 060El Algar 968 135 510La Manga del Mar Menor 968 142 125Lo Pagan 968 184 728Los Alcázares 968 575 800Los Belones 968 137 476Portman 968 548 064San Javier 968 191 866San Pedro del Pinatar 968 187 865

HOSPITALSCartagena: Santa Maria del Rosell 968 325 000Naval Hospital 968 327 400Murcia:Virgen de la Arrixaca 968 369 500J.M. Morales Meseguer 968 360 900San Javier:Los Arcos 968 570 050

AIRPORTS (www.aena.es)Alicante 966 919 000San Javier (Murcia) 968 172 000BUS STATIONSCartagena 968 505 656Murcia 968 292 211San Pedro del Pinatar 968 182 942RAILWAYSFEVE www.feve.es 968 501 172RENFE www.renfe.es 902 240 202TAXI Omega Airport tansfers 605 871 331UTILITY COMPANIESTelefonica 1004www.telefonica.es www.telefonicainenglish.comIberdrola (Electricity) 901 202 020 www.iberdrola.comAquagest (Cartagena) 968 122 600Aquagest (San Javier) 968 572 112LOCAL TRAFFIC OFFICE(Cartagena) 968 500 883PROVINCIAL TRAFFIC OFFICE(Murcia) 968 256 211ITV Cartagena 968 538 219CORREOS (POST OFFICE)www.correos.esGeneral Information 902 197 197La Manga 968 564 981BRITISH CONSULATE 965 216 022SUPPORT GROUPSMABS cancer support 968 432 525email: [email protected] MMM 968 570 059www.helpmarmenor.orgANIMAL RESCUENoah’s Arc 699 352 818www.noahsarcmurciaAPAH Rescue 630 422 563www.apahrescue.com


Edition 18 Mar Menor Focus APRIL 2010

Documents

mainbay of biarritz

zaragoza forour

onthe outskirts of zaragoza

quick look

wantedto drive

ad onpage

later visit

menor focusplease mention