The grey stone lighthouse of Cabo de Palos is 81 metres high and the construction of it was started in 1863 and it was first lit on the 31st January of 1865. It stands proudly on a rocky headland at the southernmost tip of La Manga, which is the thin strip of land that separates the Mar Menor from the Mediterranean Sea.
Until the 1960´s this tiny fishing village had no electricity, telephones or running water and it wasn´t until 1990 that it became part of the municipality of Cartagena, the large ancient port founded by the Carthaginians which lies further to the south east.
At this point the coastline changes from the long beaches of La Manga and, as it swings round the headland towards the southeast the beaches consist of smaller coves; Cala Tunez beside the lighthouse, Cala Fría, Cala Roja, La Galera, Las Escalerillas, La Botella, Las Melvas, Avellán and Medina y Flores.
Sometimes access is difficult, but well worth it as the water is clear and clean and if you are lucky you will find a cove all to yourselves.
In 1906 the lighthouse was witness to the tragic shipwreck of the Sirius with 822 passengers, many of whom perished in the deep waters off the headland. As the waters are deep and clear they are excellent for deep sea diving and the nearby Isla Hormigas are a marine reserve. If you relish the thought of a wonderful walk along the narrow coastal paths, which sometimes go rather near to the cliff edges – this is the place for you.
During Easter Week there is a special procession of the fisherman on Maundy Thursday, and what a lovely sight to see them proudly carrying the image of the Virgin.
Another procession, this time of fishing boats decorated with flowers in honour of the Virgin of Carmen takes place on her Saint´s Day, the 16th July.
Also to be enjoyed is the festival of Habanera Songs during the first week of August.
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
Summer drink/driving controls
The local police force in Cartagena has initiated another crackdown campaign against drink/driving. From August 12th till August 18th local police officers will be setting up 21 new control points with the aim of breathalysing as many drivers as possible. The new controls will take place in the mornings, afternoons, evenings and during the night. This latest campaign joins previous crackdowns forming part of the scheduled 1,000 controls for July and August. The controls will be placed in busy coastal areas at the entrance to La Manga, at the entrance to Cabo de Palos, in Mar de Cristal and in various places in and around Cartagena.
The local police have issued a list of where the controls will be in Cartagena. The breathalysing stations will be set up on Calle Trafalgar, Calle Juan Fernández, Vereda de San Félix, San Juan Bosco, Príncipe de Asturias, Polígono Cabezo Beaza, Polígono Santa Ana, Calle Recoletos, Ronda Ferroll, Peroniño, Calle Ángel Bruna, Carretera de Canteras, Plaza Severo Ochoa, Avenida La Española, Travesía San José Obrero, Salida de Canteras, Trovero Marín, Avenida de América, Plaza México, Esparta and Reina Victoria.
Police officers are aiming to raise the public's awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving with the intention of hopefully reducing the number of accidents caused by drunk drivers. The fines for drink driving can be as high as €1800 and convictions can carry a short stay in prison in addition to the loss of points from a driver's licence. Police officers in other municipalities such as Mazarrón, Los Alcázares, San Javier and Torre Pacheco will also be conducting drink driving tests.
So remember, if you are going out for a few drinks, walk, take a taxi, catch the bus, designate a driver or run the risk of being fined and losing your licence.
The local police have issued a list of where the controls will be in Cartagena. The breathalysing stations will be set up on Calle Trafalgar, Calle Juan Fernández, Vereda de San Félix, San Juan Bosco, Príncipe de Asturias, Polígono Cabezo Beaza, Polígono Santa Ana, Calle Recoletos, Ronda Ferroll, Peroniño, Calle Ángel Bruna, Carretera de Canteras, Plaza Severo Ochoa, Avenida La Española, Travesía San José Obrero, Salida de Canteras, Trovero Marín, Avenida de América, Plaza México, Esparta and Reina Victoria.
Police officers are aiming to raise the public's awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving with the intention of hopefully reducing the number of accidents caused by drunk drivers. The fines for drink driving can be as high as €1800 and convictions can carry a short stay in prison in addition to the loss of points from a driver's licence. Police officers in other municipalities such as Mazarrón, Los Alcázares, San Javier and Torre Pacheco will also be conducting drink driving tests.
So remember, if you are going out for a few drinks, walk, take a taxi, catch the bus, designate a driver or run the risk of being fined and losing your licence.
Use of the salmonella bacteria that kill cancer cells
Treat certain tumors with Salmonella bacteria may promote an immune response in the body that causes the death of cancer cells, according to the findings of a study conducted by researchers from Italy and the United States and published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Thanks to the bacteria, immune cells were activated and were headed to eliminate cancer cells To test their theory, the scientists inoculated salmonella (previously treated so as not to overgrow and cause salmonellosis) in mice with cancer and in cell cultures human melanoma, ensuring that the bacteria help the immune system to detect cancer cells and then eliminate them. According to the study's authors explain, in the early stages of cancer, the body's defenses tend to recognize cancer cells as "abnormal" and destroy them, but as the cancer progresses, cancer cells can become "invisible" to the immune system.
This is due to a bug in the "immune system of communication" which reduces the levels of the protein ' Connexin 43 ', responsible for establishing communication between the different types of defensive cells and enable the warning system.
The technique also protected the rodents from the spread of cancer to other parts of the body In this sense, the researchers found that injecting 'salmonella' in mice with cancer and human melanoma cells raised the number of 'Connexin 43'. As a result, formed new channels of communication and the immune cells were activated and were going to eliminate cancer cells.
"The technique also protected the rodents from the spread of cancer to other parts of the body," says one of the managers of study, Maria Rescigno, European Institute of Oncology in Milan (Italy), who has suggested the possibility of developing a preventive strategy based on vaccination from this discovery.
Thanks to the bacteria, immune cells were activated and were headed to eliminate cancer cells To test their theory, the scientists inoculated salmonella (previously treated so as not to overgrow and cause salmonellosis) in mice with cancer and in cell cultures human melanoma, ensuring that the bacteria help the immune system to detect cancer cells and then eliminate them. According to the study's authors explain, in the early stages of cancer, the body's defenses tend to recognize cancer cells as "abnormal" and destroy them, but as the cancer progresses, cancer cells can become "invisible" to the immune system.
This is due to a bug in the "immune system of communication" which reduces the levels of the protein ' Connexin 43 ', responsible for establishing communication between the different types of defensive cells and enable the warning system.
The technique also protected the rodents from the spread of cancer to other parts of the body In this sense, the researchers found that injecting 'salmonella' in mice with cancer and human melanoma cells raised the number of 'Connexin 43'. As a result, formed new channels of communication and the immune cells were activated and were going to eliminate cancer cells.
"The technique also protected the rodents from the spread of cancer to other parts of the body," says one of the managers of study, Maria Rescigno, European Institute of Oncology in Milan (Italy), who has suggested the possibility of developing a preventive strategy based on vaccination from this discovery.
Riddle in an Italian mafioso reckoning in Los Belones
We only know one thing for sure : that someone did not want it . And he could not think how best to let them know that by putting three bullets in the chest. Some sources pointed to even a fourth shot , apparently that of grace, in the neck. The rest are , at present , uncertainties regarding which research should be providing some light. Although it seems that this will be easy.
The body of deceased was found at nine thirty in the morning on a dirt road next to a terrace , near the road connecting the hamlet of Los Belones cartagenera the luxurious Hyatt La Manga Club resort . The corpse, in the supine position ( lying on his back on the ground, said a Christian ) was behind a row of cypress trees and near a cemetery , circumstances that have enough of both symbolic and even literary, but the owner land , who first encountered the early bird gift, not a metaphor inspired the matter , nor in verse or in prose.
Fairly hit upon the man had phoned the emergency services and matching to explain to the operator the exact spot where the deceased was : a place known as Atamaría which, needless to say , soon to fill the judicial police of the Guardia Civil As well as members of the judicial commission , a funeral service van and an ambulance with a doctor in charge, which was soon convinced that his presence was sadly unnecessary.
A hundred feet of the body he perceived the modest presence of a red Fiat Panda , which had opened the passenger window and put the keys kept , a fact that suggests that the driver abandoned the vehicle abruptly. In addition , tuition Italian ( CJ277VZ Province CO) suspicion that the deceased might have that nationality , which was ratified shortly after the documentation which carried the victim. Although the accuracy was finally removed , in determining the identity contained in the documents was false. In all these circumstances, the researchers obtained a first conclusion : the Italian is apparently dead , although living under a fabricated identity , and this suggests further that was engaged in illegal activities. The way it was executed, clearly cutting mobster adds further evidence to the theory that it is a reckoning.
The disposition of the body and the vehicle, which was thoroughly examined for any trace or evidence, indicated the victim , about 35 years , could have reached the site accompanied by others , perhaps traveling in a car and being aware that they intended to kill him, had impelled him to start a fast escape in the direction of the road. He must be reached before stepping on the asphalt, and his pursuer forcible unlocking him three shots in the chest at close range, with a small caliber weapon .
In the hands of the coroner
The body was taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine of Cartagena , where the coroner who was on duty yesterday performed the autopsy. The results of that were not disclosed , although it was clear to researchers that the cause of stillbirth was responding to the harmful effects caused by bullets in several vital organs. The tricky part now is to find who pulled the trigger.
The judge said the secrecy of the proceedings.
Hail and rain bring chaos
Not announced the storm caused less surprise. Heavy rains during the afternoon yesterday, visited almost all parts of the region left about 50 liters per square meter in some areas and brought chaos. For nearly three hours emergency services in the region were overwhelmed by hundreds of calls alerting on streets turned into rivers of water, homes flooded by rainfall and roads that became almost impassable . This core storm crossed the region from north to south , as explained yesterday to 'The Truth 'Fernando Belda , delegate of the State Meteorological Agency in the Region, and will leave behind , these days, a little less hot environment .
Jumilla was one of the first municipalities in which they felt this storm and , where appropriate, was accompanied by a hail grew to the size of a quail egg . In half an hour , rainfall almost 30 liters per square meter. The storm broke about six in the afternoon, the sky being very dark, with electrical and blizzard. The rain caused some flooding in low garages and , especially , blew manhole covers in areas such as the Avenue of Yecla, Catholic Monarchs and the Avenida de la Libertad. Farmers are lamenting yesterday that hail damage has been caused to crops , especially fruit trees and vineyards, several areas of the term, as was the case of the Top End area .
In Jumilla and Archena
The hail also visited yesterday Archena. A tremendous hailstorm dumped about ten past seven pm in the town , causing flooding of low tree falls in the place of the trees , a wall in Torre Junco and a number of manhole covers lifted. The storm was felt for about fifteen minutes and came to collect 35 liters .
The Mula River area the storm also did his . Up to 20 liters per square meter was recorded in just one hour. Similar was the rain on the reservoir area of Argos and Cieza , both with 18 liters per square meter. In White , it reached 24 liters and Calasparra reached 37 liters.
As the afternoon , the storm center was shifting by the Region and also downloaded the 19 hours on the capital. Up to 50 liters per square meter record was reached in Murcia and surrounding areas. Still, it was not the record. Eyes was the town that more liters per square meter built up yesterday: 52, specifically .
Late in the afternoon, the Emergency Coordination Center accounted almost 200 notices. The incidents were focused primarily in draining water and attempts to fire caused by lightning in Fortuna , Yecla and Jumilla. Especially striking was also the overflow of the Rambla de Espinardo who died from multiple containers. Many neighbors phoned yesterday to alert the Writing establishments near this road were "completely flooded. It's awful . " Last night , residents reported the evacuation of a building in Zarandona (Murcia ) by the risk that the crane collapsed in a contiguous block under construction.
Roads also suffered from the rain. The fall of a telephone cord movement difficult at kilometer 147 of the A- 30 in regard to Albacete , the altitude of La Alberca. Traffic jams became the keynote. Also on the road from Murcia to Molina had trouble circular.
It is expected that the situation returns to normal today , although they have not scattered light rains . The storm left the region late in the evening.
Jumilla was one of the first municipalities in which they felt this storm and , where appropriate, was accompanied by a hail grew to the size of a quail egg . In half an hour , rainfall almost 30 liters per square meter. The storm broke about six in the afternoon, the sky being very dark, with electrical and blizzard. The rain caused some flooding in low garages and , especially , blew manhole covers in areas such as the Avenue of Yecla, Catholic Monarchs and the Avenida de la Libertad. Farmers are lamenting yesterday that hail damage has been caused to crops , especially fruit trees and vineyards, several areas of the term, as was the case of the Top End area .
In Jumilla and Archena
The hail also visited yesterday Archena. A tremendous hailstorm dumped about ten past seven pm in the town , causing flooding of low tree falls in the place of the trees , a wall in Torre Junco and a number of manhole covers lifted. The storm was felt for about fifteen minutes and came to collect 35 liters .
The Mula River area the storm also did his . Up to 20 liters per square meter was recorded in just one hour. Similar was the rain on the reservoir area of Argos and Cieza , both with 18 liters per square meter. In White , it reached 24 liters and Calasparra reached 37 liters.
As the afternoon , the storm center was shifting by the Region and also downloaded the 19 hours on the capital. Up to 50 liters per square meter record was reached in Murcia and surrounding areas. Still, it was not the record. Eyes was the town that more liters per square meter built up yesterday: 52, specifically .
Late in the afternoon, the Emergency Coordination Center accounted almost 200 notices. The incidents were focused primarily in draining water and attempts to fire caused by lightning in Fortuna , Yecla and Jumilla. Especially striking was also the overflow of the Rambla de Espinardo who died from multiple containers. Many neighbors phoned yesterday to alert the Writing establishments near this road were "completely flooded. It's awful . " Last night , residents reported the evacuation of a building in Zarandona (Murcia ) by the risk that the crane collapsed in a contiguous block under construction.
Roads also suffered from the rain. The fall of a telephone cord movement difficult at kilometer 147 of the A- 30 in regard to Albacete , the altitude of La Alberca. Traffic jams became the keynote. Also on the road from Murcia to Molina had trouble circular.
It is expected that the situation returns to normal today , although they have not scattered light rains . The storm left the region late in the evening.
La Guardia Civil last night intercepted three boats with 30 Algerians
The Civil Guard has intercepted three boats cartageneras costs with 30 immigrants on board, all were male , older and Algerian nationality , today reported the Government Delegation in the region.
The Integrated System of External Surveillance (SIVE ) detected its presence at 20:00 pm yesterday , after which a Civil Guard patrol boat and a coastguard boat went to the place where three vessels were found , with 9 , 10 and 11 people on board.
Sea Rescue boats and the Civil Guard later moved to the port of Cartagena , where they were recognized by members of the Red Cross, which found no health problems in any of them.
Therefore, they were taken after the National Police station Dela port city, where the files are being processed back to their country of origin.
In this case, since there are three attempts at landing in small boats off the coast of Caratgena in recent days.
The Integrated System of External Surveillance (SIVE ) detected its presence at 20:00 pm yesterday , after which a Civil Guard patrol boat and a coastguard boat went to the place where three vessels were found , with 9 , 10 and 11 people on board.
Sea Rescue boats and the Civil Guard later moved to the port of Cartagena , where they were recognized by members of the Red Cross, which found no health problems in any of them.
Therefore, they were taken after the National Police station Dela port city, where the files are being processed back to their country of origin.
In this case, since there are three attempts at landing in small boats off the coast of Caratgena in recent days.
The DGT warning of a troubled weekend
EFE / MADRID The Directorate General of Traffic ( DGT) has today launched , from three in the afternoon, a special device to a weekend which provide nearly five million trips and can be particularly contentious in the road.
The match this weekend with festivities that will celebrate many populations and with the beginning or end of the holidays of many drivers, is expected to increase in journeys that are performed on summer weekends .
Therefore, traffic has asked drivers to step up their attention, especially the 15th, that was killing more people on the road last year , 18, and did so in a weekend that killed A total of 31 lives .
In this situation, the director of the DGT , Pere Navarro , told Efe, urged caution for drivers who will start or back from vacation on Sunday.
In particular, it asked the eight motorcyclists were killed last weekend, " because " they know they need an extra care , especially on secondary roads .
" If you go very strong on the curve or you go off the curve or invade the opposite lane on exit may visit someone who has nothing to do and causing the accident, " Navarro stressed .
Today's operation begins this afternoon and end at zero hour on Monday but will be extended until midnight of that day in the regions of Andalusia, Aragon and Asturias, as it is festive.
The increased movement of vehicles are expected at the outputs of large cities to coastal tourist areas and populations with the celebration of feasts, and concentrate particularly on roads in Madrid , Barcelona , Castilla -La Mancha , Valencia , Murcia and Andalusia.
4.9 million are expected in car travel , many short-haul and most of them to move to places where festivities are held .
And as is likely to increase alcohol consumption due to the holidays , traffic increase alcohol controls .
The DGT stresses prudence and asking your message advising that alcohol is incompatible with driving and that the only safe rate is 'zero'.
Further requests that, if traveling in groups, at least one person giving the undertaking to take responsibility for driving without having consumed alcohol .
The match this weekend with festivities that will celebrate many populations and with the beginning or end of the holidays of many drivers, is expected to increase in journeys that are performed on summer weekends .
Therefore, traffic has asked drivers to step up their attention, especially the 15th, that was killing more people on the road last year , 18, and did so in a weekend that killed A total of 31 lives .
In this situation, the director of the DGT , Pere Navarro , told Efe, urged caution for drivers who will start or back from vacation on Sunday.
In particular, it asked the eight motorcyclists were killed last weekend, " because " they know they need an extra care , especially on secondary roads .
" If you go very strong on the curve or you go off the curve or invade the opposite lane on exit may visit someone who has nothing to do and causing the accident, " Navarro stressed .
Today's operation begins this afternoon and end at zero hour on Monday but will be extended until midnight of that day in the regions of Andalusia, Aragon and Asturias, as it is festive.
The increased movement of vehicles are expected at the outputs of large cities to coastal tourist areas and populations with the celebration of feasts, and concentrate particularly on roads in Madrid , Barcelona , Castilla -La Mancha , Valencia , Murcia and Andalusia.
4.9 million are expected in car travel , many short-haul and most of them to move to places where festivities are held .
And as is likely to increase alcohol consumption due to the holidays , traffic increase alcohol controls .
The DGT stresses prudence and asking your message advising that alcohol is incompatible with driving and that the only safe rate is 'zero'.
Further requests that, if traveling in groups, at least one person giving the undertaking to take responsibility for driving without having consumed alcohol .
Found the body of a man shot in Los Belones
He was on the side of the road Atamaría next to a car with registration of Italy with the driver's window open and the keys
A. T. / C. S. The scenario that Civil Guard found yesterday by the side of a road from Los Belones closely resembles the start of an episode of American crime series or a film about the Italian Mafia. Officers found the body of a middle-aged man lying on the ground with three bullets in his chest in the absence of an autopsy to confirm it . And a few meters , had a car with the driver's window open and the keys , said the government delegation .
It was a field worker of Moroccan origin who first located the victim shortly before nine o'clock in the morning and immediately gave notice that the Security Forces cordoned off the area. The body was in the side of a dirt road after a few cypresses and near an exit Atamaría road , which links the town of Los Belones with the golf course and Portman . The area was completely deserted and the closest was a country house in ruins and abandoned.
Sources close to the investigation said that the victim may be an Italian man between 35 and 40 years , since the registration of the vehicle that was next to him is in this country. They also noted that the body had three bullet wounds to the chest fired from a small caliber weapon .
The first hypothesis suggests that it may be a settling of accounts, although the Judicial Police Unit of the Guardia Civil , who has taken over the investigation did not rule out any hypothesis. They even believe that the victim can be a worker in the area, although this is something that has not been confirmed.
The Guardia Civil investigators perform the necessary steps to identify the body , clarify the facts and stop the perpetrators of such, the Government delegation said in a note. The judicial authority which carried out the removal of the body , has ordered a gag .
Discovery of a Neanderthal site
It has been found in the Sima de las Palomas , in the town of Torre Pacheco
Archaeologists working in the pit of the Doves , the Cabezo Gordo, in the municipality of Torre Pacheco, Murcia , in the area have found a habitat with food remains, tools and human bones, probably a group of Neanderthals with an estimated age about 70,000 years .
In a press conference , Professor at the University of Murcia and the research project director , Michael Walker, explained today that the drilling campaign this year have worked on a layer of conglomerate "surprisingly rich ' utensils and charred remains of animals consuming the inhabitants of the cave.
Walker noted that Neanderthals hunted animals in the immediate environment , including those who have documented horses, rabbits and poultry , and inside the cave , the roasted and ate.
Among the tools found in this season of excavation, the researchers have highlighted the presence of a thick Mousterian flint point blank , a useful characteristic Neanderthal .
The project manager explained that the archaeological remains have appeared in a very compact cluster , probably formed in a time of extreme cold, which would have a length of between 60,000 and 70,000 years.
Walker recalled that in this way has been demonstrated in the pit a different use of the burial site that had documented his team in previous seasons, with the appearance of the remains of at least nine individuals with their members quite articulate yet, and a dating of 55,000 years old.
Researchers have noted that the last time you could dig a Neanderthal skeleton was articulated 35 years ago in a French site , and have been assured that the remains probably were buried intentionally , as they have appeared and lying in a slightly flexed .
This site was discovered in 1991 by chance , when a person doing abseiling down the inside of the cave became aware of the presence of some upper and lower jaws on one wall , which ultimately proved to be a Neanderthal .
The archaeological work began the following year with the emptying and miners sifting the debris that filled part of the pit and had plenty of fossils, and have remained until today.
Friday, August 13, 2010
MURCIA Meteorology La avenida Miguel Ángel Blanco Water and hail brought chaos to the region
An impressive electrical storm flooded streets and basements, collapsing roads and highways and destroying crops in the highlands , Mar Menor , Valle de Ricote, Murcia and the capital Guadalentín.
Free beach activities throughout August in san pedro
The ayuntamiento of san pedro del pinatar are offering a variety of free exercise classes on the beaches of their municipality in August.
There is no need to pre-inscribe, just turn up and join in.
It's recomended that participants wear suitable sun protection and glasses, and those whishing to participate in the water aerobics wear swimwear and water footwear.
For directions to the specific beaches, call into the tourist office or one of the information points, Which are at:
Avenida de la salinas
plaza luis molina
explanda de lo pagan
Sunday August 15th
AUTHENTIC PAELLA
Enjoy a freshly cooked, authentic paella
prepared to order on the beachfront
Seafood €10,95pp
Chicken €8,95pp
Mixed €10,95pp
Rabbit €10,95pp
(min 48hrs notice required for rabbit paella)
Price includes mixed Spanish salad, bread and aioli. Min 2 persons.
EVERY WEEKEND FROM 1pm
reservations recommended
Tel: 968 133 111
www.vivalosnietos.com
The fall of a telephone cable causes traffic problems in the A-30 to the height of La Alberca (Murcia)
Heavy rains on Friday in the Region of Murcia has led to the results from a telephone cable that has impeded the flow at kilometer 147 of the A-30 in Albacete sense, at the height of the hamlet of La Alberca Murcia. The Guardia Civil is awaiting action by maintenance engineers of the telephone line, although officers have begun to give way to vehicles and deductions are not recorded, according to Europa Press reported the Meritorious sources. In addition, the single emergency telephone number '1 -1 to 2 "has received many calls about flooding in low and garages, requesting assistance to evacuate the water, according to Europa Press reported sources Emergency Coordination Center.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Dr. Frankenstein.
With an exquisite setting, between the gothic horror and iconography of English and German romanticism, the show is about the original text and stops in less popular aspects of the myth of the "monster", as the awakening of the powerful intelligence of the creature , his bitter reflections, or despair Frankenstein.
Javier Doctor vital Botet, extraordinary physical actor who specializes in extreme characters, gives life to the "creature" in its first phase, while Jose Luis Salcedo represent the adult being artificial created by Dr. Frankenstein, the romantic hero who plays Mary Shalley Raúl Peña.
The actor Emilio Gavira Waltman gives life to the Doctor, who will enter that in galvanism, the ability to live through electric shocks to bodies made of different fragments. Consider as the first modern science fiction story, beyond its classification as a work of terror, viewers can enjoy it from half-past ten at night with some tickets whose prices range from 12 to 15 euros cost
Comedians Chema Ruiz and Jorge Segura involved in Thursday's monologues City ZigZag
The cycle of monologues will star ZigZag City on Thursday, from 21.30 hours, at most international Murcia comic monologues recorded in five Paramount Comedy and more than 400 performances throughout Spain, Chema Ruiz, and Rock and comic Roll which has over 12 years dedicated to comedy with more than 1,000 performances throughout Spain and in Amsterdam, New York and Sidney, Jorge.
The next performance cycle will take place on August 26 with the intervention of the was the great revelation that female Paramount Comedy in 2009, Sara Escudero, after three monologues recorded and several collaborations in the channel, acting alongside the two comic monologues Malaga Paramount Comedy and humor and quick close, Salvi Perez
Fire ignited 2 hectares of scrub in murcia
A fire ignited two hectares of scrub in the hamlet of Green Sangonera Murcia
Firefighters have extinguished Murcia Town Hall on Wednesday a fire that has burned two hectares of scrub in the hamlet of Murcia Sangonera la Verde, in the MU-340, near the entrance of the residential Torregüil.
The fire originated about 1140 hours for reasons still unknown, according to Europa Press reported sources of that body. Moved to place an SUV and two tanks of the fire station with eight troops of Prince, who managed to extinguish the fire at 1430 hours
Countryside, wildlife, Activities and sports
In environmental terms Murcia is halfway between Africa and Europe which helps to explain its variety of landscapes and habitats. In a relatively small area one can pass from mountains to arid, steppe-like, plains, to the forests of the Betis Sierras and then to the rich meadows of the Segura basin and finally to one hundred miles of coastline.
This environmental diversity is faithfully represented in the nineteen specially protected countryside and wildlife areas. The most important ones are – Parque Natural de Sierra Espuña, the regional parks of Carrascoy and El Valle, Sierra de Pila, the salt marsh of Don Pedro del Pinatar, Cablanque and Cape Cobo, and Calnegre Point, the Nature Reserve of Sotos, and the riparian forests of Cañaverosa.
Natural Park of Acarracoy (Columbares Montain)The region is an excellent place for activity holidays in the countryside. Throughout the whole length of the coast from Cabo de Palos and Portman, as far as Cartegena the Country park of Calnegre, offers great scope for walking and hiking. Further inland there are interesting routes for walking, horseriding and mountain biking as well as complete packages for the more energetic sports of climbing, caving, rafting, paragliding, hang-gliding and cave-diving. There are also courses on agro-tourism, including the traditional crafts of cheese-making and confectionary.
Windsurf School in La Manga del Mar MenorThe Mar Menor offers an ideal location to take-up or to perfect such sports as sailing, canoeing, swimming, diving, water-skiing and similar sports in the many clubs and schools around the sea.
Murcia Travel,Places of Interest
Murcia (City). The capital of the region is a thoroughly provincial affair, though enjoyable and lively enough. Its main sights are its cathedral and its Arab remains, particularly the Castle of Monteagudo, 5 km north of the city. It is especially animated the week after Easter, when its spring festivals begin with the street parades of the Bando de la Huerta.
Caravaca de la Cruz. The cross in question is a strange, esoteric-looking object with four arms rather than two. Caravaca, in the north-west of Murcia, is considered the fifth-holiest place in Christendom (after Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liébana in Cantabria). An Annus Sanctus, Jubilee year, is held there every seven years (the next is in 2010), and the faithful believe that a pilgrimage to Caravaca then is especially meritorious.
Carthage. Carthage sits uneasily with Murcia, which it considers an upstart. It suffered considerable damage in a rather silly uprising in 1873, so much of its public architecture dates from the following years. Together with Alicante, it was the last city in Spain to fall to the troops of Franco. It is very much a working seaport, and collectors of fortifications will find that it is difficult to move in Carthage and the surrounding area without tripping over something of interest. It is also the location for the Museo Nacional de Arqueología Marítima, National Marine Archaeology Museum.
Lorca. A lovely inland city with a fabulous castle, Lorca's largely Renaissance architectural heritage includes "a collegiate church and a castle declared to be National Monuments, nine parish churches, various convents, over 200 emblazoned houses, 100 palaces and hundreds of beautiful spots."
Costa Cálida. One of Spain's less exploited costas, with the exception of the Mar Menor (see below). See Spain and Portugal's Costa Cálida pages for more information.
Mar Menor. The Lesser Sea is a huge, practically land-locked salt-water lagoon which used to have important populations of seahorses - unfortunately, they have largely been pushed out, and in certain places under certain weather conditions, the jellyfish which have replaced them can prevent bathing altogether. The sandspit which separates the Mar Menor from the Mediterannean, La Manga, has been overdeveloped with high-rise hotels and apartment blocks, but the towns and villages around the Mar Menor are unspectacularly attractive and very likeable. See Spain and Portugal's Costa Cálida pages for more information.
Practical Murcia
Food and Drink. The municipality of Calasparra is famous for its delicately flavoured rice, considered the best in Spain and the origin of which is guaranteed by a denominación de origen. Typical dishes therefore include arroz con pollo, chicken rice, arroz con verduras, vegetable rice, arroz con conejo y caracoles, rice with rabbit and snails, arroz con alubiones, beans and rice, etc. Fish is popular, in the form of sopa de pescado, fish soup, or many kinds of salty fish products: huevas, roe, or fish cooked in escabeche, oil and vinegar, or mojama, a cured fish. Murcia wine is of surprisingly high quality, and this small region has three denominaciones de origen: Bullas, Jumilla, and Yecla.
Language. Castilian Spanish. In rural Murcia, there is a dying Spanish dialect called Panocho, which includes a lot of vocabulary derived from Arabic and is pretty well incomprehensible to ordinary Spanish speakers, but you are not likely to come across it.
Getting There. Murcia's San Javier Airport has long been popular for charter routes, and Ryanair now operates flights to it from Glasgow, Liverpool, Nottingham and London Stansted and Luton.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Before jellyfish ... and now the slugs
South Bathers Mar Menor encounter new cleaning inconvenience and ask for more of a harmful harmless but "disgusting" An invasion of the shell arrived from the Red Sea surprises vacationers and Los Urrutias Punta Brava "This year I have only washed once in the Mar Menor. When there is algae, is by jellyfish, and if not by this. " Neither the banks jellyfish or algae or sludge that is to blame John Doe only been soaked in the sea once during the summer. This time, the complaint refers to a viscous tenants who have invaded the beaches of Punta Brava, Los Urrutias, in the south of Mar Menor: sea slugs. Usually not many kids play in the afternoon on the beach at Punta Brava, but those who spend the summer there yesterday ran impatiently to and fro from the shore. Were loaded with buckets and nets. "Look how much we've been!" Said the boys as they hurried to show his photographer captures the 'Truth'. The dams were small molluscs black. To Marina María Dolores Jiménez, 11 and 8 years respectively, the thing was just a game. For older students, the thing has more to do with disgust. Come very annoying to have to go away bugs to enter the water. "Look what loose!" Said Marina to catch the attention of the journalist before a hard squeeze of molluscs. I wanted to prove that the animal you get a purple liquid (it's his defense mechanism), but odorless.
20minutos.es - Última hora, local, España y el mundo
20minutos.es - Última hora, local, España y el mundo: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Air traffic controllers now decided not to strike during the month of August
The Executive Committee of the Union of Air Traffic Controllers Association (USCA) has decided on Tuesday, after more than three hours of meeting and "unanimously" not exercise the right to strike during August, as announced by Secretary of Communication of the union, César Cabo. Following the Committee's decision, AENA has called the union to resume talks this Wednesday afternoon. The discontinuation of the strike was one of the conditions provided by AENA to continue negotiations after the breakdown of these last Friday. Again, we understand the concern of the tourism industry and many passengers, Cape added that this decision has taken to not harm an important sector for the Spanish economy as tourism, or to passengers. The executive committee has decided "not to exercise the legal right to strike in August, demonstrating an exercise of responsibility" to understand that the government will "push AENA to resume negotiations," he said.
"Once again we understand the concern in the tourism sector and many passengers," stressed Cape, which has been suggested that the union now expects AENA return to the negotiating table with "a constructive attitude now own. The Executive Committee composed of nine drivers, which are those that have made the decision, although talks have also involved three members of the Board and more workers without the right to vote.
The Executive Committee meeting, scheduled for next Thursday, was brought forward two days, as drivers, to alleviate the uncertainty that have reported both the Ministry of Development and AENA, such as tourism and airlines.
Pointed out moments before the meeting that the decision to come out of this Committee would be final and valid and I would not have to go through an endorsement of the Assembly of drivers. With this decision is postponed a possible strike call, mandate that was given on 3 August when a vote in the assembly of drivers, 98.25% were in favor of calling a strike.
Safe!!!! Nine Murcianos affected by torrential rains in India
The nine Murcia affected by torrential rains in India, arrived at the airport in New Delhi and plan to return to the region in the coming days. Eight of them belong Mountaineers Club in Murcia and another to the University Club. "At no time suffering the people who are suffering there," mused today a Spanish tourist tired on arrival at the airport in the Indian capital, after leaving behind the catastrophe caused by rain in the mountain village of Leh cashmere.
"This story always pays the same: the poor," lamented Diego Martinez, Murcia, after landing in Delhi on a plane with about thirty tourists Spanish and some local wounded from Leh (North India).
Martinez, who described a scene after mudslides with "pretty dead, destroyed houses, cars piled up," the local population was organized by religious communities to safeguard themselves in churches and volunteer groups to prepare for rescue. The visitor added that the majority of Spanish were housed in hostels at the time of the torrential rains that fell on the night of 5 to 6, which was the next morning when realized "the magnitude of the disaster."
"We were in the hotel, it started to rain a lot and in the morning we went out and told us they had killed hundreds of people," Lola said with a trembling voice Herreros, also Murcia, who called the incident "unbelievable." Herrera explained Efe that, while the locals tried to get people out of the houses caught in the mud, foreigners began to service the material resources available to them: "we have what we had: medicines, clothes, food, bars ... money. To Herreros, the evacuation of foreigners was "somewhat chaotic" because "everyone wanted out" of Leh, where "there was no light, no water, and food was scarce."
The problem came suddenly. Everyone, it could not do activities to rush (...). terrible collapse was formed at the airport, "he added Pedro Perez, a fellow adventure of Murcia. Perez cited a" bleak landscape "in which houses many of adobe, were completely destroyed, and added that "the valley was buried" under the mud, "as an artificial beach." We had no perception of so much death until we told him "afterward, said this tourist struck by the desolation following the rains, but who claimed not to have happened "fear". "The truth is that right now there we can not do much" to help, consider Perez, asked for the cooperation of foreigners with Kashmiris.
"This story always pays the same: the poor," lamented Diego Martinez, Murcia, after landing in Delhi on a plane with about thirty tourists Spanish and some local wounded from Leh (North India).
Martinez, who described a scene after mudslides with "pretty dead, destroyed houses, cars piled up," the local population was organized by religious communities to safeguard themselves in churches and volunteer groups to prepare for rescue. The visitor added that the majority of Spanish were housed in hostels at the time of the torrential rains that fell on the night of 5 to 6, which was the next morning when realized "the magnitude of the disaster."
"We were in the hotel, it started to rain a lot and in the morning we went out and told us they had killed hundreds of people," Lola said with a trembling voice Herreros, also Murcia, who called the incident "unbelievable." Herrera explained Efe that, while the locals tried to get people out of the houses caught in the mud, foreigners began to service the material resources available to them: "we have what we had: medicines, clothes, food, bars ... money. To Herreros, the evacuation of foreigners was "somewhat chaotic" because "everyone wanted out" of Leh, where "there was no light, no water, and food was scarce."
The problem came suddenly. Everyone, it could not do activities to rush (...). terrible collapse was formed at the airport, "he added Pedro Perez, a fellow adventure of Murcia. Perez cited a" bleak landscape "in which houses many of adobe, were completely destroyed, and added that "the valley was buried" under the mud, "as an artificial beach." We had no perception of so much death until we told him "afterward, said this tourist struck by the desolation following the rains, but who claimed not to have happened "fear". "The truth is that right now there we can not do much" to help, consider Perez, asked for the cooperation of foreigners with Kashmiris.
Monday, August 9, 2010
The guitarist Paco de Lucía closes the International Festival Cante de las Minas de La Union
The "best guitarist in the history of flamenco, Paco de Lucia, will close on Tuesday the 50th anniversary of the Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas de La Union, five years after his last performance, sources of competition in a statement.
The performance of Paco de Lucia will be a "grand finale" and "emergency closure" for the fiftieth anniversary flamenco galas, which will give the competitions of song, guitar, dance and flamenco performer, with a total of 143 registered artists for the selection tests, 33 of which will arrive via maritime to the semifinals.
Paco de Lucia, who is considered a "splendid" interpreter for his "virtuosity and personal style, back to La Union five years after his last performance if not performed his repertoire in the Old Public Market, but in an enclosure adapted for the occasion in the lifting machine. This Algeciras Cadiz, named Francisco Sánchez Gomes, owes his stage name to his mother, Lucía Gomes from Portugal.
He and his father, Antonio Sánchez, greatly influenced his vocation. With six years as guitar thoroughly studied, recalled the organization. The "best contribution" Paco de Lucia flamenco, according to the event, is to "popularize and internationalize and have succeeded as a pioneer in opening the fusion with other music like jazz and bossa nova. "
The guitarist is "a revolutionary of flamenco, which has decisively influenced the evolution of the flamenco guitar in the last decades," the organization said. His list of awards, stating that "this is a unique genius, unique, includes a Premio Nacional de Arte Flamenco Guitar, Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts (1992) Honorary Mention Award of Music (2002), Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts (2004). It is also Doctor Honoris Causa University of Cadiz and the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston (USA), becoming the first Spanish to be recognized by this prestigious university.
He is also the author of masterpieces like 'Entre dos aguas', 'La Barrosa' ; 'Barrio Vine', 'Homenaje al Niño Ricardo', 'Almoraima', 'Guajiras Lucia' and 'Rio Ancho'. Camarón de la Isla with a mythical musical union formed and recorded ten albums together in nine years. Prior to the performance of Paco de Lucia, the International Festival Cante de las Minas shipped to Japan Catedral del Cante prize in the person of Ambassador to Spain, Fumiaki Takahashi, for the work of the nation in conservation, promotion and dissemination of culture and the art of flamenco.
The performance of Paco de Lucia will be a "grand finale" and "emergency closure" for the fiftieth anniversary flamenco galas, which will give the competitions of song, guitar, dance and flamenco performer, with a total of 143 registered artists for the selection tests, 33 of which will arrive via maritime to the semifinals.
Paco de Lucia, who is considered a "splendid" interpreter for his "virtuosity and personal style, back to La Union five years after his last performance if not performed his repertoire in the Old Public Market, but in an enclosure adapted for the occasion in the lifting machine. This Algeciras Cadiz, named Francisco Sánchez Gomes, owes his stage name to his mother, Lucía Gomes from Portugal.
He and his father, Antonio Sánchez, greatly influenced his vocation. With six years as guitar thoroughly studied, recalled the organization. The "best contribution" Paco de Lucia flamenco, according to the event, is to "popularize and internationalize and have succeeded as a pioneer in opening the fusion with other music like jazz and bossa nova. "
The guitarist is "a revolutionary of flamenco, which has decisively influenced the evolution of the flamenco guitar in the last decades," the organization said. His list of awards, stating that "this is a unique genius, unique, includes a Premio Nacional de Arte Flamenco Guitar, Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts (1992) Honorary Mention Award of Music (2002), Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts (2004). It is also Doctor Honoris Causa University of Cadiz and the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston (USA), becoming the first Spanish to be recognized by this prestigious university.
He is also the author of masterpieces like 'Entre dos aguas', 'La Barrosa' ; 'Barrio Vine', 'Homenaje al Niño Ricardo', 'Almoraima', 'Guajiras Lucia' and 'Rio Ancho'. Camarón de la Isla with a mythical musical union formed and recorded ten albums together in nine years. Prior to the performance of Paco de Lucia, the International Festival Cante de las Minas shipped to Japan Catedral del Cante prize in the person of Ambassador to Spain, Fumiaki Takahashi, for the work of the nation in conservation, promotion and dissemination of culture and the art of flamenco.
Fifty Spanish can not be located in the flooded area in India
About 50 Spanish who have not yet been found may be in the region of Ladakh, northern India, affected by the floods, although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has only official record of the disappearance of the Mallorcan Lourdes Morro.
Affairs has received warning family and friends than fifty Spanish that would be spending their holidays in the valleys near the area that has been cut off due to heavy rains in recent days, sources have informed this department. The Embassy has controlled about 170 Spanish, of which about 30 have already been evacuated to New Delhi the Embassy of Spain in India is trying to contact them to see if in fact affected. In this group, could be the Malaga Juan Marmolejo and Encarnacion Ruiz, whose relatives are convinced that had traveled to the mountainous region of Indian Kashmir for hiking, without having heard of them since last week.
The Embassy has controlled some 170 Spanish, of which about 30 have already been evacuated to New Delhi from the city of Leh, Ladakh's capital, in two commercial flights, the sources said.
The only one that gives Affairs officially Morro Lourdes is missing after her husband, Rafael Roca, was located yesterday, Sunday, alive. The couple left together with a guide and a porter for a trek of 14 days in the mountains of the Himalayas. An avalanche of mud surprised them when they were camped in the valley of Hinju, about 60 kilometers west of Leh.
More than a hundred dead,Rafael Roca was wounded in the leg and rescued by the Indian Army and transferred to the capital of Lakah, from where he flew to New Delhi to meet some relatives of the couple who had flown in from Palma de Mallorca.
The monsoon rains in recent days have caused some 150 deaths, including six foreigners, and 400 wounded. An official of the Spanish Embassy in Delhi are in Leh to meet the needs of the Spanish who are waiting to be evacuated along with hundreds of foreign tourists. Among them are 46 mountaineers on an expedition organized by a mountain club Galdakao (Vizcaya), which are managing the tickets to go to the Indian capital.
Affairs has received warning family and friends than fifty Spanish that would be spending their holidays in the valleys near the area that has been cut off due to heavy rains in recent days, sources have informed this department. The Embassy has controlled about 170 Spanish, of which about 30 have already been evacuated to New Delhi the Embassy of Spain in India is trying to contact them to see if in fact affected. In this group, could be the Malaga Juan Marmolejo and Encarnacion Ruiz, whose relatives are convinced that had traveled to the mountainous region of Indian Kashmir for hiking, without having heard of them since last week.
The Embassy has controlled some 170 Spanish, of which about 30 have already been evacuated to New Delhi from the city of Leh, Ladakh's capital, in two commercial flights, the sources said.
The only one that gives Affairs officially Morro Lourdes is missing after her husband, Rafael Roca, was located yesterday, Sunday, alive. The couple left together with a guide and a porter for a trek of 14 days in the mountains of the Himalayas. An avalanche of mud surprised them when they were camped in the valley of Hinju, about 60 kilometers west of Leh.
More than a hundred dead,Rafael Roca was wounded in the leg and rescued by the Indian Army and transferred to the capital of Lakah, from where he flew to New Delhi to meet some relatives of the couple who had flown in from Palma de Mallorca.
The monsoon rains in recent days have caused some 150 deaths, including six foreigners, and 400 wounded. An official of the Spanish Embassy in Delhi are in Leh to meet the needs of the Spanish who are waiting to be evacuated along with hundreds of foreign tourists. Among them are 46 mountaineers on an expedition organized by a mountain club Galdakao (Vizcaya), which are managing the tickets to go to the Indian capital.
Nadal and Djokovic eliminated from the doubles competition in his first game
* Local partner fell to 5-7, 6-3, 10-8.
* It was Nadal's first double since 2008.
* Robredo and Almagro were victorious while Feliciano Lopez lost and will not continue in the Rogers Cup, contested in Toronto.
The pair formed by Rafa Nadal and Serbian Novak Djokovic has been knocked out of the doubles competition of the Rogers Cup, which takes place these days in Toronto, after losing to the Canadians Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic. Nadal and Djokovic, the largest and two of the world rankings respectively, lost 5-7, 6-3, 10-8 in a match that lasted one hour and thirty-four minutes.
This was the first game playing Nadal and Djokovic as a couple and the first doubles player Manacor since 2008. Both players had already spoken earlier of the posbilidad to play together as a pair for double but last year the idea was not materialized saw Nadal's injury on his right knee. Playing with Djokovic going to be very positive, is one of the most talented players in the world Nadal said during the ceremony the Rogers Cup draw, "for me is always a pleasure to play doubles because I think it is an important part of sport and you can always improve aspects of game. And playing with Djokovic was going to be a good thing.
He is one of the most talented players in the world "he said. The final set was played late at night in Toronto after the day was disrupted several times because of rain. The Canadian couple got a 78 percent success with the first kick while Nadal and Djokovic could not go over 56 percent.
Almagro and Robredo win, Feliciano removed all other Spanish players contesting this competition suffered mixed fortunes. Tommy Robredo beat Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-1 6-4 and Nicolas Almagro did the same with the Ukrainian Illya Marchenko in three sets, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. On a negative note of the day was the defeat of Feliciano Lopez before the Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker 7-6, 6-3 to send the player back home to Toledo.
A man dies while trying to quell a scrub fire
A man of 74 years of age, named R.Q.Q.G, has died as a result of the severe burns he suffered in the ninety percent of his body when he tried to control the fire which occurred in the hamlet of Zarcilla Palm on an agricultural area of 4,000 square meters of land with olive groves.
The wounded was taken to the hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca of Murcia, where he died. The incident occurred about 8.44 pm when the Emergency Telephone 1-1-2 received information that the area saw smoke. A sentry box forest confirmed the existence of fire in agricultural land and danger to forest land. The deceased tried to control the fire before emergency services arrived. The man was trapped in the middle of the flames, said the acting mayor, Francisco García, who along with council of Agriculture, Angelo Mecca, followed the outcome of the event and gave his condolences publicly. The mayor, Francisco Jodar, also expressed his condolences.
When the fire came from the Emergency Room staff of the municipality of Lorca and firefighters of the Consortium for Fire Fighting and Rescue Murcia Lorca based and environmental agents, who upon finding the injured man, called an ambulance.
The deceased lived with his son in a place near where the incident occurred. The news has caused great consternation among the residents of Palm Zarcilla where the family is well known among the neighbors. As for material damage, have burned 4,000 square meters of agricultural land.
The wounded was taken to the hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca of Murcia, where he died. The incident occurred about 8.44 pm when the Emergency Telephone 1-1-2 received information that the area saw smoke. A sentry box forest confirmed the existence of fire in agricultural land and danger to forest land. The deceased tried to control the fire before emergency services arrived. The man was trapped in the middle of the flames, said the acting mayor, Francisco García, who along with council of Agriculture, Angelo Mecca, followed the outcome of the event and gave his condolences publicly. The mayor, Francisco Jodar, also expressed his condolences.
When the fire came from the Emergency Room staff of the municipality of Lorca and firefighters of the Consortium for Fire Fighting and Rescue Murcia Lorca based and environmental agents, who upon finding the injured man, called an ambulance.
The deceased lived with his son in a place near where the incident occurred. The news has caused great consternation among the residents of Palm Zarcilla where the family is well known among the neighbors. As for material damage, have burned 4,000 square meters of agricultural land.
DGT strike denies 'pens fallen' cause more deaths on roads
The Director General of Traffic, Pere Navarro, yesterday dismissed claims that the figures recorded last weekend, the most tragic in so far this year, due to the strike of 'pens fallen' agents of the Association of Civil Guard. According to the report of the Directorate General of Traffic, the weekend occurred 24 accidents, which killed 26 people and wounded 30 others.
Pere Navarro said the data "do not mean a rebound" of the accident, because "there weekends are good and bad "and insisted that the period is a period" too short to draw conclusions. The head of the DGT emphasized that the fines "are unfortunately necessary for the preventive and deterrent effect of sanctions" and insisted that "supervision and control over, more fines, fewer violations and fewer accidents."
Therefore, if the protest said that agents of the Association of Traffic stretches "could have an impact on accidents." He said that "civil guards are not paid according to the fines that put" that "charge the same each month" and that the scale of assessment of the agents used to know the average activity for which they are engaged. For its part, from the Unified Association of Civil Guard Navarro was asked why in Catalonia, where traffic is the responsibility of the Government and the Autonomous Police, fatalities "have increased this month by 53%. Will the 'Moss on strike? ". According to the union, "it is easier to blame the civil guards who accept their responsibilities."
Pere Navarro said the data "do not mean a rebound" of the accident, because "there weekends are good and bad "and insisted that the period is a period" too short to draw conclusions. The head of the DGT emphasized that the fines "are unfortunately necessary for the preventive and deterrent effect of sanctions" and insisted that "supervision and control over, more fines, fewer violations and fewer accidents."
Therefore, if the protest said that agents of the Association of Traffic stretches "could have an impact on accidents." He said that "civil guards are not paid according to the fines that put" that "charge the same each month" and that the scale of assessment of the agents used to know the average activity for which they are engaged. For its part, from the Unified Association of Civil Guard Navarro was asked why in Catalonia, where traffic is the responsibility of the Government and the Autonomous Police, fatalities "have increased this month by 53%. Will the 'Moss on strike? ". According to the union, "it is easier to blame the civil guards who accept their responsibilities."
The hottest day of the week is today
The hottest day of the week is today, when the thermometer will rise slightly due to storm activity recorded on Sunday. Values that day were "high", although the maximum was slightly lower than previous days, and exceeded the minimum 25 degrees at several points. Specifically, in Cordoba reached 37.3 degrees Celsius, 37.1 degrees in Orense, 36.5 degrees, in Almeria, 36.8, Seville and Zamora; 37.6 in Caceres, 35, Jaén and Badajoz. He stressed that during the early hours of Monday, the mercury did not fall to 26.8 degrees in Seville, 25 in Barcelona and Malaga, from 24.8 in Almeria, from 24.3 in Valencia; 24 degrees, Melilla, and 23.5, in Murcia. In principle, there is this week expected to reproduce these temperatures as high, according to the predictions
Temperatures can reach as low as 5 degrees this week
Meteorology thermometer projected to fall from morning and afternoon thunderstorms from the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) scheduled for today in the Region possibility of isolated showers, which can be locally moderate and thunderstorms in the interior, but can also reach the coast. The thermometers will not change over this time and the winds blow loose variable breezes. The risk of thunderstorms will remain in the area of lift until Sunday, warns AEMET.
The temperatures begin to fall morning, about 4 or 5 degrees in the center and south of the peninsula and about 7 degrees in the northern half. AEMET spokesman, Angel Rivera, said that "especially from Wednesday 'air enter the northwest Atlantic. This will lead to "a strengthening of the storms that are taking place nowadays in the middle east and especially in areas of the eastern third of the Mediterranean." Specifically he said that these storms will be "something stronger" in the Mediterranean, which is not to say that "there will be a very widespread, but scattered thunderstorms may occur and some could be of strong character."
The temperatures begin to fall morning, about 4 or 5 degrees in the center and south of the peninsula and about 7 degrees in the northern half. AEMET spokesman, Angel Rivera, said that "especially from Wednesday 'air enter the northwest Atlantic. This will lead to "a strengthening of the storms that are taking place nowadays in the middle east and especially in areas of the eastern third of the Mediterranean." Specifically he said that these storms will be "something stronger" in the Mediterranean, which is not to say that "there will be a very widespread, but scattered thunderstorms may occur and some could be of strong character."
Learn About The Phoenician Ship At Galerias El Flamenco:
The Mayor of San Javier, Pepa Garcia, announced the opening of an Interpretation Centre about the site of an underwater archaeological find near the Isla Grosa, in La Manga. The Interpretation Centre will provide information on the Phoenician ship that sank with a large cargo in 620 BC .The research and study into the find began in 2007. This was undertaken by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) from Texas A & M University and was sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the National Geographic.
The Interpretation Centre, promoted by the Spanish Association of Friends of Underwater Archaeology in collaboration with the municipality of San Javier, will be located in a room donated by the city council in the Commercial Centre Galerias el Flamenco on the La Manga Strip, just before the Zoco area. Photographic exhibitions, displays, lectures, conferences and educational workshops will all be available and open to the public at the Centre in Galerias el Flamenco. After a visit by boat to the wreck location Juan Pinedo, director of the project, said, “The Phoenician vessel, which is approximately 20 metres in length, is the largest of those discovered so far in the Mediterranean.
It was also carrying an important cargo including elephant tusks, some with inscriptions, tin ingots and copper. The ship also carried a complete collection of Phoenician pottery and other objects such as a pedestal, remains of a Phoenician bed and a ritual ivory knife.” The work done so far focuses on the Phoenician ship, but the site, which is known for shipwrecks, has three boats, the other two being contemporary Roman boats .Juan Pinedo co-directed the project with Mark. E. Polzer and a team of volunteer archaeologists from Spain, USA, Greece, Holland, Australia, Italy, France and Turkey.
The Interpretation Centre, promoted by the Spanish Association of Friends of Underwater Archaeology in collaboration with the municipality of San Javier, will be located in a room donated by the city council in the Commercial Centre Galerias el Flamenco on the La Manga Strip, just before the Zoco area. Photographic exhibitions, displays, lectures, conferences and educational workshops will all be available and open to the public at the Centre in Galerias el Flamenco. After a visit by boat to the wreck location Juan Pinedo, director of the project, said, “The Phoenician vessel, which is approximately 20 metres in length, is the largest of those discovered so far in the Mediterranean.
It was also carrying an important cargo including elephant tusks, some with inscriptions, tin ingots and copper. The ship also carried a complete collection of Phoenician pottery and other objects such as a pedestal, remains of a Phoenician bed and a ritual ivory knife.” The work done so far focuses on the Phoenician ship, but the site, which is known for shipwrecks, has three boats, the other two being contemporary Roman boats .Juan Pinedo co-directed the project with Mark. E. Polzer and a team of volunteer archaeologists from Spain, USA, Greece, Holland, Australia, Italy, France and Turkey.
La Torre Golf Resort
La Torre Golf Resort, Torre Pacheco
Roldán, nr Torre Pacheco
Contact Details
telephone 0034 968 044 879 e-mail E-mail an enquiry
fax 0034 968 044 859
Features
18 Hole Course
Details
# 18 holes, par 68, four sets of tees. Provisional distances: white, 5,350 metres; yellow, 4,934 metres; blue, 4,422 metres and red, 3,822 metres.
# With over 5 hectares of elaborately sculpted bunkers, this course adapts to golfers of all levels.
# Brusque changes in the level of the terrain and three lakes provide excellent views.
# Intelligent irrigation system.
Roldán, nr Torre Pacheco
Contact Details
telephone 0034 968 044 879 e-mail E-mail an enquiry
fax 0034 968 044 859
Features
18 Hole Course
Details
# 18 holes, par 68, four sets of tees. Provisional distances: white, 5,350 metres; yellow, 4,934 metres; blue, 4,422 metres and red, 3,822 metres.
# With over 5 hectares of elaborately sculpted bunkers, this course adapts to golfers of all levels.
# Brusque changes in the level of the terrain and three lakes provide excellent views.
# Intelligent irrigation system.
Hacienda del Alamo Golf
Features
18 Hole Course
Driving Range
Professional Tuition
Details
Hacienda del Alamo Golf
Fuente Alamo, Murcia, Costa Calida, Spain
This course is considered the longest layout in Spain. With it being 7,400 yards hosting 8 lakes and 84 bunkers, this course, designed by Dave Thomas, will provide a challenge for all golfers.
Hacienda del Alamo golf course is a design masterpiece, designed without limitation of boundaries. As much land as was wished was used to create this stunning course, with the houses being added later to achieve wide open, long holes with plenty of breathing room.
The course is soft due to it being created on natural terrain and, in contrast, has a number of well placed obstacles.
This course takes about 5 hours to play with tee-offs every 10 minutes. With this in mind you are invited to enjoy the course at your own pace.
“This is a wonderful new golf course, more than capable of hosting professional championships but also ready to be enjoyed by golfers of all standards.” -- Miguel Angel Jiménez
18 holes , Par 72
Golf academy:
Hacienda del Alamo provides the ideal place to improve your overall game skills and perfect your swing. The golf academy has available to you, the latest state-of-the-art instruction technology as well as a driving range and you can also put your hard work on the driving range into practice in using the six practice holes available.
Club De Golf Torre Pacheco, Torre Pacheco
Gregory Peter 1
30700 Torre-pacheco
Contact Details
telephone 968 585 111
Features
9 Hole Course
Bar
Driving Range
Professional Tuition
Restaurant
Shopping
Details
Torre Pacheco golf club opened in 1989 and was designed by Dave Thomas.
The course is urban with 9 holes and is 27 par, open all year and 20Km from San Javier airport.
Services include a driving range, tution, club hire, hand trolley and electric trolley hire, restaurant, cafe bar, pitching green, putting green, changing room, showers and parking.
Altoreal Golf Club
Altoreal Golf Club
Avda Reino de Murcia ss-2 30500
Molina de Segura
Murcia
Altorreal Golf Course is situated half way between Alicante and La Manga.
10 km northwest of Murcia City and 20 minutes drive from Alicante airport.
Contact Details
telephone +34-968-648045
mobile telephone +34-968-648200
Features
18 Hole Course
Bar
Buggy Hire
Driving Range
Professional Tuition
Restaurant
Shopping
Details
Altoreal opened in 1994 and has a combination of hilly and flat holes with some superb mountain scenery,The course was designed by Dave Thomas, and has a great variety of trees including olives, carobs and pines.
Located 10 km from Murcia, Altorreal is a semi-private 18 hole championship Golf course.
18 holes , Par 72.
Avda Reino de Murcia ss-2 30500
Molina de Segura
Murcia
Altorreal Golf Course is situated half way between Alicante and La Manga.
10 km northwest of Murcia City and 20 minutes drive from Alicante airport.
Contact Details
telephone +34-968-648045
mobile telephone +34-968-648200
Features
18 Hole Course
Bar
Buggy Hire
Driving Range
Professional Tuition
Restaurant
Shopping
Details
Altoreal opened in 1994 and has a combination of hilly and flat holes with some superb mountain scenery,The course was designed by Dave Thomas, and has a great variety of trees including olives, carobs and pines.
Located 10 km from Murcia, Altorreal is a semi-private 18 hole championship Golf course.
18 holes , Par 72.
Police To Check Tyres:
Local police in Cartagena launched a tyre control campaign on Wednesday 28th July with the aim of reminding drivers of the importance of properly maintaining the tyres on their vehicles to avoid accidents. This campaign, which will continue until August 6th, will not financially hurt motorists, as the police will not be issuing fines.
The police have set up controls on the Alameda de San Antón (the El Corte Ingles road) in Cartagena city. According to a report from the ITV stations, a high percentage of car accidents are associated with vehicle defects, most of which pertain to tyres. The lack of regular servicing is the main cause of the poor condition of the tyres. “Whilst many people tend to put vehicle maintenance on the back burner in times of financial difficulties, this can be a costly economy when an accident occurs,” according to the Councillor for Resident Security, J. Herrero.
The police have set up controls on the Alameda de San Antón (the El Corte Ingles road) in Cartagena city. According to a report from the ITV stations, a high percentage of car accidents are associated with vehicle defects, most of which pertain to tyres. The lack of regular servicing is the main cause of the poor condition of the tyres. “Whilst many people tend to put vehicle maintenance on the back burner in times of financial difficulties, this can be a costly economy when an accident occurs,” according to the Councillor for Resident Security, J. Herrero.
Cops Ordered To Fine People:
Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Spain’s Minister of the Interior, has warned Guardia Civil traffic officers that it is their “obligation and job” to obey and enforce the law, so they must give tickets to drivers if they see them committing a traffic offence. This statement came from Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba during a press conference after he was asked what he thought about the recent stance of the Guardia Civil to “down pens”.
The amount of traffic tickets issued by the Guardia Civil in June and July has dropped by 70%. One Guardia Civil officer consulted by the Costa Calida Informer stated that the general consensus with officers is that they feel as though they are being overworked and expected to work more hours, have more responsibilities and get paid less than the local police and yet because the Guardia Civil is part of the military, it is not legal for them to strike.
“The Guardia Civil has to comply with the laws and when they see someone running a stop sign the Guardia Civil must fine. It’s not enough simply to say, “You’re not supposed to do that.” No one likes to give out fines but it is their obligation to do so.” Added Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba. The government has obviously noticed the effects of the ”downing pens” exercise in their bank accounts because they have stated that fines have fallen by 70%, although Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba stated otherwise. He denied profusely that his department was worried about the reduction in funds coming in as a result of the “downing pens” strike and said, “The only thing that truly matters to this government is improving road safety, not traffic fines. Whoever says that we are worried about the funds knows nothing about road safety that is our only concern, I assure you.”
The amount of traffic tickets issued by the Guardia Civil in June and July has dropped by 70%. One Guardia Civil officer consulted by the Costa Calida Informer stated that the general consensus with officers is that they feel as though they are being overworked and expected to work more hours, have more responsibilities and get paid less than the local police and yet because the Guardia Civil is part of the military, it is not legal for them to strike.
“The Guardia Civil has to comply with the laws and when they see someone running a stop sign the Guardia Civil must fine. It’s not enough simply to say, “You’re not supposed to do that.” No one likes to give out fines but it is their obligation to do so.” Added Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba. The government has obviously noticed the effects of the ”downing pens” exercise in their bank accounts because they have stated that fines have fallen by 70%, although Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba stated otherwise. He denied profusely that his department was worried about the reduction in funds coming in as a result of the “downing pens” strike and said, “The only thing that truly matters to this government is improving road safety, not traffic fines. Whoever says that we are worried about the funds knows nothing about road safety that is our only concern, I assure you.”
Hot Cars Cause Crashes:
Jumping into the car on a hot afternoon in Spain might perhaps not be the best idea, as a study published by Hella shows. According to the study, driving a car with an interior temperature of above 27 degrees increases the risk of crashing by 11%. When the inside temperature rises to above 32 degrees this risk jumps to a scary 22%.The way to reduce this risk is simply to open the windows and/or turn on the air-conditioning before you plan on using the car. Driving a vehicle when the interior temperature is elevated induces a feeling of fatigue, lowers concentration and increases the time it takes for a driver to react to a potential crash causing situation on the roads.
According to the Hella report, whilst turning air-conditioning on in a vehicle can be a solution to the heat problem it can cause other problems if it is not being properly maintained. Allergies provoked by mould and the presence of micro-organisms in the vehicle’s filters can also cause accidents. Dry, itchy or watery eyes are also not conducive to safe driving and can elevate the risk of having an accident by up to 17%. Cars’ air-conditioning systems should be regularly maintained and air filters need to be changed every 15,000kms to ensure that they remain free from dust, dirt, pollen and other irritants.
According to the Hella report, whilst turning air-conditioning on in a vehicle can be a solution to the heat problem it can cause other problems if it is not being properly maintained. Allergies provoked by mould and the presence of micro-organisms in the vehicle’s filters can also cause accidents. Dry, itchy or watery eyes are also not conducive to safe driving and can elevate the risk of having an accident by up to 17%. Cars’ air-conditioning systems should be regularly maintained and air filters need to be changed every 15,000kms to ensure that they remain free from dust, dirt, pollen and other irritants.
Flasher Gets Nicked At Nudist Camp:
Local police officers were called to the El Portus nudist campsite by three French teenage girls who reported being flashed by a male, identified as Jean Jacques D.D. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon when the girls and several other witnesses reported seeing a man masturbating on the beach. The girls told officers that the man was lying naked on the beach masturbating and looking towards them. The group of French adolescents were also naked at the time of incident.
Other witnesses first reported the masturbating incident to the security guards at the campsite who in turn alerted the Guardia Civil and local police. After arriving at the camp officers interviewed the teenage girls and witnesses and identified the alleged flasher, who was promptly taken into custody and taken to the Guardia Civil station in Cartagena.
Other witnesses first reported the masturbating incident to the security guards at the campsite who in turn alerted the Guardia Civil and local police. After arriving at the camp officers interviewed the teenage girls and witnesses and identified the alleged flasher, who was promptly taken into custody and taken to the Guardia Civil station in Cartagena.
Ryanair And Air Berlin Play Hard Ball
Fewer flights available from Ryanair and Air Berlin will be the outcome if the Murcian government does not agree to invest in advertising campaigns in the U.K., Germany and other countries to promote tourism to Murcia. Michael Cawley, Vice-president of Ryanair, stated, "Ryanair regrets having temporarily to cancel seven of its international routes from Murcia this winter. However, the total lack of support from the tourist authorities changes Murcia into a very expensive destination for Ryanair to promote this winter. The 76 weekly flights and the 120,000 tourists that they bring with them will be lost to Murcia because the regional government has not answered any of the proposals put forward by Ryanair with respect to beginning a marketing campaign similar to those made with Air Nostrum, which only operates two domestic routes in Murcia, bringing with them a practically insignificant number of tourists."
Ryanair has announced that unless a close to €3million campaign (the same as Air Nostrum) is agreed by Marina García Vidal (Murcia’s General Director of Tourism) and Pedro Alberto Cruz (Minister of Culture and Tourism) Ryanair will cancel seven of its routes because it would not be willing to foot the bill to promote its own flights. The seven routes that would be cancelled are Birmingham, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Luton, East Midlands, Glasgow Prestwick and Leeds Bradford. Ryanair would continue to operate Dublin and London Stansted.
Air Berlin also announced in a statement that, as a result of the reduction in reserves and the lack of support from the Murcian government, it plans to suspend all international connections with San Javier airport from the summer of 2011. Air Berlin, which has flown from Murcia airport for six years, will maintain from 1st November this year to April 14th 2011, direct flights between Murcia and Palma de Mallorca, but after that date Air Berlin flights will be cancelled.
The CEO of Air Berlin in Spain and Portugal, Alvaro Middelmann, stated, “The position taken by the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Murcia is incomprehensible; he apparently does not want to recognize the importance of air links for the region.” Last year Air Berlin flew 27.9 million passengers worldwide.
Gran Escala! The new Las Vegas in spain
During the week of the annual G2E show in Las Vegas in 2007, an incredibly ambitious project for Spain's arid northeastern region is unveiled. With a staggering €17 billion/$25 billion price tag and featuring 32 history-themed hotel-casinos, dozens of cultural attractions and theme parks, numerous facilities for shopping, sports, recreation and various levels of holiday accommodations, all packaged in a comprehensive and Utopianesque urban plan, the working name of the project-Gran Scala-is an understatement.
No leisure attraction of this magnitude has been tried from scratch anywhere before, let alone Europe. But it is 2007 and the casino resort industry is booming worldwide. Macau is on the verge of overtaking Nevada as the largest-grossing casino jurisdiction and the Cotai Strip is still to come. Multibillion-dollar mixed-leisure developments are being built in Singapore and touted in Vietnam. In Las Vegas, CityCenter is rising. There is no shortage of investment for bold, expensive projects.
Still, willing investors aside, Gran Scala is asking a lot in the way of suspension of disbelief. The regional government will need to give developers the nod in the face of politically sensitive environmental issues. Land owners will need to be convinced to sell. And again, this being Europe, some wonder if there is a market here for a Las Vegas/Disney World/City of Tomorrow.
Two years and a couple of months later, the world of property development has changed significantly. But despite delays, International Leisure Development PLC, the engine of Gran Scala, is still forging ahead.
Three major theme parks, including a world-class movie theme park bearing the name of a major Hollywood studio, are planned to open in Phase 1. The exact number of casinos that will be ready in this phase is not available, but the campus will feature a minimum of 8,000 gaming machines. ILD has preliminary agreements with a number of operators and is in discussion with others, but signed contracts are awaiting approval by the regional government of the updated plans, which are being finalized.
The updated plans are scheduled to be submitted to the government in May, and as they differ from the original concept basically in layout only, it is expected they could be approved before the summer recess.
When first introduced, the schedule called for a 2012 opening of Gran Scala. However, to satisfy the original timeline, the government of the autonomous region of Aragon would have had to approve all plans and permits, and ILD complete all land purchases needed for construction, sometime in 2008. As it happened, the law that allows development of such a grandiose project only came into force in July 2009, and it had been deemed too risky to proceed with land purchases and infrastructure improvements without such a law in place.
The legislation in question is known officially as the Law of Leisure Centers of High Capacity. Passed by the Aragon regional government, the law applies to any tourism, cultural or sports project that develops an area of at least 1,000 hectares, creates 3,000 jobs minimum and builds 8,000 or more hotel rooms. Because the law was the direct result of the proposed project, it is known colloquially as the Gran Scala Act.
By mid-March, ILD had purchased 35 percent of the land needed for the project to move forward. Arrangements are in place to obtain another 40 percent, which would bring the total area in hand to the mandated 75 percent of the total 3,000 hectares. When the government has given final approval to the project, the outstanding parcels will be purchased. If all goes smoothly from here on out, Gran Scala is expected to open in 2014.
The delay has given developers time to fine-tune aspects of their initial concept. For example, instead of the circular layout of the hotel-casinos, the decision has been taken to go with a more conventional strip format, which is better suited to the site's topography.
Another potential benefit of postponement has been found in the matter of transportation infrastructure improvements. Gran Scala will be built on land near the town of Ontiñena, which is 425 kilometers from Madrid and 225 kilometers from Barcelona. The main highway between the two major cities passes around five kilometers from the border of Gran Scala land and only requires construction of on- and off-ramps and a five-kilometer stretch of road for easy access.
The existing Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line, which runs about four kilometers from the site, will see construction of a local station. Both the road and rail projects are said to have been worked out between the regional and national authorities. Three airports serve the region: Huesca, about 50 kilometers distant, is operational; a new airport at Leida, just 15 minutes from the future town, is in its final stage of construction; and the existing international airport at Zaragoza is about 100 kilometers away.
Gran Scala and the New Normal
The worldwide economic crisis may have delivered its own unanticipated boost to Gran Scala's prospects, in the arena of potential investors. Construction of the massive Dubailand leisure park has been put on hold due to the financial problems in Dubai. In a recent interview with Spanish news source El Heraldo, Frederic Bouvard, vice president of the leisure parks division of ILD, noted that some participants in Dubailand were now looking at Gran Scala as a possible opportunity. Some of these potential investors required a Sharia compliance process, which was recently completed, and negotiations are expected to be finalized in the spring.
For the government of Spain, where unemployment hit 18.3 percent at the end of 2009 and is expected to go to 19 percent this year, the prospect of new jobs has to be alluring. In February, 50 percent of all jobs lost were in the services sector, followed by 10 percent in construction. The government is so desperate that it recently presented a plan to create 350,000 construction jobs by cutting the value-added tax on home improvement work.
In contrast, Gran Scala would provide "real" construction jobs in the building phase, jobs that would also satisfy the government's desire to move away from the so-called speculative construction of the previous decade, which helped lead up to the current slump. Together with the mandated creation of at least 3,000 permanent jobs, which would be mainly in the service industries, the matchup of Gran Scala to these specific and ailing job sectors is a good fit.
The big question that remains to be answered involves the viability of mixing a casino gaming product with the more family-oriented theme park and cultural activity offering. The model has worked at Genting Highlands in Malaysia and Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, but nothing similar exists in Europe. According to Bouvard, ILD has already performed the necessary market research and determined that the model will work.
The study, carried out by a firm described by Bouvard as one of the world's top two in market research, was conducted all over Europe and involved 16 focus groups in six markets and 7,200 surveys completed in seven markets. The economic crisis was already under way when the studies were performed, and still the results were positive enough to encourage ILD to continue with the project. The volume of research produced results that provide a confidence level of 95.5 percent, which is of a similar accuracy to those used in political polls.
The next step for ILD is to produce its revamped plan for the layout of Gran Scala, submit the plan to the Aragon government for approval and make the details available to potential investors and partners, and the general public. The ILD website at www.ild-plc.com still hosts details of the original plan, including the names of partners and companies that had previously agreed to be involved. It will be interesting to see how many of those names are still present when the new plan emerges.
Living in Spain
Fancy the glamour of a Spanish lifestyle? Want to learn a new language? Or do you want to retire to a place in the sun.? Whether you're planning on living in in Spain permanently or just thinking about staying for a few months, There is something for everyone.
Living in Spain is quite different from living in the UK. Traffic jams are shorter, bars open late, eating out is cheap (in fact the cost of living in Spain is generally lower than in the UK) and people are generally more relaxed. It’s much more child-friendly here too: on an ordinary Saturday night in most cities you’ll find everyone from young children to grandparents on the streets and in restaurants having a good time. And of course there’s the great variety of countryside and wildlife. Fewer people living in a bigger country means there is just so much more space for forests, olive groves and everything from lush green countryside in the North to the breathtaking semi-deserts and mountains of the South. You’ll even see wild boar if you’re lucky!
There are downsides to living in Spain too, though. The national telecommunications company (Telefonica) make BT look like the best run outfit since Roman times. You can wait hours for service even in big stores and there is no point at all in trying to tie a Spanish plumber down to a particular time or even day. On the coast you’ll also have to be wary of fraudsters (especially British ones) but you should be able to avoid most with our guide.
Living in Spain is quite different from living in the UK. Traffic jams are shorter, bars open late, eating out is cheap (in fact the cost of living in Spain is generally lower than in the UK) and people are generally more relaxed. It’s much more child-friendly here too: on an ordinary Saturday night in most cities you’ll find everyone from young children to grandparents on the streets and in restaurants having a good time. And of course there’s the great variety of countryside and wildlife. Fewer people living in a bigger country means there is just so much more space for forests, olive groves and everything from lush green countryside in the North to the breathtaking semi-deserts and mountains of the South. You’ll even see wild boar if you’re lucky!
There are downsides to living in Spain too, though. The national telecommunications company (Telefonica) make BT look like the best run outfit since Roman times. You can wait hours for service even in big stores and there is no point at all in trying to tie a Spanish plumber down to a particular time or even day. On the coast you’ll also have to be wary of fraudsters (especially British ones) but you should be able to avoid most with our guide.
Things you will see while driving here.
3 or more on a scooter if they are not carrying a ladder or a clothes drier or a weeks shopping.
Undertaking and overtaking at the same time (usually by scooters in built up areas).
People not wearing helmets on their scooters unless it’s Sunday and unless they have a horse riding hat then they wear it on Saturdays as well.
Driving on the left depending what day it is.
Driving on the pavement.
Driving the wrong way down one way streets.
Triple parking everywhere.
The local driving school at the fun fair (the dodgems)
DON’T FORGET DRIVE ON THE RIGHT.
Importation and registration
UK nationals who are not residents may bring their car into Spain, but neither they nor anyone else can use it in Spain for more than six months in any one year. If you are resident in Spain and want to import a vehicle, you must register it with the local authorities in the Spanish province where you live. They will grant you permission to drive your foreign plated car through the Spanish territory.
The motoring associations in Britain and the Real Automovil Club de España can provide guidance, but the authoritative source of information is the Directorate-General of Customs in Madrid (Dirección General deAduanas, C/ Guzmán el Bueno 137, 28003 Madrid. Tel: (+34) 91 582 6805.
EU citizens moving to Spain to take up official residence may bring their own car with them, exempt from import duties. If you are from outside the EU, you may get the exemption from Spain's 10 per cent import duties, under the following conditions:
* you must have owned your car for at least 6 months prior to the import into Spain
* you must have paid VAT in your country of origin (otherwise this tax must be paid in Spain)
A registration tax impuesto municipal sobre circulación de vehículos must be paid in Spain. This tax is calculated on the vehicle's current value (based on the original market price in Spain). An imported car that EU residents have owned for 6 months or more is not subject to this tax. You must obtain a residency transfer certificate (alta/baja consular) from a British Consulate.
Once the importation procedure is completed, you will be issued a temporary registration plate, which enables you to drive your imported car in Spain. Any concession on the duty-free import of cars applies only to people who take out an official residence permit in Spain.
These are only general guidelines, other questions applicable to your individual case should be directed to the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico or a lawyer.
Motor insurance regulations
Spanish insurance regulations differ from those in the UK. It is important to check carefully what cover your policy provides. ASEGURACE may provide guidance (Tel: 902 120 441).
UK driving licences
UK driving licences issued from 1990 and the photocard licence issued from 1997 are accepted in Spain. The minimum age required to drive is 18 years. For information about the photocard driving licence please visit the DVLA website.
Licences issued before 1990 are only accepted if accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (available from the Spanish Embassy in London and the Real Automóvil Club de España if the licence holder is already in Spain). Holders of these may prefer to use an International Licence issued anywhere outside Spain.
You may keep your UK licence (if issued after 1990) or exchange it for a Spanish one, subject to the same medical examinations as Spanish nationals. It is advisable to exchange UK licences for Spanish ones (which are valid for visits to the UK). The DVLA won't put a non-UK address on a replacement licence, or send one out of the UK. Therefore, if your UK licence is lost or stolen in Spain, you will not be able to obtain a replacement licence from the UK. Spanish authorities will not be able to replace one they did not issue. For information on how to apply for a Spanish driving licence, please contact the Jefatura Provincial de Trafico in your area.
Undertaking and overtaking at the same time (usually by scooters in built up areas).
People not wearing helmets on their scooters unless it’s Sunday and unless they have a horse riding hat then they wear it on Saturdays as well.
Driving on the left depending what day it is.
Driving on the pavement.
Driving the wrong way down one way streets.
Triple parking everywhere.
The local driving school at the fun fair (the dodgems)
DON’T FORGET DRIVE ON THE RIGHT.
Importation and registration
UK nationals who are not residents may bring their car into Spain, but neither they nor anyone else can use it in Spain for more than six months in any one year. If you are resident in Spain and want to import a vehicle, you must register it with the local authorities in the Spanish province where you live. They will grant you permission to drive your foreign plated car through the Spanish territory.
The motoring associations in Britain and the Real Automovil Club de España can provide guidance, but the authoritative source of information is the Directorate-General of Customs in Madrid (Dirección General deAduanas, C/ Guzmán el Bueno 137, 28003 Madrid. Tel: (+34) 91 582 6805.
EU citizens moving to Spain to take up official residence may bring their own car with them, exempt from import duties. If you are from outside the EU, you may get the exemption from Spain's 10 per cent import duties, under the following conditions:
* you must have owned your car for at least 6 months prior to the import into Spain
* you must have paid VAT in your country of origin (otherwise this tax must be paid in Spain)
A registration tax impuesto municipal sobre circulación de vehículos must be paid in Spain. This tax is calculated on the vehicle's current value (based on the original market price in Spain). An imported car that EU residents have owned for 6 months or more is not subject to this tax. You must obtain a residency transfer certificate (alta/baja consular) from a British Consulate.
Once the importation procedure is completed, you will be issued a temporary registration plate, which enables you to drive your imported car in Spain. Any concession on the duty-free import of cars applies only to people who take out an official residence permit in Spain.
These are only general guidelines, other questions applicable to your individual case should be directed to the Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico or a lawyer.
Motor insurance regulations
Spanish insurance regulations differ from those in the UK. It is important to check carefully what cover your policy provides. ASEGURACE may provide guidance (Tel: 902 120 441).
UK driving licences
UK driving licences issued from 1990 and the photocard licence issued from 1997 are accepted in Spain. The minimum age required to drive is 18 years. For information about the photocard driving licence please visit the DVLA website.
Licences issued before 1990 are only accepted if accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (available from the Spanish Embassy in London and the Real Automóvil Club de España if the licence holder is already in Spain). Holders of these may prefer to use an International Licence issued anywhere outside Spain.
You may keep your UK licence (if issued after 1990) or exchange it for a Spanish one, subject to the same medical examinations as Spanish nationals. It is advisable to exchange UK licences for Spanish ones (which are valid for visits to the UK). The DVLA won't put a non-UK address on a replacement licence, or send one out of the UK. Therefore, if your UK licence is lost or stolen in Spain, you will not be able to obtain a replacement licence from the UK. Spanish authorities will not be able to replace one they did not issue. For information on how to apply for a Spanish driving licence, please contact the Jefatura Provincial de Trafico in your area.
Driving in Spain
Things you must keep in the car when driving in Spain.
1. You must have 2 warning triangles.
2. 2 day glow jackets in case you break down.
3. A first aid kit.
4. A fire extinguisher
5. Spare bulbs and the tools to change them.
Paperwork you need to carry.
Warning if you do not have the relevant paperwork the Guardia can and will confiscate your vehicle.
1. A valid green card for insurance unless you have 90 day cover from your U.K. insurance.
2. Driving license.
3. Passport or Spanish I.D. card.( If you only have your Spanish I.D. card all paperwork must be the correct Spanish paperwork or you will, at best be warned by the Guardia or at worst they will take your vehicle.
4. The ownership document for the vehicle.
5. A valid M.O.T if registered in the U.K. or valid I.T.V. if Spanish registered
6. The owners hand book for the vehicle.
Things to know.
If you have a right hand drive car from the U.K. fit beam deflectors to your headlights before you come.
If you intend to register your right hand drive car in Spain try to obtain left hand drive headlights before you leave the U.K. They are expensive here.
The speed limits unless otherwise stated are:
The limit on urban roads is 50 kph.
The limit on the open road is between 90 and 100 kph.
The motorway limit is 120 kph.
The minimum driving age is 18 or 16 for scooters under 50cc.
There is now a 0 tolerance for drink driving.
No one under 12 years old is aloud to sit in the front seat.
Seat belts are compulsory front and rear.
If you are riding a motorcycle you must wear a crash helmet.
If going through a tunnel you must turn on dipped head lights.
Parking is at a premium especially in small villages and towns if you find a parking space that is marked in blue you need to look for the pay and display machine. You don’t need to pay during siesta or usually after 7 pm.
Take care when driving through towns and villages because there does not seem to be any law that prevents reversing into a main road, everybody does it.
Have a Sat nav handy if you have your own car because asking for directions is a no no everybody means well but most of the time you will be sent in the opposite direction to where you need to go.
When driving in Spain you will probably see none of the above adhered to, but if you don’t you will get fined.
1. You must have 2 warning triangles.
2. 2 day glow jackets in case you break down.
3. A first aid kit.
4. A fire extinguisher
5. Spare bulbs and the tools to change them.
Paperwork you need to carry.
Warning if you do not have the relevant paperwork the Guardia can and will confiscate your vehicle.
1. A valid green card for insurance unless you have 90 day cover from your U.K. insurance.
2. Driving license.
3. Passport or Spanish I.D. card.( If you only have your Spanish I.D. card all paperwork must be the correct Spanish paperwork or you will, at best be warned by the Guardia or at worst they will take your vehicle.
4. The ownership document for the vehicle.
5. A valid M.O.T if registered in the U.K. or valid I.T.V. if Spanish registered
6. The owners hand book for the vehicle.
Things to know.
If you have a right hand drive car from the U.K. fit beam deflectors to your headlights before you come.
If you intend to register your right hand drive car in Spain try to obtain left hand drive headlights before you leave the U.K. They are expensive here.
The speed limits unless otherwise stated are:
The limit on urban roads is 50 kph.
The limit on the open road is between 90 and 100 kph.
The motorway limit is 120 kph.
The minimum driving age is 18 or 16 for scooters under 50cc.
There is now a 0 tolerance for drink driving.
No one under 12 years old is aloud to sit in the front seat.
Seat belts are compulsory front and rear.
If you are riding a motorcycle you must wear a crash helmet.
If going through a tunnel you must turn on dipped head lights.
Parking is at a premium especially in small villages and towns if you find a parking space that is marked in blue you need to look for the pay and display machine. You don’t need to pay during siesta or usually after 7 pm.
Take care when driving through towns and villages because there does not seem to be any law that prevents reversing into a main road, everybody does it.
Have a Sat nav handy if you have your own car because asking for directions is a no no everybody means well but most of the time you will be sent in the opposite direction to where you need to go.
When driving in Spain you will probably see none of the above adhered to, but if you don’t you will get fined.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Holiday rentals in Sierra golf, murcia
For information on a 2 bedroom house with a pool for between 35 and 40 euros a day rental.
Very close to Sierra golf club which have excellent green fees of 15 euros for 18 holes.
email daisyschain@live.com
Very close to Sierra golf club which have excellent green fees of 15 euros for 18 holes.
email daisyschain@live.com
The Costa Calida extends along 250km from the beach of Carolina in Aguilas, a few kilometres from the province of Almeria, to the beach at El Mojon on the boundary with Alicante. This stretch of Murcian coastline is blessed with 315 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 17 degrees. The area offers a diverse selection of activities for the visitor including all manner of water sports, hiking, hill-climbing and much more.
Encompassed in the Costa Calida are:
Cartagena with its wealth of archaeological treasures including a recently discovered Roman theatre, many museums and a port who's history spans 3,000 years.
The Costa Calida begins at El Mojon, an old fishing village with a superb beach. A short distance from El Mojon you will find the Regional Park of Las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar, the most important wetlands in the region of Murcia. Flocks of pink flamigos rest here each year. The salt works here were exploited by the Romans and are a complex network of pools. from here take the road to San Pedro del Pinatar and visit the Casa del Reloj on the San Sebastian Farm. Two kilometres away is Lo Pagan, a town with the largest area of open-area mud baths in Europe. These mud baths are recommended for all kinds of skin complaints. In addition you will find several tranquil beaches, an early morning fish market and ample night-life.
The Mar Menor is the 'world's largest pool' and sits in the southeast of Murcia. It is a shallow lagoon of 170 square km with warm waters and gentle winds. It is known to be one of the best places in Europe to learn water sports. First the Phoenicians then later the Arab Kings made this 'little sea' their summer retreat. The Mar Menor is separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow strip of land only 22km wide, called La Manga del Mar Menor. its sandy beach and clear waters have made it one of the highest regarded resorts on the Mediterranean. The beaches are complimented by a huge range of hotels, casinos, golf courses and everything a holiday-maker could wish for. A few minutes away is Cabo de Palos, a charming seafront village with a unique 19th century lighthouse and two delightful beaches.
Mazarrón and Águilas
Puerto de Mazarrón is a seaside resort town with excellent hotel facilities and a lively night life. You must visit the fishing port and the fish auction. The local coastline offers splendid beaches and unspoilt coasts. About 3km from the coast is the town of Mazarrón with some excellent buildings including the Town Hall and several churches. Here too you will find the ruins of Velez Castle.
The coastal road takes you southwest to Aguilas, an old Roman fishing port. Hornillo Wharf, where iron was loaded for shipping still stands, a reminder that this was once a 19th century mining town. In the centre of Aguilas you must visit the lovely gardens in the Plaza España, the 19th century Town Hall and the impressive church of San José. In the high part of the old quarter stands the castle of San Juan de Aguilas, built in 1579. At the foot of the castle is the harbour and a typical lighthouse. The coastline here offers excellent diving.
Encompassed in the Costa Calida are:
Cartagena with its wealth of archaeological treasures including a recently discovered Roman theatre, many museums and a port who's history spans 3,000 years.
The Costa Calida begins at El Mojon, an old fishing village with a superb beach. A short distance from El Mojon you will find the Regional Park of Las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar, the most important wetlands in the region of Murcia. Flocks of pink flamigos rest here each year. The salt works here were exploited by the Romans and are a complex network of pools. from here take the road to San Pedro del Pinatar and visit the Casa del Reloj on the San Sebastian Farm. Two kilometres away is Lo Pagan, a town with the largest area of open-area mud baths in Europe. These mud baths are recommended for all kinds of skin complaints. In addition you will find several tranquil beaches, an early morning fish market and ample night-life.
The Mar Menor is the 'world's largest pool' and sits in the southeast of Murcia. It is a shallow lagoon of 170 square km with warm waters and gentle winds. It is known to be one of the best places in Europe to learn water sports. First the Phoenicians then later the Arab Kings made this 'little sea' their summer retreat. The Mar Menor is separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow strip of land only 22km wide, called La Manga del Mar Menor. its sandy beach and clear waters have made it one of the highest regarded resorts on the Mediterranean. The beaches are complimented by a huge range of hotels, casinos, golf courses and everything a holiday-maker could wish for. A few minutes away is Cabo de Palos, a charming seafront village with a unique 19th century lighthouse and two delightful beaches.
Mazarrón and Águilas
Puerto de Mazarrón is a seaside resort town with excellent hotel facilities and a lively night life. You must visit the fishing port and the fish auction. The local coastline offers splendid beaches and unspoilt coasts. About 3km from the coast is the town of Mazarrón with some excellent buildings including the Town Hall and several churches. Here too you will find the ruins of Velez Castle.
The coastal road takes you southwest to Aguilas, an old Roman fishing port. Hornillo Wharf, where iron was loaded for shipping still stands, a reminder that this was once a 19th century mining town. In the centre of Aguilas you must visit the lovely gardens in the Plaza España, the 19th century Town Hall and the impressive church of San José. In the high part of the old quarter stands the castle of San Juan de Aguilas, built in 1579. At the foot of the castle is the harbour and a typical lighthouse. The coastline here offers excellent diving.
Interesting facts about Spain
Culture & People
# Not all Spaniards are native speakers of (Castilian) "Spanish". There are in fact four official languages in Spain (Castilian, Catalan, Basque and Galician), three unofficial regional languages (Asturian, Aragonese and Aranese), and several more dialects of these (Andalucian, Valencian...). Almost all Spaniards can speak Castilian Spanish though.
# Spain is traditionally a strongly religious country (Roman Catholocism). However, only 76% of Spaniards now identify themselves as Catholics, and only about 20% are regular church-goers. Due to recent immigration, 3% of the population is now Muslim.
# Spain is renowned for its lively festivals, the most famous of which are :
* San Fermín ("running of the bulls") in Pamplona
* Tomatina ("tomato battle") in Buñol
* Fallas (St. Joseph's Day) in Valencia
* Moros i Cristians (commemoration of battles between Moors and Christians) around Valencia
* the Mystery Play of Elx (medieval lyrical drama ranked Masterpiece of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO), near Valencia
* the Carnival nationwide, especially the one of Cádiz
# Spanish-speaking cultures have been very propicious for the development of new dance styles, such as Flamenco (inspired by Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic, and Gypsy cultures), Merengue (Hispano-African), Salsa, Mambo and Cha-cha-cha (African and Cuban), Rumba (African, Amerindian and Spanish), etc.
# Spanish culture greatly influenced modern art from the late 1800's, with artists like Antoni Gaudí (Art Nouveau), Pablo Picasso (expressionism, cubism, surrealism), Joan Miró (surrealism), or Salvador Dalí (surrealism).
History
# Most of Spain was under Muslim domination from 711 to the mid 11th century. The full peninsula was not reconquered by the Christian powers until 1492.
# The Spanish Inquisition, which aimed at converting non-Christians to Christian Catholicism, started in 1478, and was not abolished until 1834. It is estimated that the Inquisition processed some 350,000 people, of whom at least 10% were executed (most famously burnt at the stake).
# Under Philip II's reign (1556-1598), and until 1640, Spain ruled over an empire comprising Spain, the Spanish Netherlands (most of present Belgium, and Northern France), Southern Italy, most of South and Central America (Brazil included), about half of the present USA, the Philippines (named after Philip II), as well as various smaller colonies in Asia and Africa (Macao, Malacca, Goa, Daman, Diu...).
# Tomatoes, potatoes, avocadoes, tobacco, and cacao, were all brought to Europe (then spread around the world) by the Spaniards from their American colonies. All these words were imported from Spanish language into English, which explains why they end in "-o".
# The Spanish colonies in the Americas (except Cuba and Puerto Rico, lost to the USA in 1898) became independent between 1809 and 1825, mostly due to Napoleon's occupation of Spain between 1808 and 1814.
# Spain did not participate in either the First or Second World War.
Law & Government
# Spain has become one of the most legally liberal and progressive countries in Europe in recent years.
# Same-sex marriage has been legal in Spain since 2005.
# Personal consumption and home cultivation of cannabis are legal in Spain.
# Spain was one of the first European countries to ban smoking in in all workplaces, and bars and restaurants (from 2006), following the lead of Ireland and Norway two years earlier.
# Not all Spaniards are native speakers of (Castilian) "Spanish". There are in fact four official languages in Spain (Castilian, Catalan, Basque and Galician), three unofficial regional languages (Asturian, Aragonese and Aranese), and several more dialects of these (Andalucian, Valencian...). Almost all Spaniards can speak Castilian Spanish though.
# Spain is traditionally a strongly religious country (Roman Catholocism). However, only 76% of Spaniards now identify themselves as Catholics, and only about 20% are regular church-goers. Due to recent immigration, 3% of the population is now Muslim.
# Spain is renowned for its lively festivals, the most famous of which are :
* San Fermín ("running of the bulls") in Pamplona
* Tomatina ("tomato battle") in Buñol
* Fallas (St. Joseph's Day) in Valencia
* Moros i Cristians (commemoration of battles between Moors and Christians) around Valencia
* the Mystery Play of Elx (medieval lyrical drama ranked Masterpiece of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO), near Valencia
* the Carnival nationwide, especially the one of Cádiz
# Spanish-speaking cultures have been very propicious for the development of new dance styles, such as Flamenco (inspired by Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic, and Gypsy cultures), Merengue (Hispano-African), Salsa, Mambo and Cha-cha-cha (African and Cuban), Rumba (African, Amerindian and Spanish), etc.
# Spanish culture greatly influenced modern art from the late 1800's, with artists like Antoni Gaudí (Art Nouveau), Pablo Picasso (expressionism, cubism, surrealism), Joan Miró (surrealism), or Salvador Dalí (surrealism).
History
# Most of Spain was under Muslim domination from 711 to the mid 11th century. The full peninsula was not reconquered by the Christian powers until 1492.
# The Spanish Inquisition, which aimed at converting non-Christians to Christian Catholicism, started in 1478, and was not abolished until 1834. It is estimated that the Inquisition processed some 350,000 people, of whom at least 10% were executed (most famously burnt at the stake).
# Under Philip II's reign (1556-1598), and until 1640, Spain ruled over an empire comprising Spain, the Spanish Netherlands (most of present Belgium, and Northern France), Southern Italy, most of South and Central America (Brazil included), about half of the present USA, the Philippines (named after Philip II), as well as various smaller colonies in Asia and Africa (Macao, Malacca, Goa, Daman, Diu...).
# Tomatoes, potatoes, avocadoes, tobacco, and cacao, were all brought to Europe (then spread around the world) by the Spaniards from their American colonies. All these words were imported from Spanish language into English, which explains why they end in "-o".
# The Spanish colonies in the Americas (except Cuba and Puerto Rico, lost to the USA in 1898) became independent between 1809 and 1825, mostly due to Napoleon's occupation of Spain between 1808 and 1814.
# Spain did not participate in either the First or Second World War.
Law & Government
# Spain has become one of the most legally liberal and progressive countries in Europe in recent years.
# Same-sex marriage has been legal in Spain since 2005.
# Personal consumption and home cultivation of cannabis are legal in Spain.
# Spain was one of the first European countries to ban smoking in in all workplaces, and bars and restaurants (from 2006), following the lead of Ireland and Norway two years earlier.
Spanish school is good for your kids
Studies have shown there are significant long term benefits to moving your child abroad, particularly when they are very young.
Generally speaking, the younger your children are the easier it will be for them to adapt to school in Spain.
Some children adapt immediately to to their new lifestyle, methods of teaching and new surroundings, and will be able to pick up the Spanish language much quicker while others may take slightly longer.
Researchers from University College London conducted a study in 2004 which revealed that children who had learnt a second language had a significantly higher proportion of grey matter (the area of the brain which processes information) than those who had not. A subsequent study showed that children who had lived abroad had higher levels of resilience, a better understanding of the world and a more compassionate approach to people of different ethnicities. In simple terms, learning a second language such as Spanish and living abroad can increase both the intelligence and social capacity of your child.
The human brain acts like a sponge during the formative years and the capacity for learning is highest before the child reaches four years of age. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself taking language lessons from your kids! Psychologists have found that the best age to move a child is either before the age of two or between the ages of six and eight. Between three and six children seem to suffer a great deal of homesickness and after the age of eight they tend to struggle far more with the language barrier.
It's much easier if you learn Spanish
It is important that you practice what you preach and set an example to your children and learn Spanish. If they see that you are making the effort they will be far more willing to learn both at school and at home. By learning some basic language skills you will find it easier to settle in Spain, even if there are plenty of English speakers around. If your child is struggling at school or with homework you will avoid feeling helpless if you are at least able to understand their problems.
There are plenty of Spanish schools in Spain which offer courses to suit your needs. Many foreign expats take intensive courses when they arrive in Spain and some schools run both morning and evening classes to suit your schedule. Once you have a basic grounding in Spanish grammar, the best way to learn is to speak to locals as much as possible. It’s never too late to learn and although the process may be frustrating at first, being able to converse in a foreign language is an extremely rewarding experience.
What are the options for education?
Generally speaking, there are 3 options for educating your children in Spain:
* State schools
* Private and international schools
* Special needs schools
Make the Move!
The number of foreigners in Spain is continually increasing and many families have fulfilled their dream of a life abroad with great success. Kids are surprisingly resilient and in the majority of cases they adapt quickly to their new lives. Those who have made the move often comment that the quality of life for their children is far better in Spain than at home, with more leisure time, an outdoors lifestyle and less crime. Don’t let your kids put you off moving any longer. They will thank you in the end!
Generally speaking, the younger your children are the easier it will be for them to adapt to school in Spain.
Some children adapt immediately to to their new lifestyle, methods of teaching and new surroundings, and will be able to pick up the Spanish language much quicker while others may take slightly longer.
Researchers from University College London conducted a study in 2004 which revealed that children who had learnt a second language had a significantly higher proportion of grey matter (the area of the brain which processes information) than those who had not. A subsequent study showed that children who had lived abroad had higher levels of resilience, a better understanding of the world and a more compassionate approach to people of different ethnicities. In simple terms, learning a second language such as Spanish and living abroad can increase both the intelligence and social capacity of your child.
The human brain acts like a sponge during the formative years and the capacity for learning is highest before the child reaches four years of age. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself taking language lessons from your kids! Psychologists have found that the best age to move a child is either before the age of two or between the ages of six and eight. Between three and six children seem to suffer a great deal of homesickness and after the age of eight they tend to struggle far more with the language barrier.
It's much easier if you learn Spanish
It is important that you practice what you preach and set an example to your children and learn Spanish. If they see that you are making the effort they will be far more willing to learn both at school and at home. By learning some basic language skills you will find it easier to settle in Spain, even if there are plenty of English speakers around. If your child is struggling at school or with homework you will avoid feeling helpless if you are at least able to understand their problems.
There are plenty of Spanish schools in Spain which offer courses to suit your needs. Many foreign expats take intensive courses when they arrive in Spain and some schools run both morning and evening classes to suit your schedule. Once you have a basic grounding in Spanish grammar, the best way to learn is to speak to locals as much as possible. It’s never too late to learn and although the process may be frustrating at first, being able to converse in a foreign language is an extremely rewarding experience.
What are the options for education?
Generally speaking, there are 3 options for educating your children in Spain:
* State schools
* Private and international schools
* Special needs schools
Make the Move!
The number of foreigners in Spain is continually increasing and many families have fulfilled their dream of a life abroad with great success. Kids are surprisingly resilient and in the majority of cases they adapt quickly to their new lives. Those who have made the move often comment that the quality of life for their children is far better in Spain than at home, with more leisure time, an outdoors lifestyle and less crime. Don’t let your kids put you off moving any longer. They will thank you in the end!
new life in a foreign country
Embarking on a new life in a foreign country is a major step for anyone. It takes a good deal of nerve, boundless enthusiasm and an unswerving determination to overcome the inevitable obstacles.
If you're making the 'big move' with children, you're going to need all these qualities by the bucket load!
Over the last two decades an increasing number of families from northern European countries have set up home in Spain.
And for many, the move has turned out to be the best decision they ever made. They left behind an inclement climate, high stress levels, long working hours and streets too unsafe for their kids to play in.
In their new promised land they found year-round sunshine, a laid back lifestyle and friendly towns untainted by the weekend violence of binge-drinking teenagers.
But not all families find their Utopia in the Mediterranean sunshine. For many the upheaval of leaving their native land and adjusting to a completely different way of life proves too much to cope with and they return home wiser for the experience (and usually considerably poorer!)
If you're considering moving to Spain with children...
...make sure you're aware of all the common problems and pitfalls which face foreign families trying to start afresh in a new country.
As a rule of thumb, the younger your children are the more likely they are to settle abroad and adjust to all the sudden changes in their lives. Young kids can adapt quickly and easily to almost any change of circumstances as long as they're at the centre of a loving, secure family. Pre-school children pick up a new language in no time, they make new friends quickly and are likely to adapt easily to the new climate and different routine.
The older your children are when you move, the more likely they are to suffer with problems such as homesickness, isolation and feelings of inadequacy at school. No matter how loving and supportive you are as parents, teenagers are likely to find it extremely difficult to settle into a Spanish school especially if they're not fluent in the language from day one. So you'll need to consider whether private and international schools are the better option. And if you can afford it, you'll obviously need to do some thorough research into where the reputable schools are, what they charge and what they can offer.
Getting children a place in a Spanish state school is normally a straight forward affair for EU citizens - you can get your child in school almost immediately, it's free and you don't need to wait for a resident's permit ('residencia').
Some of the more popular schools have a waiting list but the local authorities have a responsibility to find an alternative school if necessary. In areas with large ex-pat communities, many Spanish schools provide special language coaching for newly arrived foreign children for the first few weeks.
If you plan to send your children to a Spanish school, it's important that you master the language yourself so that you can be fully involved in their education, progress and any problems that may arise. And don't forget that some areas of Spain, such as the Valencia region and Catalunya, have their own local language which is predominant in many state schools.
Brace yourself for minor hiccups and probably a few serious setbacks in the first few months. When anything goes wrong in your child's life during that initial period, he or she is likely to wail: 'I want to go home!'
Be patient. It may take a year or two before your child starts thinking of Spain as home.
If you're making the 'big move' with children, you're going to need all these qualities by the bucket load!
Over the last two decades an increasing number of families from northern European countries have set up home in Spain.
And for many, the move has turned out to be the best decision they ever made. They left behind an inclement climate, high stress levels, long working hours and streets too unsafe for their kids to play in.
In their new promised land they found year-round sunshine, a laid back lifestyle and friendly towns untainted by the weekend violence of binge-drinking teenagers.
But not all families find their Utopia in the Mediterranean sunshine. For many the upheaval of leaving their native land and adjusting to a completely different way of life proves too much to cope with and they return home wiser for the experience (and usually considerably poorer!)
If you're considering moving to Spain with children...
...make sure you're aware of all the common problems and pitfalls which face foreign families trying to start afresh in a new country.
As a rule of thumb, the younger your children are the more likely they are to settle abroad and adjust to all the sudden changes in their lives. Young kids can adapt quickly and easily to almost any change of circumstances as long as they're at the centre of a loving, secure family. Pre-school children pick up a new language in no time, they make new friends quickly and are likely to adapt easily to the new climate and different routine.
The older your children are when you move, the more likely they are to suffer with problems such as homesickness, isolation and feelings of inadequacy at school. No matter how loving and supportive you are as parents, teenagers are likely to find it extremely difficult to settle into a Spanish school especially if they're not fluent in the language from day one. So you'll need to consider whether private and international schools are the better option. And if you can afford it, you'll obviously need to do some thorough research into where the reputable schools are, what they charge and what they can offer.
Getting children a place in a Spanish state school is normally a straight forward affair for EU citizens - you can get your child in school almost immediately, it's free and you don't need to wait for a resident's permit ('residencia').
Some of the more popular schools have a waiting list but the local authorities have a responsibility to find an alternative school if necessary. In areas with large ex-pat communities, many Spanish schools provide special language coaching for newly arrived foreign children for the first few weeks.
If you plan to send your children to a Spanish school, it's important that you master the language yourself so that you can be fully involved in their education, progress and any problems that may arise. And don't forget that some areas of Spain, such as the Valencia region and Catalunya, have their own local language which is predominant in many state schools.
Brace yourself for minor hiccups and probably a few serious setbacks in the first few months. When anything goes wrong in your child's life during that initial period, he or she is likely to wail: 'I want to go home!'
Be patient. It may take a year or two before your child starts thinking of Spain as home.
Paella - the most famous of all Spanish foods
It was the poor peasant people of the Valencian region who invented Spain’s most famous dish, paella.
The original recipe combined home grown veg (usually green and broad beans) with off cuts of rabbit and the short grain rice that is mass produced around the City of Valencia thanks to the sophisticated irrigation system introduced by the Moors.
Even today this is the traditional Valencian paella which you’ll find in thousands of towns, villages and isolated mountain pueblos throughout the region. It’s cheap, full of flavour and filling. These were the three main ingredients most sought after by those struggling to survive in the dire days during and after the Spanish Civil War.
This kind of paella is a far cry from the exotic dishes you’ll find down at the seafront where chefs throw in an abundance of mussels, clams, langoustines and other pricey trimmings designed to tempt tourists with hungry appetites and plenty of money to spend.
No matter where you are in Spain, as a general rule of thumb you’ll get tastier food for far less money if you eat where the Spanish eat and follow them along to the street markets which are a treasure trove full of fresh, cheap and high quality local produce
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