Soltimes Almeria – Issue 661 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

Times

ISSUE 661 • 16th - 22nd November 2018

EST 2005

TALKS: Equality and Education Councillor Belen Martinez and psychologist Virtudes Hernandez talk to youngsters about violence in adolescence.

Alerting young

ACTIV ITIES h ave alr e ad y star ted in Huercal-Overa to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women on November 25. T he prog r amme of events under the slogan Facing Gender-based Violence: Union… the Solution, began on Monday morning with the first of the Prevention Days aimed at secondar y school a ge children to alert them to the different types of violence which can affect adolescents. Equ a l i t y a n d E d uc atio n Counc i l l o r B e l e n Ma r t in ez joined students for a talk by psychologist Virtudes Hernandez about how to deal with violence and what they could do. “The youngsters were ver y involved the whole time and a bove a l l yo u s e e th ey ar e ver y a wa r e o f t h e ge nd er -

based violence problem,” the councillor commented. “It is impor tant to educate our childr en and teena ger s a bo ut e qu a lit y t o p r eve n t there being cases of genderba s ed v io le n c e , n o t o n l y among adults, but also among child r e n, a d o le sc e n t s a n d young people.” Later in the day the educational initiative Violence at a Click aimed at primary and infant schoolchildren also got underway. Next Monday November 19 the exhibition Letters against Gender-based Violence will open at the municipal library, and the following day there will be storytelling for juniors and infants based on the antiv iole nc e a g a in st wo me n theme at the V illa T heatr e, entitled Scheherezade’s Secret. E ven ts aime d at r a isin g

a wa r e n e ss a b o u t g e n d e r based violence will then continue December 1. “We have designed the programme taking into account t h e a im o f e d u c at in g o u r young people about the importance of eradicating genderbased violence and sexist att it u d e s in r e lat io n sh ip s”, Belen Martinez commented. “Ou r ch ild r e n a n d yo u n g people ar e the key piece in the elimination of this kind of violence. Education if fundamental for this, and hence the g ove r n me n t t e a m wa n t e d them to be the main focus of these activities.” T he councillor continued, “Huercal-Overa again says no to gender-based violence, and we do so united, listening to t h e vo ic e s o f ch ild r e n a n d teenagers, and the different groups we work with to eradicate this social scourge.”

Healthy habits challenge ALMERIA joined municipalities around the country marking International Obesity Day with the Walking for a Challenge initiative. Around 800 children from 18 schools took part in the event last weekend, walking the five kilometres from El Palmeral in Almeria City to the University of Almeria campus. The challenge was organised by the Almeria provincial government and the University of Almeria with the aim of raising awareness among local youngsters about the importance of healthy habits and practising some kind of sport to prevent obesity. In all, 62 municipalities took up the walking challenge simultaneously with the aim of together covering the 384,400km distance which separates the earth from the moon. Speaking at the starting line, provincial administration Vice-President Javier A Garcia encouraged the children to enjoy themselves, telling them; “What we aim to achieve with this activity is that you acquire healthy habits, that you acquire the good habit of going out and walking and moving.” Garcia said the regional government is committed to promoting good health in all respects, revealing that one of the most popular activities the administration has organised has been the Flavours in Family initiative aimed at promoting the benefits of healthy eating and using good quality local produce in cooking. Also at the starting line was Almeria City Sports councillor Juan Jose Segura. He told the children his department’s main aim was to “promote physical activity among schoolchildren so it becomes a habit for their whole lives.”

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Square focus PLAZAS and panoramic views are the focus of this weekend’s guided visits in Almeria, the itineraries including the city’s Constitution Square, Las Claras Covent and the Alcazaba fortification.

Loto win A TICKET for the Bonoloto lottery sold in Almeria City netted the lucky ticket holder nearly €68,000 in last Tuesday’s draw, one of two winners in the second category with five matching numbers.

Salma film HOLLYWOOD star Salma Hayek will be in Almeria Province in mid-December to shoot scenes for a new movie.

CONTACT HER:

Jackie Butcher

+34 951 386 161 jackie@euroweeklynews.com

BOOST: The council hopes pedestrianising streets will stimulate residential and commercial interest in the city centre.

Pedestrianisation to boost city centre

ALMERIA City Council has approved plans to pedestrianise a number of streets in the hear t of the city, an investment the authority hopes will help to boost commercial activity. Nine streets in the old par t of the city will be affected in all: Padre Luque, San Pe-

dro, Antonio Gonzalez Egea, Martinez Almagro, Trajano, Lucano, Socrates, Guzman and Bor diu in the area commonly referred to as the Four Streets. Development councillor Ana Mar tinez Labella said the idea was for “the pedestrian to continue gain-

ing space in the city centre, and to improve with this residential and commercial interest in the zone, creating a more compact environment.” T he wor ks have a €310,000 budget and are expected to take five months to complete.

Traffic control drama

GUARDIA CIVIL arrested four individuals who made off on the A-7 dual-carriageway after refusing to stop at a routine traffic control in the Los Gallardos area. When the Guardia indicated the vehicle should pull over the driver put his foot down, one officer having to leap over the crash barrier to get out of its way. The officers tried to stop the car with blocking equipment to puncture the tyres, but the car kept going at high speed until the driver lost control and the car came to a halt. The four occupants ran off, but officers went in pursuit and eventually found and detained them. A search of the car led to the discovery of 12 kilos of marihuana hidden in a suitcase. The four detainees were identified as all from Roquetas de Mar aged between 27 to 45.

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Celebrating ‘liquid gold’

CLOUDLESS: The sun shone for the fifth Grand Mediterranean Backdrop Race.

Run in the sun

AROUND 1,000 runners tur ned out last Sunday for t h e fi ft h Gr an d Med i t e r r a n e a n Ba ckdrop race. T he r u n n e r s s et ou t from the Aguadulce marina to cover routes of either 6.5 or 13.5 kilometr e s a g a i n s t th e background of the sea. Seeing the runners off

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was city Sports councillor Juanjo Segura, who commented, “Almeria is a perfect city for r unning due to its light and the beauty of its coast.” T he event was a collaboration between the provincial government, Almeria and Roquetas c ou nc ils a nd p r ivat e companies.

THE provincial government has expressed its full support for Almeria’s olive oil industry, which this weekend will be in the spotlight with the celebration of the sixth Day of Oil fair in Canjayar this Sunday. Speaking at a presentat i o n o f t h e eve n t t h i s week, provincial Agriculture deputy Maria del Mar Lopez Asensio, said the initiative celebr ated not only Canjayar municipality’s olive oil, but production of the ‘liquid gold’ throughout the whole of the province. The deputy said the fair provided the perfect opportunity to discover not only locally made olive oil, but a range of other quality local products besides: also participating in the fair are a number of provincial companies with the ‘Almeria Flavours’ stamp which specialise in products such as cheese and cold meats. “Our aim is to make visible Almeria’s food production entrepreneurial fabric, and this fair is a clear way of bringing that to the pop-

OLIVE OIL: Has the full support of the provincial government. ulation,” the deputy commented. “Another of our goals is for the population in rural ar eas to put down r oots, a n d w h at b e t t e r wa y i s there than by generating wealth and employment.” Describing the olive oil produced in the municipality as ‘one of the best in Andalucia,’ Canjayar m a yo r Fr a n c i s c o A l o n s o said the celebration of the Day of Oil showed how impor tant olive oil pr oduction is to the local econo-

my and was a way of understanding the local way of life. Highlights of this year’s edition of the fair include a walk through olive trees w hich ar e ar ound 100 year s old, a cr aftwor k area, a workshop on making soa p with olive oil, and a class with the first Masterchef Spain winner. There will also be the tr aditional olive stone throwing competition and live music from Almerian band Los Vinilos.

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Rail rage THE Almeria r ailway platfor m is staging a series of demonstrations to protest against decisions taken by the national government over the ar rival of an AVE high-speed r ail connect to the province. The platform, which brings together nearly 200 associations and pressure groups and a good number of the province’s local authorities, as well as professionals and rail sector specialists, maintains the Spanish government has taken technical decisi o n s a b o u t t h e p lan ne d h igh speed connection between Almeria and Murcia unilaterally. The platform began its protest action last Friday after noon with a demonstration in front of the Alme-

ria City train and bus station to express opposition to the provisional transferral of the rail service to the n eig h b o u r in g st at io n in Hu e r c a l while works are being carried out on the AVE line in the pr ovincial capital over the next 12 months or so. According to the platform this is a mistake as the bus connection between the two stations adds an extra half hour to passengers’ travellin g t ime , t h e c o mme n t o n it s Twitter page, ‘it has put us where many see us, in the Third World.’ The platform argued a better idea would have been to set up a provisional by-pass, which it says is a common solution in other cities.

Town plans on track THE Adra Town 2020 Urban and Sustainable Development Strategy is on track, Mayor Manuel Cortes maintained last week. Speaking at the fourth Local Development and Employment Forum in Murcia last week, the mayor said more than 50 per cent of the budget for the plan will be actioned before the end of this year, meaning mor e than €2 million of infrastructure and services pr ojects for modernising the town. Projects due to be put out to tender include the complete renovation of the central market, the constr uction of cycle tracks between Adra and Venta Nueva, a new accessibility plan, an updating the town’s parks. Also on the cards is digitalising municipal services so that administrative procedures with the local council are more accessible to the pub-

VISION: Mayor Manuel Cortes said the Adra Town 2020 strategy will help create a model town. lic and speedier. Cortes said the Adra Town 2020 contributes to “building the model of town which we want,” with “a futur e vision,” aimed at “r eaching the best possibilities for g r owth, employment cr eation and progress.” He said he believed the plan would make Adra “a more intelligent town, which uses technology as another resource to make our population’s lives easier, w hich develops tr anspor t w hich r espects the envir onment, eliminating obstacles and

generating opportunities for sustainable businesses. A town capable of making the most of its natur al and historic r esources.” T he Adr a str ate g y had been selected at the forum as an example of implementing Eur opean Union plans. Adra received €5 million from the EU Re gional Development Fund, the maximum amount awarded to municipalities of less than 50,000 inha bitants, to w hich will be ad ded a municipal investment of mor e than €1.2 million.

SUSPENDED: Trains will not go in and out of Almeria station for about a year.

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Bridging generation gaps THE provincial government is aiming to bridge generational divides with a series of meetings to promote understanding between different age groups. A total of 13 Intergenerational Days are planned for locations around the province over the coming weeks, with an expected 2,000 par ticipants from active ageing workshops and primary schools in 97 different municipalities. The provincial administration said the initiative facilitates an exchange of experiences between the oldest and youngest members of society, bringing together the acquired knowledge and wisdom of the elderly with the young minds and need for learning of children. Social Well-being provincial deputy Angel Escobar said the meetings would “strengthen ties between the participants and be of common benefit to both.” He said for the elderly the Intergenerational Days would be “a platform on which to present their vital experiences and promote their development and personal autonomy,” while children would “bring freshness, innocence and the need to learn.”

THE evocative music of Ennio Morricone will provide the soundtrack to the Almeria International Film Festival galas in a nod to the 50th anniversar y of the premiere of legendary Sergio Leone Spaghetti Wester n, Once upon a time in the West, which was filmed in the province. The provincial

UNDERSTANDING: The Intergenerational Days aim to facilitate an exchange of experiences between young and old. Escobar continued, “This project aims to be a fundamental starting point from which to continue developing citizen awareness-raising efforts and strengthening intergenerational relations which happen through close, daily contact in every corner of our province between the different generations in our society.” The Intergenerational Days will be

held in Tabernas, Vera, Turre, Oria, Cantoria, Olula del Rio, Velez Rubio, La Mojonera, Abrucena, Berja, Huercal de Almería, Huercal- Overa and Alhama de Almería. The initiative is a collaboration between the Diputation de Almeria and 13 Community Social Services Centres, and has the collaboration of the local authorities hosting the events.

Morricone soundtrack to film festival

government said the anniversar y provided the perfect excuse for turning

the galas into a homage to one of the most important soundtrack com-

posers of all times. Mor ricone has composed for some of the most famous directors in the world of cinema, among them Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Roman Polanski and Brian de Palma, as well as for fellow Italian Sergio Leone and his Westerns shot in Almeria.

Alcoholfree day ALMERIA City is marking International Day without Alcohol this week with a bunch of free leisure and educational activities tomorrow (Saturday) under the umbrella ‘Almeria Sin’ (Almeria Without), to raise awareness about and prevent the problems associated with excessive booze consumption among young people. Almeria Family and Equal Opportunities councillor Rafaela Abad presented this year’s campaign earlier in the week accompanied by the Rehabilitated Alcoholics Association President Jose Salvador Gonzalez and representatives of the Almeria Drugs Observatory. The councillor described alcoholism as ‘an illness with devastating consequences, but which can be prevented,’ warning that reports show that excessive alcohol consumption in teenagers can start as early as 13 or 14 years old. The councillor said the priority was to get the message out there to as many people as possible of the risks involved with alcohol abuse. The programme of events will take place from 6-10pm on Saturday night in the Paseo de Almeria in the city centre, which will be cut off to traffic. There will be aerobic displays, skateboarding classes, a flea market, children’s entertainment and live music, as well as tastings of alcohol-free drinks. In addition there will be traffic education workshops.

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Times

Marathon success

CREDIT: Almeria city council Facebook page

NEW LOOK: The Almeria Vintage Vehicles Club will restore the two vintage fire engines.

New life for fire engines VINTAGE fire engines look set to have a new life as a visitor attraction thanks to an a g r e e m e n t be twe en Almeria City Council and the Almeria Vintage Vehicles Club. Alme r i a m a yo r Ram on

Fe r n an de z -Pa ch e c o sa id the two fir e engines, one dating back to the 1940’s and the other to the 1960’s, were part of the city’s herit a ge an d s h o u ld b e fo r everyone to enjoy. Under the agreement the

club will restore the two vehicles with a view to them being brought out at various kinds of public events for the public to see. The two fire engines are currently kept at the Almeria City fire station.

SIX hundred runners took part in the fifth Mojacar Half Marathon and seven-kilometre run held last Sunday, 200 more than last year. Organised by Mojacar Town Hall in collaboration with the Huercal-Overa Nogalte Athletics Club, this year’s event had a couple of new categories: Joilette adapted wheelchair and rollerblades. The event attracted runners of various nationalities, with a strong British tur n out: there were around 140 rollerbladers from Madrid, Toledo and the Valencian Community, as well as Andalucia. With Local Police keeping the way clear for the rollerbladers, they zipped round the routes. Alicia Garcia Estevez was first across the finishing line on the seven-kilometre course, with a time of 16 minutes, 15 seconds. Edgar Saulinskas was the fastest on rollerblades in the half marathon, with a time of 39 minutes and 57 seconds. In the Joilette wheelchair section seven-kilometres the winner was Angel Murcia García, with an amazing time of 40 minutes. Pedro Antonio Lopez de Haro from the Nogalte club won the half marathon, covering 21 kilometres in one hour, 11 minutes and 41 seconds, followed by Juan Jose Foulquie Padilla. The best classified local was Pedro Jesus Valdivia Lopez, followed by Ozanne Colin. In the club’s classification for time, Sur Este, Athletics Club cameo out top followed by Eliocroca Sports Club. In the seven-kilometre race Roberto Castellon Ortiz from the Tader Molina Sports Club came first with a time of 23 minutes, 35 seconds, followed by Luis Miguel Torroglosa Gonzalez from Puertas Lorca Athletics Club.

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Competitive sport for kids

MORE than 8,000 youngsters are expected to take part in the 34th edition of the Almeria Municipal Sport Games. Unveiling the details last week, Almeria Spor ts councillor Juanjo Segura said this edition of the event would feature 25 different sporting disciplines, with competi-

tions for children of all ages, from the ver y youngest to seniors, and for both groups and individuals. Some of the competitions are already underway, but the councillor said most would get going at the end of the year and would run until next May, with the water and beach spor ts events being

staged in the summer. Sports which feature in the games are athletics, badminton, basketball, handball, baseball, adapted boxing, fencing, racquetball, five-aside football, gymnastics, judo, karate, wrestling, swimming, orienteering, paddle tennis, skating, canoeing, tennis, table tennis, beach tennis, volleyball and beach volleyball. T here is also the rather more cerebral than physical chess, and - as a novelty this year - Klask, a Danish table-top version of air hockey. Segura said the main aim of the games is to “promote the practice of spor t among chil-

dren and teenagers and in municipal schools.” The councillor pointed out that for many youngsters the games were their first experience of competition, commenting, “from this they lear n the rules of competition, getting rid of their nerves, being sporting rivals, etc, habits of enor mous use for those who make it to the elite and also in their personal life.” He also thanked all the clubs, schools, mothers and fathers, and the pupils who participate, and who during the school year have to share the training and the sports competition with their studies.

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PROGRESS: Adra mayor Manuel Cortes takes time to check on how the works are going.

Smart gardening plan ADRA Council is cracking on with its plan to smarten up the municipality’s green areas. Embellishments and improvements will be carried out in plazas and gardens throughout the municipality, the council said, having started with tree pruning in the Avenida del Mediterraneo and works on the La Alqueria road. There are specific plans for the Puente del Rio and La Curva areas. Adra mayor Manuel Cortes took time last week to see how some of the works were progessing, accompanied by the Environment and Treasury councillors Cesar Arroniz y Alicia Heras. According to the mayor the plan represents “a new advance in the process of reinforcing the basic services we are carrying out for the benefit of citizens,” and is aimed at “responding to the needs which present themselves in our municipality.” The local authority has invested more than €115,000 in the plan, taking on five people and acquiring new machinery. The works are expected to last for eight months.

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Expats Guide to

Spanish Life Sponsored by Blevins Franks For more information about the sponsors go to www.blevinsfranks.com or call them on 965 705 502

New residency requirements

LIVING in Spain can bring with it an array of issues which may not have been encountered when living in the UK. There are lots of things to consider, and we are here to help try to make the transition and life in Spain a little easier by compiling a series of helpful facts and figures relating to a variety of topics. While there are new rules for British nationals applying for residency in Spain, there will be no change to the right and status of EU nationals living in the UK, nor UK nationals living in the EU, while the UK remains in the EU. As an EU citizen it is now mandatory to register as a resident if you intend on living in Spain for more than three months. You must register in person at the Oficina de Extranjeros (immigration office) - visit: http://www.seat.mpr.gob.es/portal/servicios/extranjeria/extranje ria_ddgg.html for regional offices - or a designated police station, which you can find at: https://www.policia.es/documentacion/ oficinas/oficinas_extran.html You must make an appointment online before going to your local office or station, which can be done on the Spanish public administration website: https://sede.administracione spublicas.gob.es/icpplus/index.html When making your appointment you must select the province where you live and then the option ‘certificados UE’ and follow the instructions. You take the following documents with you to your appointment: Passport or other identity document (not expired) Official form (EX-18), two copies, filled and signed by the UE national. In addition, you will need other documents, depending on your situation: • (employed) - contract of employment or other proof of your employment status. • (self-employed) - proof of registration in the register of economic activities or other proof of your employment status. • (not employment in Spain) - Proof of: health cover valid in Spain; sufficient means to support yourself and your family. • (pensioners) - provide proof of public health cover. • (students) - proof of your registration in an educational establishment; proof of public or private health cover; formal declaration that you have sufficient means to support yourself during your stay. You will be issued with a credit-card sized residence certificate which will include your name, address, nationality, NIE number, and date of registration. The old A4 residence certificates are still valid, and you do not need to apply for a credit-card sized alternative unless your circumstances change, for example you move house. But you can if you want to, at any time. After five years of being registered as a resident, you can apply for a certificate of permanent residence in Spain. The card will be similar, but state that you are a ‘residente permanente.’ This information is for guidance only, and should not be taken as legal advice. If in any doubt, seek professional help.

SWAN SONG: Rosendo (centre), announced a few months ago he would be retiring from rock music.

Veteran rocker’s time to finish

VETERAN Spanish rock singer Rosendo Mer cado gave w hat could be one of his final concer ts in Cuevas del Almanzora last week. The star was one of the big name musicians performing during the Cuevas annual fiesta in honour of patron saint Diego de Alcala. Mor e than 1,500 people rock fans of all a ges packed the

venue last Friday night to see the man widely considered one of the best Spanish live acts perfor m songs from his most recent album, Mi tiempo, señorias (My time, gentlemen). Just a few months a go Rosendo, the founder of legendary band Leño, announced that after nearly half a century dedicated to music he would be retiring from music.

The following night it was the tur n of Jose Luis Figuer eo, known as El Barrio, to take to the Cuevas stage. Considered one of the big names among the new generation of flamenco singer s, the singersongwriter and poet mixes old and new flamenco sounds in his latest album Las Costur as de del Alma (T he Seams of the Soul).

Night of Eurovision THE sounds of Eurovision had hundreds tapping their feet in Adra last weekend. The Cultural Centre was packed out for the Eurovision Symphonic, a musical tour through the most memorable hits from what is the longest run-

Road shipshape THE road connecting Retamar and the Cabo de Gata lighthouse and the Las Sirenas reef is looking shipshape following the completion of maintenance works. The provincial gover nment car ried out improvements to the surface of the main road connecting Almeria City and the Cabo de Gata Natural park. The administration also announced plans to invest €100,000 on the Al-3112 from the A7 dual-carriageway to the coastal villages of San Jose, La Isleta del Moro and Rodalquilar.

ning musical competition in history. As well as stunning vocal performances, the Ortiz de Villajos Band directed by Francisco Manuel Castilla also made it a night to remember.

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Travel, cinema and music to empower women

ADRA Council has organised a programme of eve n t s a i m e d at r a i s i n g awareness about the importance of gender equality to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women on November 25. Presenting details of the progamme ear lier this we e k a c c o m p a n i e d b y councillor for Women Elisa Fe r n a n d e z , A d r a m a yo r Manuel Cortes, commente d , “A t A d r a C o u n c i l we a r e a wa r e t h at g e n d e r based violence is a scourge which we have to fight with education and awareness-raising.” He said the emphasis this year was on “cultural activities which implicitly car r y this message”, adding, “We want to send the messa ge to all Adr a

EMPOWERMENT: Cultural activities will feature trips, films and concerts with a gender equality. m e n a n d wo m e n , o f a l l a ges, that their involvement is necessary when it comes to helping women who are victims of genderbased violence to get out of that drama.” The mayor stressed the need to repor t any inci-

dent of abuse against women, str essing, “T he administr ations have to give protection to victims with guarantees,” in order t h at t h e y c a n “ t a ke t h e step of reporting their situation in complete safety.”

He also said that in his opinion “administrations have to continue taking steps to expand the mechanisms of prevention and protection.” Events to coincide with marking the International Day for the Eradication of

Violence Against Women start next Tuesday with a trip for women to the wine cellars of Ronda in Malaga and Setenil in Cadiz. On the night of Saturday N ove m b e r 2 4 t h e r e i s a Sole Gimenez concer t at the Cultural Centre as par t of the jazz singer’s A l l T h e S e n s i t i ve M e n t o u r, a n d o n S u n d a y t h e centre will be screening the film Millenium 4: The G i r l i n t h e S p i d e r ’s Web s t a r r i n g C l a i r e Foy a s a v i g i l a n t e h a cke r w h o proves she can break into the wor ld’s top security systems. On the day itself ther e w i l l b e s eve r a l o f f i c i a l acts in the town’s Puer ta del Mar Plaza, including the reading out of a manife s t o a g a i n s t g e n d e r based violence.

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Love and heartbreak

THE month of theatre in Mojacar continues, the latest offering Mi querida Maribel (My dar ling Maribel), w hich was written and dir ected by the well-known film, theatr e and television actor, Maximo Valver de, w ho also starred in the production. Perfor med to a capacity audience at the municipal MultiUses Centre last Friday night, ‘Mi querida Maribel’ is the tr ue stor y of the love and hear tbr eak w hich Maximo Valverde and Isa bel Pantoja kept alive mor e than 40 years ago, when the singer was onl y 17 years old and begin-

ning her ar tistic career in Sevilla. Eva Santamaría, a leading actress and singer who has spent 12 year s touring Spain’s theatres with Maximo, stepped into the shoes of the young Isabel. This ver y romantic play, which includes musical numbers, poetr y and humour, delighted the audience on the night. Maximo Valverde, who plays himself as the boyfriend, is said to have wanted to be a bullfighter before an actor. This is not the fir st time Maximo Valverde has trod the boards in Mojacar. In the past local theatre buf fs have had had

the chance to see both him and Eva perfor m in the play Con ganas de reir (Urge to laugh), also in front of a full house. This coming Friday, the curtain will go up on La Enfer ma por Amor (Lovesick) by the Italian playwright, Car lo Goldoni, pr esented by the Argentinian MDM Pr oducciones. As with all the shows in the series, the play will be perfor med at the MultiUses Centr e at the entrance to Mojacar village at 8.30pm. Tickets ar e available at the Tourist Office or on the door prior to the cur tain up.

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RUBBISH: Volunteers removed 11 bags of litter from a beach inaccessible by land.

Kayak clean-up

COASTAL Cleaners Andalucia did a kayaking clean-up last week. Setting out from Playa de las Conchas on the road between Villaricos and El Calon, seven Coastal Cleaners Andalucia volunteers kayaked almost to El Calon, enjoying the beautiful rocky coastline and crystal clear water along the way. On their return trip they stopped at a beach inaccessible by land and cleaned it up, removing 11 bags of litter, mostly plastic. This brought the total amount of rubbish removed

from local beaches to a massive 684 bags in just eight months. Sadly there was a lot of irrigation piping wrapped up in the rocks and seaweed on the beach and they were not able to remove it all. They cut some sections off and took what they could carry. This kind of agricultural fly tipping was highlighted just a few weeks ago by the BBC in a documentar y about the Mediterranean. Check Coastal Cleaners Andalucia Facebook for more news.

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News CREDIT: Frank Millar Photography

Sweet sounds and dedications

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Ed. 661

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THE Rose Singers most recent concerts proved to be a resounding success, offering audiences a wide variety of music. The singers performed songs from Chicago and Sister Act, two pieces from Faure’s Requiem, a number of Spanish ballads, and many others. A particularly moving performance of Wherever You Are , originally performed by The Military Wives, reflected the title of the concerts, held as they were in the week before Remembrance Sunday. As ever, the concerts were ably put together and directed by Alison Jackson. Barry Jobling, the Rose Singers’ accompanist, played Tchaikovsky’s Troika in his usual inimitable way and Sue Mehmet read an extract from Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, which was particularly relevant to the memory of Peter Lindley, to whom the concert was dedicated, and to Ruth Johnson Wood, a stalwart member of the Rose Singers who has sadly recently passed away. Thanks to the generosity of the audience the raffles at the two concerts on November 6 and 10 raised €200 for Asprodalba, a charity which helps people with an intellectual disability and their families. The Rose Singers would like to hear from anyone willing to sponsor future concerts so that charitable funds can continue to be raised, or indeed any singers who would like to join them. Anyone interested can contact either Alison on 667 408 941 or Lyn on 667 275 614 for further information. The Rose Singers next concert will be on the evening of December 18 at 7.30 pm at Los Gallardos Camping. Audiences can look forward to singing some Christmas carols and listening to some festive music.

DRESS UP: This year’s theme is Divas & Legends.

Boogie in Blue THE sixth annual Boogie in Blue for MACS Cancer Support Group will take place on Saturday November 24. Join a crazy fitness class to help raise awareness about prostate cancer, and lots of money for MACS. This year’s theme is ‘Divas & Legends,’ and people taking par t ar e invited to dr ess up as a favourite rock star or just wear something blue. It’s not necessary to be fit or to be a good dancer: the idea is to dip in and out, or just watch the fun. The event will be held at Oasis Tropical Hotel in Mojacar Playa from 11.30am. There will be a onehour long class with some fabulous guest instructors joining, and a great raffle. This event is sponsored by IBEX Insurance. T i c ke t s a r e a v a i l a b l e f r o m A l i s o n g e t f i t m o jacar@gmail.com and ar e €8, w hich all goes to MACS.

Feature

by John Redfern I HAD now been playing in Bermuda Triangle, the pop trio for 10 year s, it was 1974 and I was now 25 years of age and although the gigs were keeping us busy it was mainly in Working Men’s Clubs. It was our main source of income but like the name of the trio the Bermuda Triangle, we wer e being sucked down into this mythical devils triangle in the Nor th Atlantic Sea (Readers of this great rag the Sol Times newspaper please note, the editor is on tip toes with me because of my John Bull vocabular y, but I couldn’t care a monkeys). Well h e r e we go ! We were now playing in these clubs all around the Midlands and to be honest the mone y wa s g o o d, bu t times were changing. The small Working Men’s Clubs were slowly closing down and ba n d s h a d t o t r ave l further which was a drag, but the show doesn’t end until the fat lady sings as the saying goes. We had to start looking at travelling into the sticks and had to go thr ough a test called ‘Shop Windows.’ It was always on a Sunday lunchtime. This allowed the gaf fer s of their clubs an hour or two at a table on their own to let’s say to get half hissed. These middle-aged men with red pimpled snot boxes and beer guts that flowed over their waistline like the Nia gar a Falls

16th - 22nd November 2018

Times 13

Caught in the Bermuda Triangle

CHUBBY CHECKER: Still doing the Hucklebuck. looked like lor r y driver’s mates or a Russian shot putter but were in a position of power. They sat with a stack of business cards with their Woodbines glowing and puffing fag smoke that rose to the roof. The acts was given a 10-minute slot and at the end of show the performers wandered around the club to hopefully top up their diaries for future work. Enter tainment secr e-

taries at that time worked for their clubs for nothing. Oh boy! I am now coughing up blood while laughing! Please excuse me! Just had a sip of my favourite tipple (red wine) That’s better and I’ve calmed down now and lit up my fag. Right let’s get straight to the point. A few and it wa s a fe w o f t h e s e s o called volunteers that repr e s e n t e d t h e wo r k i n g cl a s s people (cough

cough, wink wink) wer e skimming a few quid from t h e a c t ’s fe e s a n d t o b e h o n e s t i n t h e d a y we couldn’t care less. The dance nights at the clubs were a rave and the clubs used to put up signs outside saying full house on a blackboar d at 8pm and some nights we had to play the Hucklebuck by Chubby Checker thr ee times! Funny stor y: We wer e

playing one night at the West End club in Coventry, T her e was a lightning strike for the night shift at the Chrysler UK car factory, it was about 10pm, and the gaffer of the club came on stage to announce it! T he dance floor was packed then within seconds of this announcement, the young and middle-a ged women wer e grabbing their coats and legging it before their husbands came home. These dance nights were nicknamed by bands ‘Grab a granny nights.’ Cor blimey I was standing on stage playing my bass and watched this debacle, it was so funny, just like a dust cart following a wedding! Our trio after 10 year s had now hit stony ground and my great friend John Clar ke the guitarist and singer announced to us he was leaving. It was a bomb shell because in music terms we were a marriage and he was the king pin, but it was the best thing that could have happened to me because I finally ended up in a six-piece band which had a brass section including trombone, trumpet and saxophone. Wow, the brass section in a band when blowing gives the rhythm and percussion a thrill that blows your brains out.

Can one owner impugn AGM? Legally speaking

Q • Our community consists of some villas on plots and some attached row houses. All the houses have the same roofs with roof-tiles. Some owners have made new construction in their garden areas or changed their roofs. The AGM was not informed and no permission was given. The issue was discussed at a special EGM when the new president brought up the subject of ‘Legal action against the violators’. He himself is one of the offenders. The issue was not on the official agenda for the meeting. As he had collected many proxies beforehand, he was assured that he would have the majority

when voting. So it was voted to stop any legal action against the violators. The administrator said that this was a legal vote. Can this be true?

You and the Law in Spain

by David Searl Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

A • Yes, the vote is legal but questions arise. Properly, an issue of this importance should be on the agenda so the proxy issuers and others will be informed. However, even one owner can go to court if he observes infractions of the Horizontal Law, which we have here. The court will probably order that the results of the meeting be annulled, and a new EGM called to deal with the issues.

Times

Feature

16th - 22nd November 2018

Pause to reschedule Da Doo Ron Ron

TIME and Tide, we’re told, wait for no-one, but it does seem to me that the older I get, the more impatient time becomes. We’ve just had the Centenary Armistice Day, yet it seems no time at all since I was writing last year about remembering. And jobs I plan around the house take far longer than I’m sure they should. It seems my body is ageing whilst my brain hasn’t noticed. Just where, I ask, does the time go these days? There really are so many things that suffer from the speed time seems to pass. People I meant to write to, but didn’t have the time. People I meant to visit, things I meant to say, jobs I meant to do, that got postponed, or more likely cancelled for lack of time. So often, when talking to the bereaved I hear people say ‘I just wish I’d told her more often how much I loved her!’ How desperately we need to find time for those many acts or expressions of kindness or love before it’s too late and we have time only for regrets. And for many of us again I suspect there is an intention to give time to God; perhaps to read the Bible or have a time of prayer, or even, dare I suggest, to attend Church. But it’s so far away, and

we’re so short of time that we never quite manage. How true is the expression my father used to say whenever I assured him of my admirable future plans: ‘The path to Hell,’ he would recite, ‘is paved with good intentions.’ We’re tempted to think this shortage of time is a modern phenomenon, but of course it isn’t. The Bible speaks of the need to ‘redeem the time,’ making a conscious effor t to give priority to eternal matters rather than wasting the little time we have on things with no lasting value. And of course, the older we get, the less time we necessarily have and, however unpalatable it may seem, the more urgent it becomes for us to use that time productively. So let’s take a moment to pause and reschedule our lives to prioritise the things that really matter. Duncan Burr is Licensed Lay Reader for the Anglican Chaplaincy of Costa Almeria and Costa Cálida (further detail available at www.mojacarchurch.org) and may be contacted at d.burr@albox-online.net

Mr Fluffipants

By Jos Biggs

WITH a respectful bow to Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, who wrote it, and to The Crystals, who first sang it, here is A Present for Mr Fluffipants, to the tune of Da Doo Ron Ron I bought them on the Monday when the price was down Mr Fluffipants I’ve a gift for you They were soft and they were fluffy in three shades of brown Mr Fluffipants they’re all for you Yeah, I bought them on a whim, Yeah a special treat for him Yeah in many shades of brown They were soft and they were fluffy and were stuffed with down. I put them on the sofa where he likes to sit I plumped them up an’ I set them straight He jumped up and he saw them and he had a fit He ran away and he did not wait. Yeah, he likes to sit, Yeah, he had a fit Yeah, and when he ran away I knew that I was gonna be upset that day I called out to him and I said Oh Tommy why Must you run away oh you will make me cry These cushions are a luxury for any cat I have done my best for you, and then you do that! Why did I buy them, why? It’s enough to make me cry I will never buy that cat Another present ever and I swear that’s that!

josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk

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Times

Property

16th - 22nd November 2018

Housing pledge

HUERCAL-OVERA Council has regained ownership of land which had been allocated for housing with official protection status. Mayor Domingo Fer nandez signed the deeds on the plots in the San Francisco area of the municipality last week. He explained although the land had been earmarked for 34 Official Protection Properties by the Andalucia Land Public Company and the Andalucia Property and Restoration Agency, the housing had never been built. The local council therefore began the necessary administrative procedures to recover the plots, putting them back into municipal hands. The mayor said the local council would now make the plots available to local residents for the constr uction of their own homes. In total there are 3,500 metres, which the local authority said could be divided into 23 plots. He said the move meant the council was fulfilling a pledge to

r esidents, given the demand from land, especially from young families, who want to remain living in the ar ea in w hich they grew up. “With this they are a step closer to making their wish to live in San Francisco in their own property a reality,” Fernandez said. Once they have been evaluated, the 23 plots will be made available through a public competition. They will be in addition to six other plots on municipal land to be made available for properties.

DEMAND: Huercal-Overa mayor Domingo Fernandez said local people now had the opportunity to build a home in the area in which they grew up.

Still a sunny outlook THE outlook for the provincial proper ty market is looking as sunny as Almeria’s typical climate. To begin with, the number of house sales across Spain certainly seems to be moving in the right direction. The latest figures from the National Institute of Statistics reveal the number of residential properties bought and sold across the countr y was up nearly 10 per cent in September on the same month last year, as compared with an inter-annual increase in August of 7.4 per cent. What’s more, September was the sixth consecutive month there was an increase in property transactions in this country. Nationally nearly 43,000 properties exchanged hands in

September, with the expected total for 2018 put at around half a million. There are regional variations in the rhythm of house sales growth, but encouragingly for home owners in this part of the world, Andalucia registered the highest number of operations in the ninth month of the year, with 8,519, followed at some distance by Madrid on 6,754 and the Valencian Community on 6,478. Further encouraging news for estate agents and home owners in this area is that a very significant number of people buying properties in Spain are foreigners. The FIABCI Spain property sector association says nonSpaniards account for 15 per cent of property purchases in this

country, and figures from the College of College of Registrars for earlier this year show it is the British who lead the way, accounting for just under a sixth of the property acquisitions by foreigners. Ger mans, French, Belgian, Swiss and Italians are other common nationalities choosing to invest in bricks and mortar in Spain, especially on the Mediter ranean coast. In fact, on the Costa Almeria around 20 per cent of buyers are foreigners. Brexit uncertainty continues to hang over us all despite developments this week, but the indications from local estate agencies is that British interest in acquiring a home on the Costa Almeria is strong and will probably remain so.

Times

Lifestyle

16th - 22nd November 2018

Tradition in the home

LIVING on the Costa Almeria means embr acing souther n Mediterrean interiors and handicraft traditions into your home. One of the most Almerian of traditions is the ‘jarapa,’ essentially a thick fabric of a mix of vivid colours made from recycled cut-of fs fr om old clothing and bits of material, hence the name: ‘harapo’ means rag in Spanish. Jarapas are a lovely example of how in an area of Spain which aside from the decades of its mining glor y, and until the ar rival of tourism and the intensive agriculture business, was one of the country’s poorest corner s, the populace had no choice but to make the ver y most of everything to hand. In fact the history of jar a pa-making is thought to go all the

RAGS: Jarapas can bring colour and tradition into your home. way back to the expulsion of the Moors, w hen looms w hich had been used for making silk were instead used for more humble, ever yday items.

Commonly used to make rugs, as well as blankets, bedspreads and curtains, visit any town with a tourist tr ade on the Costa Almeria and there is guar anteed to be a

shop selling jarapas, although it is Nijar w hich is r eall y the jar a pa epicentr e of the province. Jarapas ar e not just for tourists though. Jar a pas ar e still

pretty much made in the tr aditional way, but reflecting the evolution of the textile industr y, today using cotton, polyester and other fabrics cut into strips and woven to-

gether. The range of designs has also moved with the times to r eflect changing tastes in decor and interiors. C l assi c desi gns make a col ourful statement and add a touch of cosiness to a vi l l a ge house or conver ted cor ti j o, while more contempor ar y desi gns si t well in more moder n homes. In the colder months, jarapas rugs are ideal for distributing around tiled floors to add warmth, while practical uses aside, a j ar a pas thr ow makes an interesting focal point on a white or pastel - col our ed wall. Another appealing feature of jarapas is they are usually pretty reasonably priced, naturally the cost going up accor ding to size and the complexity of the design.

Lifestyle

16th - 22nd November 2018

ENTERTAINMENT: Attention to the little details can make your home more welcoming.

Making your home rental ready

ACQUIRING a holida y a p a r t m e n t in on e o f t h e Co st a A l m e r i a ’s r e sor t towns has long been a ver y p o p u l a r option for foreign buyers. They fall in love with the balance bet wee n u n sp o ilt beaches and low-key deve l o p m e n t and go o d range of tourist attr actions and services. There is the comfor t of having your own place you can s tay i n w h e n you want and which famil y and friends can enjoy too. But what a b o u t t h e m o n t hs when no one uses it. Renting it out is an obvious choice, but there are issues of how t o m a ke a r e n ta l a p a r t m e nt stand out fr om the competition in terms of broad appeal, and ensuring it serves as a p r a c t i c a l r e n t al option. It needs to l oo k c o m fo r t a b le and inviting, but also relatively neutral. Above all else, the apartment needs to look great in photos for online promotion, and then to live up to the expectation.

Still, there are simple and inexpensive ways of getting an a par tment looking rental ready. A first and obvious step is to touch up any little mar ks on walls and s or t out any lit t le r epair s w hich may be t he family don’t even not ice, but s omeone thinking of spending t heir ow n holiday there might. B at hr ooms w ith cr acked t iles an d stains can be a particular turn-off. St ay away fr o m s t at ement colo ur paintwork, and think more along the lines of typical hotel room hues. Choose economical, but pr act ical, hard-wearing fur nit ur e, and don’ t go mad on t he or n ament s . A few pictures on the walls to give the apar tment character and rooms focal points is fine, but not s helves of knick-knacks. One of the main attractions of the Cost a A lmer ia is t h e year-round sunshine, and an at t r act ive outside area to real-

ly make the most of it is a must for many. So terraces and gardens need attention too, a decent table and chair s ar e an absolute basic. Then there is what to actuall y kit the apartment out with. Again, simply think a bout w hat you would expect to find in rental accommodation w hen you f ir st ar rive: clean kitchen equipment, newl y ir oned fr esh bedding, fluffy towels and toilet paper for starters. And then go that little bit fur ther. It doesn’t hurt to leave coffee and tea in the a par tment - think late night ar rivals along with cooking essentials like salt and pepper. It suggests apar tment owner s w ho car e, and a r ental which is wor th recommending. Leave a few books for tenants to read, a few boar d games to enter tain themselves with, and publications which of fer infor mation a bout w hat’s ha ppening in the ar ea

and places to go, like the latest edition of the Sol Times for example.

Times 19

Times

Food & Drink

16th - 22nd November 2018 CHRISTMAS CAKE is a must here at Olive Tree Far m, and to be honest, although I rarely eat any of it myself, it is one of my favourite cakes to make, bake and decorate. This is a recipe I have from a book, bought for us when we first got married. You can bake this months ahead and leave it to mature, but I have baked it just a few days before Christmas and it was still beautiful. The char t has all sizes from a 6” round, to a 12” square tin, and over the years I have made every size, each has turned out perfectly. The following ingredients are for a 10” round cake tin. • Ingredients Currants 775g Sultanas 375g Raisins 375g Glacé Cherries 250g Cut them all in half Mixed peel 150g Almonds 150g Lemon Rind ¼ Lemon

Traditional Luxury Fruit Cake

RICH: Fruit cake.

Plain Flour 600g Mixed spice 1 level teaspoon Cinnamon 1 level teaspoon Butter 500g Sugar (Muscavado) 500g Large Eggs 9 - beaten Brandy 2-3 tablespoons Time to cook 6 hours at 150 degrees C • Method Weigh the fruit and soak overnight in the brandy Put all fruit, nuts, mixed peel and cherries in a large bowl and mix through, set aside In a separate bowl

sieve flour and spices together and set aside In another bowl, whisk softened butter, sugar and lemon rind together until pale and fluffy. Add beaten eggs slowly mixing through, if you think a curdle is about to happen, chuck in a handful of your flour which helps stop it. Then fold in all flour and spices using a metal spoon, do it in two parts rather than all at once. Now add this mix to the bowl of fruit and combine... I use my hands to make sure it is all mixed though properly. Add the mix to a greased lined tin, you need to push it into the

OLIVE TREE FARM was set up about four years ago with the intention of achieving a level of self sufficiency. We have poultry for meat and eggs, goats for milk, rabbits and small pigs for meat and har vest our 70 olive trees each year for oil. We also grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. cor ners, again I use my fingers. Bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven. I sit it on about four sheets of newspaper, plus I double wrap the tin in newspaper and tie with string. Around 4 hours in to the baking time, cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper to stop the top going too brown and catching the fruit. When the time is up, check with a wooden skewer to make sure it is cooked through, making sure you reach the bottom of the cake with the skewer. If it comes out clean, it is cooked, if not give it 15 minutes more and check again. Notes: You will find that it doesn’t rise much at all, it will be almost the same height as when you put it in. You can prick the cake and add more brandy if you want to, turning the cake over each time you do it, so it works though properly. I usually do this about 3 or 4 times if I have time, but it works fine without.

Health & beauty

16th - 22nd November 2018

A surge in the search for a baby-smooth body NEW research reveals more and more young men are embracing the ‘hair-free body’ trend, believed to have been inspired by reality show, Love Island. Over the last two years, the popularity of body hair removal has shot up among the nation’s men. According to market intelligence agency Mintel, figures for June 2018 show as many as 46 per cent of all men removed hair from their bodies, up from just over a third (36 per cent) in 2016. In fact, it seems that no place on young men’s bodies is considered too private, as they shave, wax and laser their way to the smoothest of looks. A plucky 57 per cent of young British males aged 16-24 say they have removed hair from their pubic region, compared to 40 per cent in 2016.

Meanwhile, 42 per cent of males aged 16-24 remove hair from their underarms, (16 per cent in 2016), and shaving the chest has doubled, to 30 per cent in 2018, and the back from 10 per cent in 2016, to now 12 per cent this year. Mintel research reveals that young men aged 16-24 are removing body hair almost as much as young women of the same age, with similar proportions of both (29 per cent of men versus 34 per cent of women). The top three areas for women in this age group are underar ms (90 per cent), legs (90 per cent) and the pubic region (75 per cent). While almost half (45 per cent) of adults agree it is unfair that women’s bodies are expected to be hair-free, around one in five (19 per cent) adults agree that men

should remove hair from their bodies. Facial hair removal has also increased from 73 per cent in 2016 to 80 per cent this year. Raising eyebrows, the number of Brits removing hair from their eyebrows has gone from 33 per cent in 2016 to over four in 10 (42 per cent). Nose hair removal has risen from 11 to 20 per cent. While older men have traditionally been less concerned with hair removal (just 12 per cent of men aged over 65 removed hair from their nose in 2016), modern times have seen a shift. Recent data shows 31 per cent of men aged over 65 removed hair from their nose, with 32 per cent from their eyebrows and 34 per cent from from their ears. However, the beard trend shows no evidence of waning.

Times 21

Weekender

Puzzles

16th - 22nd November 2018

Wordsearch Famous Singers with One Name

Boggled How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules? The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms. No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice. No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

TARGET:

MADONNA

DUFFY

SHAGGY

BEYONCE

USHER

STING

MIKA

BONO

AALIYAH

TIFFANY

EMINEM

PITBULL

MOBY

YAZZ

LUDACRIS

AKON

TIMBALAND

SEAL

DIDO

ADELE

Quick

Across 1 Fried potatoes (5) 4 Childhood disease (7) 8 Words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another (7) 9/22 Vehicle safety device (3,3) 10 Innocuous or inert medication (7) 11 Bishop's headdress (5) 12 Formal and dignified (6) 14 Protein substance that remains when starch is removed from cereal grains (6) 17 Seat for one person (5) 19 Short heavy curved sword with one edge (7) 22 See 9 23 Ape (7) 24 White ant (7) 25 Particular procedure by which

something is done (5) Down 1 Inexpensive (5) 2 Set up for use (7) 3 Refrain from harming (5) 4 Exhibition of cowboy skills (6) 5 Burnt sugar (7) 6 Precise (5) 7 Doctor who performs operations (7) 12 Early wind instrument (7) 13 Cocktail made of gin with dry vermouth (7) 15 Disaster (7) 16 In operation (6) 18 Wrath (5) 20 Snares (5) 21 Range (5)

• Average: 10

• Very good: 20

• Good: 14

• Excellent: 26

SCORING: • 4 letters: 1 point • 5 letters: 2 points • 6 letters: 3 points • 7 letters: 4 points • 8 or more letters: 11 points

elope eloper ahem also aloe hadst hale haled halve halo halos have evade echo echoer deal deals delve dahl dale drool drools droop droops drop drops hole holed hold holds hols hove host hoot hoots hoop hoops hooper hoopoe hops hope hoper hoer chore chorea chop chops crop crops creole crept crate crater sort erato epos egos arvo arch areola areolae atop goos goop goops gear goer goat

Cryptic

Across 1 Point to friendly crowd (5) 4 Rate all members of the side (7) 8 Cakes mix-up is clear (7) 9 Wept whilst mixing cider (5) 10 Creepy sibling hiding at home (8) 11 Something inherited from an espionage network (4) 13 Off around New York, nevertheless (6) 14 Rags, as in the river (6) 17 Pat's confused about what's gone on (4) 19 Splendid joke I fed into Scotsman (8) 22 Cliff Richard is miffed Elvis started lawbreaking (5) 23 Rider at doctor later (7) 24 Southern shark is skinny (7) 25 Big Bird beheads Snoopy (5)

Down 1 Look at Mississippi, it appears (5) 2 Penalty conversion is easily enough (7) 3 Chief to remain as support (8) 4 In part, cruciverbalist endeavours to pay attention (6) 5 Diplomacy is part of the Riot Act (4) 6 Erect or demolish, we hear (5) 7 Steps the German amongst the lads (7) 12 About a motor vehicle or train (8) 13 Caps set at different angles (7) 15 Meeting involves information technology in fraud (7) 16 Regiment in pursuit of support (6) 18 Gets a glimpse of what they confiscate, so we hear (5) 20 Denounce phoney cures (5) 21 Heavy Metal at number one (4)

Puzzles

16th - 22nd November 2018

IRREGULAR SUDOKU

SOLTIMES STAR QUIZ : PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES 1. ‘Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane, ain’t got time to take a fast train’ is the first line of which UK Top Five hit by the Box Tops? 2. ‘Oh no, it wasn’t the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast’ is the last line of which famous 1933 film? 3. What was the name of the French aviator who, in 1909, made the first flight across the English Channel? 4. Which brothers applied for a patent on their invention of the first successful aeroplane in 1903? 5. First published in 1993, Trainspotting was the first novel by which Scottish writer? 6. The Channel Tunnel’s high-speed train service, Eurostar, links London with Paris and which other European capital? 7. Which American Western television series that ran from

1957 to 1965 starred Ward Bond as Major Seth Adams? 8. In which city in Michigan did the US automobile manufacturer Henry Ford start his first car factory in 1903? 9. In which year was the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) formed? (10 years either way)? 10. Launched in February 1936, and intended to compete with Ford’s Model T, what name did Adolf Hitler give to his ‘people’s automobile’? Not a lot of people know that... on the first day of shooting the 1987 American comedy film Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the crew brought in treadmills, weights and other exercise equipment for actor John Candy to use in his hotel suite... co-star Steve Martin said Candy didn’t use any of it

Kakuro

Answers 1. THE LETTER , 2. KING KONG, 3. LOUIS BLÉRIOT, 4. WRIGHT BROTHERS (ORVILLE and WILBUR), 5. IRVINE WELSH, 6. BRUSSELS, 7. WAGON TRAIN, 8. DEARBORN, a suburb of DETROIT (accept either), 9. 1897 - accept 1887 to 1907, 10. VOLKSWAGEN

SUDOKU

Weekender 23

Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

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Times

Feature

16th - 22nd November 2018

No training required

by Sandy Shore THERE are some occupations which are shunned because they are poorly paid or are commission based. I am sure that some jobs are avoided because of the stigma attached to them. Some occupations are sought after because of the oppor tunity to boost the meagre salary with tips. This may be the case for some but not all waiting staff in eateries. Sub-tropical Spain is host to the most restaurantminded people in the world. Dining out is a major draw and boost to local economies. Why then is this noble trade downgraded to steerage-class status in terms of service. Waiting on tables is one of the most physically demanding jobs imaginable. The work calls on a need for tolerance, diplomacy, people skills, stamina, and patience whilst under fir e - and at the same time having expertise and

HIT-AND-MISS: Receiving good service is not a given in many eateries. product knowledge. Why then isn’t this type of employment better respected, not just by customers but by those employed in the industry? Self-worth is one of the most rewarding aspects of any job, as is respect. Both face famine conditions in the dining out trades. Having achieved much as a business doctor, an occupation I held for 20 years, I

think the buck for poor standards stops at the boss’s desk. Is it because it is difficult to hire and fire incompetent, rude and even insolent staff that dumb waiters are so common, a word which rings true in more than one sense. The problem of discourteous waiting on staff has not reached epidemic proportions. However, it is a major fault line that can spoil an

expensive evening for many who dine out. We all know how difficult it can be to attract the attention of staff otherwise who are busy doing things that could wait. None are as blind as those who will not see, as my mother used to say. On several occasions, having finally attracted a waiter’s attention, the requested bill, without ceremony or

word of thanks, has been curtly slapped on the table in front of us. In truth, we the customers, must take some of the blame. Tips are not and are never presumed to be an unavoidable part of the settlement. Tips should only be given when the ser vice is clearly over and above the call of duty, which unfortunately it rarely is. I strongly advocate what is known as mystery shopping; I used to be a mystery shopper. Most department stores and auto main dealers profit immensely from engaging mystery shoppers. Mystery shoppers, or fake customers, complete a carefully pre-thought questionnaire as to their shopping or dining experience afterwards. This ploy enables the employer to see their business through their customer’s eyes. In too many cases, his eyes will widen with horror. A friend in need is a friend indeed; invite associates to shop at your business.

Behind THE MUSIC

Girl Power? V L James | vljcomms@gmail.com | Facebook: @vljamesinfo went on to careTHE four fully plot their most skint path to success. members of The Spice They became a Girls have anphenomenon, with their first nounced that single Wannabe you can go and taking the number see them again, if you ar e rich one spot in 37 counenough to have tries. More hit singles and three about £200 for a WANNABES: The Spice Girls number one alticket? were the sensation of the 1990’s. bums followed. The reaction This was pop for t o t h e t i c ke t prices online the masses, and a pr oduct that young gir ls could seems to have had no effect on r e l a t e t o , b e l i ev i n g t h a t t h e y sales, with tickets selling fast. could be empowered to achieve People shouldn’t be surprised at anything they want without the the prices. The Spice Girls were help of men. It was an alter naonly ever about making money. T hey were put together by tive to the ‘cooler’ Brit Pop bands that were the more serious mubusiness men who had a specific sic fan’s choice at the time. mar keting plan. T hey then fell The nostalgic comeback shows out with their initial backers and are good business, and there’s went on to sign with Simon Fuller’s 19 Management. Fuller nothing wrong with that!

Times

Leisure

16th - 22nd November 2018

Strictly Come Dancing reveals Christmas Special line-up V I VA C I O U S : Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Caroline Flack will be back on the show.

Richard Shanley

Dishing the Dirt OF EUROPA DIGITAL

STRICTLY COME DANCING has revealed which of its professional dancers will feature in this year’s Christmas Special. T he BBC One celebrity dance show will retur n to screens after the finale of its current series with the Strictly Come Dancing 2018 Christmas Special. Expected to air on Christmas Day, the one-off broadcast will see former Strictly celebrities Ann Widdecombe, Caroline Flack, Aston Merrygold, Jake Wood, Michael Vaughan and Anita Rani all returning to the dance floor. And earlier this week the BBC revealed which professional dancers the celebrities will be paired with - the results of which are pretty interesting. While Ann Widdecombe and Aston Merrygold will be reunited with their original Strictly dance partner s - Anton Du Beke and Janette Manrara respectively - Caroline Flack will be paired with a new pro dancer in the

Credit: BBC

STRICTLY: The popular BBC One show has released the line-up in their Christmas Special. form of Gorka Marquez (she was paired with Pasha Kovalev back in the 2014 series). Jake Wood is also with a new professional this time around, as he is paired with Luba Mushtuk, while Michael Vaughan will dance with Nadiya Bychkova in her Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special debut. Finally, TV presenter Anita Rani will also have a new par tner, as she teams up with Neil Jones Katya Jones' husband - for the Christmas Special.

GLORIOUS: Ann Widdecombe will be donning her heels once again.

If you would like me to answer any questions you may have on satellite TV or to expand on anything I have written about please call me on 678 332 815 or email richard@europa-digital.com. I look forward to your comments and questions. Don’t forget to listen to my radio show every weekday from 10am on Spectrum 96.1 and 106.8FM, now covering almost 3,000sq kms of Costa Almeria and Calida or listen online at costaalmeria.spectrumfm.net for the latest news and views from the world of satellite television.

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Thai Chi, Pilates, Health Screening every 6 weeks. For Hire 5.00€ per hour. Tel 639 089 170

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MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 309, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726)

INTERNET GET YOUR business noticed online! Make sure that expats in Spain can find your product, service, restaurant, bar or shop. Contact Spain’s newest and brightest online directory TODAY. Call 951 386 161 or email mark.w@euroweeklyne ws.com for more details.

MOTORING WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

REMOVALS/STORAGE FULLY Insured UK/Spain Removals & Storage, UK Trading Standards Approved www.indalotransport. com 634 336 468 or Freephone UK 0800 999 33 68 (276002)

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www.ukspainuk.com We’ve 18+ years’ experience. New Clean Vehicles running 2/3 times monthly. ONLINE QUOTES. Insured with RSA. ANY size move. Worried who to use? We’ll look after you. Call BMC European free on Spain 900 984 960 or UK 0800 612 4677 (WhatsApp +34 622 588 222) (279154)

SITUATIONS VACANT ARE YOU selfmotivated and hard working? We are looking for administration/telesale s candidates. Experience not essential as full training is given. Applications by email with full CV should be sent to recruitment@eurowee klynews.com.

MOBILE APP COMPANY LOOKING FOR INVESTORS Our existing mobile app service is looking to expand into Europe Invest from as little as €3,000 Please call +34 626 426 642 for further information (279051)

SOLAR ENERGY /POWER SOLAR WIND POWER SOLUTIONS. Over 20 years installation experience. Established 17 years in Spain. Call Phil for competitive prices on 636 261 240 or email info@sunergyalmeria.c om (276001)

TRANSPORT FULLY Insured UK/Spain Removals & Storage, UK Trading Standards Approved www.indalotransport.c om 634 336 468 or Freephone UK 0800 999 33 68 (279773)

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16th - 22nd November 2018

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