Mar Menor Focus Edition 12. September 2009

THE LITTHE LITTLE MAG TO TLE MAG TO KEEP IN YKEEP IN YOUR BAGOUR BAG

Issue 12Issue 12September 2009September 2009

TTraders Directorraders Directoryyand Index on page 27and Index on page 27

Property Management and Rentals

see our ad onpage 17

Tel: (0034) 968 545 204

see our ad onBack PageTel: 968 563 899

Carthagineses Y Romanos Festival, see page 6

2 Telephone: 968 145 572 the Mar Menor FOCUS

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Published by Robert McKinley, C/Himilce, Cartagena, Murcia 30385. X5128759N.

DEPOSITO LEGAL MU-2307-2008

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WWeellccoommee to Issue 12 of MMaarr MMeennoorr FFooccuuss, tthe magazine for the Mar Menor coastal area,

Thank you to our readers for their continuingsupport and feedback, and our regular contrib-utors for sharing their knowledge of the area, itshistory and culture, allowing us to keep the mag-azine informative and interesting for everyone. Our website has everything in the magazine, andmore! Every edition is archived, so you canalways refer back - check it out on

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The 20th annual Festival of the Carthagenans andRomans takes place between September 18th and27th this year, with different shows on every night.The main show is the Circus, which normally takesplace in the Cartagena football stadium. This yearhowever, it appears that they are building a specialamphitheatre near the stadium, purely for theCircus, which is on Wednesday September 23rd.However, this is not a circus as we know it, butmore of a military tattoo. Tickets for this are €5 (attime of going to press) per person, and availablefrom September 12th at the organizers office inCalle Caridad, 1 bajo, Edifice Moreno, telephone number 968 125 164. The web site www.cartaginesesyromanos.org has lots of information available in English.

The festival celebrates the Second PunicWar between General Hannibal Barca andPublius Cornelius Scipio and commemoratesthe history of the city of Cartagena, and a lotof the shows take place on the same locationas originally, more than 2000 years ago.Some of the best shows are "The founding ofQuart-Hadast, or Cartagena. Tanit's Oracle,where Himilce, wife of Hannibal consults theGoddess Tanit about her future and that ofthe city. The wedding of Hannibal andHimilce, the General March past of the troopsand legions, and The Plenary Session of theRoman Senate.

A camp is built with a different area for each of the 50tribes and legions, who are all in fabulous costumes.These tribes include mercenaries from Iberia,Phoenicia, Mastien and Greece and you are able tobuy food and drink in each area, and are made verywelcome.

All of the shows are only in Spanish, and most are freeto enter, but well worth a visit, as there is nothing in theUK to compare with them. The Circus, although with aSpanish commentary, needs no translation, and againa large amount of the spectators will turn up in cos-tume, including babes in buggies, younger children andcomplete families.

Food is available in tented restaurants, and a large fun-fair and medieval market are set up in the immediatearea. The closest parking is at the bottom of AlfonsoXIII in the underground car park with a short walk to theshow area.

by Richard Prowse

CCaarrtthhaaggiinneesseess YY RRoommaannooss FFeessttiivvaall 22000099

7

Elvis’ DinerTex / Mex Menu

BOOKING ADVISED Tel: 630 466 417 For DetailsGALERIAS EL FLAMENCO - behind Zoco, La Manga del Mar Menor

EVERY THURSDAY Authentic Indian cuisineLive Entertainment

Belly Dancing with the stunning Bobi

EVERY FRIDAY (till 18th sept) - KARAOKE

EVERY SATURDAY - ELVIS LIVE ON STAGE

Starting Friday 18th Sept. running over 9 weeks ‘LA MANGAS GOT TALENT’ Competition

250e FIRST PRIZE Plus Recording & Broadcasting on TSFM Radio2nd Prize Apartment for One Week, Loads of other prizes, & prizes through the heats

Grand Final Friday 13th November

SATURDAY 5th SeptemberOPEN ALL DAY

For the New Street Market

Premiership/Championsleague FOOTBALL

the Mar Menor FOCUS www.MarMenorFocus.es


‘The Stars of David’ Picture Quizcourtesy of Paddywacks Irish Bar La Manga, Tel: 968 563 648

Answers on page 23


The padrón is, quite simply, the municipal register, a list of all the people who live ina certain town, while empadronarse is the act of registering yourself on this list withyour local town hall. Officially all residents in Spain are required by law to registeron the padrón, yet many British ex-pats still have not done so. Perhaps some viewthe padrón as a means of vigilance by the state, in ‘big-brother’ fashion. However, inreality, it is simply a way for the town hall to know how many people live in theirarea, without entering into investigations as to a person’s official residence status orfinancial affairs. In addition, the information provided at registration is confidentialand protected by data protection laws.You don’t even have to own your house to register, just have an address where youusually live, no matter whether you are the owner, you rent, or live with family orfriends. Nor is registration a long drawn out registration process. Simply go to thepadrón office of your town hall and fill in the form they provide. Take along officialidentification, such as a passport, and also your NIE or residence certificate/card, arecent utility bill in your name, and the deeds to your house or a copy of your rentalcontract. Although you may have to return to collect your certificate, the actual reg-istration is completed all on the same day.And once you’ve completed this simple process, you can begin to enjoy all the advan-tages being on the padrón offers. To highlight a few, we’ve listed the top 5 below:

For better public services – Central Government allocates money to the differentmunicipalities according to how many people are on the padrón. Therefore, if you arenot registered, your town hall is losing money for the provision of health centres,police officers, fire fighters and schools.To access benefits and social care – You must be on the padrón for a certain period oftime to take advantage of some income-related benefits and other aspects of socialcare available through social services at your town hall.For a reduction in taxes – Depending on the town hall, registration on the padróncould mean up to 50% off Property Tax, as well as reductions in certain communitycharges and inheritance tax. Furthermore, those on the padrón can also often enjoydiscounted courses, leisure and cultural activities run by the town hall.To have your say – In order to register to vote in local or European elections, youmust first be registered on the padrón.To make life easier – You’ll find you need your padrón certificate to carry out variousadministrative tasks, such as register for healthcare, register your car with Spanishnumber plates or enrol your children in school.And remember, it is compulsory, under Spanish law, for all residents in Spain including Spanish nationals to register on the padrón.

For more information please contact your local town hall

Find out about the advantages of registering with your local authority.The padrón, empadronamiento, empadronarse. All words you mayhave heard since arriving in Spain, but never been quite sure whatthey mean, either in English, or for you as a resident. If so, read onfor more information and the numerous reasons why registering onthe padrón may just be worth your while.

Not on the padrón, what are you waiting for?

Judy’s Gift ShopCalle Mayor 66, Los Belones

As of the 12th September the shop will be closing

I would like to thank all who have supported me over the last three years.

I have special offers on at the moment and also

shelves to be sold.

Anybody interested please call in and see me or phone.

My mobile no. is 626 679 561**********

To book an appointment with Gill the medium call 676354945.

To order personalised cards phoneBarbara on 679245548

Rune Hov and Raquel Fernandez of Olympieza Professional Cleaning C.B havebeen cleaning and maintaining holiday property rentals for nearly 5 years now inTorrevieja and surrounding areas. With more than 500 properties on their booksthey are well represented on the coast.

On the 1st of May last year, they opened the doors for Altea, Alfaz, Albir/Benidormand this year, from Mil Palmeras to Murcia/Polaris World. In time we will extendinto La Manga/Mazarron as well, says Rune.

Olympieza offer their clients a first class cleaning and maintenance service and willalso deal professonally with any complaints that may arise. “By having a CleaningCompany you will avoid uncomfortable situations with your tenants, says Raquel.

Olympieza has a happy and service minded staff, who have been with them fromthe begining. “They are very nice, hardworking and trustworthy people”, says Rune.

Enjoy the holiday and let us do the work! “We want the tenants and the owners tohave a relaxing holiday and we will take care of the rest”, Rune says with a smile.

For a complete cleaning and maintenance package call today for a quote, customer satisfaction guaranteed.

For more information, tel: 966 704 241 / 675 021 669 or email: [email protected]


Olympieza Professional Cleaning


Dolly’s... the place to be

Bar, food and entertainmentQuiz: every Monday at 9pm

LIVE FOOTBALLSandwiches, home made cakes, snacks

OPEN 7 days a weekMon-Fri 10.00am ‘till late

Sat & Sun 11.00am ‘till lateSalida 30, Plaza Bohemia, La Manga

through the archway, next to San RemoTel: 663 608 575

www.dollys.moonfruit.com

Largest Buyers & Sellers ofQuality Used Furniture.House Clearances& Removals

Baby Hire: Cots, Safety Gates,Pushchairs, Car SeatsOffice space available,

Secure storage space available

Bob and Caron, 00 34 968 136 50100 34 626 253 569

[email protected] Cabo de Palos Km 1, El Algar

La Manga, Cartagena, 30366

A time4A change

SALE

NOWON


The aim of the sudoku puzzle is to insert num-bers in the boxes so that: each row, columnand 3x3 box contain one each ofthe digits 1 through 9.

sudoku

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

Codebreaker

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

TIME FOR A BREAK


Unlike many expats who prefer to live onor near the coast, John and I made thedecision to buy our retirement home ininland Spain. We have been living forjust over a year in Jumilla, a town innorth-east Murcia with a population ofaround 25,000, few of whom are expats. Ionce asked a group of neighbours howmany "ingleses" lived in town and theanswer was "dos", pointing at the two ofus. At this stage I should apologise toJohn who is in fact Scottish, howeverJumillanos still insist on calling us both"ingleses" even when we explain thatJohn is from "Escocia" not "Inglaterra".There are other expats in the areaalthough they prefer to live in the"campo" rather than in town, but aftermany years living in London we wouldfind country life far too quiet. One of the main differences between liv-ing on the coast and life inland is the factthat very few people in Jumilla speakEnglish: this helps to make life moreinteresting to say the least. We go toSpanish lessons twice a week, howeverour teacher doesn't speak a word ofEnglish. This can prove challenging! The children though do learn English atschool, and we can't walk down the roadwithout at least one child calling "Hello"

or "Good morning" to us. The adults arejust as friendly, however they greet uswith "Hola" or "Buenas".Jumilla is 500 metres above sea level andabout one hour inland, so we have a moreextreme climate than on the coast, withhotter summers and colder winters, andvery little rain. These conditions make itideal for growing grapes, which explainswhy there are so many bodegas in thetown, all of which we have visited onnumerous occasions. (It would be rudenot to!) Although there is a tourist officein the town centre, and regular guidedtours at the weekends, Jumilla doesn'trely on tourism like many coastal towns:as well as wine, Jumilla is renowned forits cheeses (especially the Queso deMurcia al Vino), organic olive oil, andfruit such as pears, cherries and peaches,much of which is exported.The first thing that visitors to Jumillanotice is the fine 15th century Castillo,which overlooks the town. Other build-ings of interest include Teatro Vico, ElCasón (a 5th century Roman funeral edi-fice), the 15th century church ofParroquia Mayor de Santiago and up inthe mountains the Monasterio de SantaAna. The tourist office can provide visi-tors with maps highlighting the mainsights in Jumilla. Jumillanos know how to party and thereare many fiestas throughout the year,however the highlight for many people isthe August Vendimia. There will be moreabout fiestas in next month's edition.

INLAND FOCUSby Sue Walker

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

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

Teatro Vico

The 15th century Castillo


This week's birds are both quite small and easily missed if you don't know what youare looking for, they are Shrike. Although present in the area all year round, theywill be seen in greater numbers once the migrating birds have returned. TheWoodchat Shrike is slightly smaller than a Starling and the Great Grey Shrike is alittle larger.

Shrike perch on wires, bushes and treetops, where theycan watch out for their next meal. They eat largeinsects, lizards, small birds and rodents. Shrikes arecommonly known as "Butcher Birds" as they impaletheir prey on a thorn or sharp stick once it has beencaught.

When sitting on their perch they are quite easy to see,however they spend some of the time on the groundseeking out food and once among the undergrowth, theyare virtually impossible to see.

Woodchat Shrike have very distinctive colouring andare easily identified when spotted. Imagine a smallMagpie with an orange hat on and you have it!! Theirwings and tail appear black when perching but blackand white when flying.

As their name implies Great Grey Shrikes are predominantly grey, with black mark-ings around the eyes, wings and tail. When perching they look like white balls of flufffrom a distance.

With both species the females have slightly differentcolouring to the male birds, similar, though more mutedin tone. The juvenile Woodchat Shrike are very hard toidentify unless they are with their parents as they arespecked brown in colour like many other young birds.

Both birds may be seen in many locations around theMar Menor, mainly where there is open countryside withvarious bushes and shrubs for them to perch on.

If you want to take a look at any of the previous articlesin this series please go to our website, www.aqua-adicta.co.ukLesley Singleton, Aqua Adicta

Woodchat Shrike

Great Grey Shrike


Why Use Resort ChoiceEstablished for over 5 yearsFully licensed for management and rentalsFull insuranceMulti-lingual staff and websitesRegistered with Murcia tourist boardOffice based All keys locked away and alarmedAccept all major credit cardsAll work guaranteed and invoicedEach property certificated with Murcia tourist boardState of the art reservation software in many languagesRental contracts with leading reservation agenciesEmergency cover 365 days a year, 24 hours a dayMembers of PNAG rental guarantee programmeHard working and honest

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

Property Management. and Rentals

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

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

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


GREAT THINGS HAPPENING at LA MANGA

On Saturday 8th August,The Great Golf Companyopened its doors at TheLa Manga Club at LasSabinas Centre behindthe Si Cafe.

La Manga is considered one of Europe'sfinest golfing destinations boasting ofthree golf courses, The West course, theNorth Course and the South which hashosted many Tour events such as TheEuropean Tour Final of QualifyingSchool, where many of today's famousfaces on the Senior Tour may have qual-ified.

For those of you that haven’t heardabout The Great Golf Company, theowners are Karl and Dawn Ormerod

who successfully run the 1000m2 golfsuperstore in Balsicas with brands suchas Callaway, Ping, Nike, Titleist, TaylorMade and Cleveland to name just a few.Customers can even try before they buyin the 4 bay indoor driving range.

And for those of you who thought that1000m2 was big enough, Great Golf hasexpanded to La Manga!

The "little brother golf store" still incor-porates the same brands and great dealsas the Superstore including the 10% dis-count loyalty card, only Great golf LaManga will stocks clothing lines such asCalvin Klein, Callaway, Lyle and Scott,Green Lamb, Cutter and Buck andDaily Sports with Oakley, Galvin Greenand Backtee on the way.

Golfers in the Cartagena and surround-ing areas of La Manga can now availthemselves of many offers at Great Golfla Manga, examples of these specialoffers are:

Callaway x20 Irons graphite 499 euro gents and ladiesCleveland Hibore Irons graphite 349 euro gentsCleveland Hibore Irons steel 299 euro gentsTaylor Made R7 Draw graphite449 euro gents25% off Ping G10 and RaptureDrivers50% off Callaway FT3 Drivers at only199 euro3 for the price of 2 on all clothing ladies and gents.


Come and see thenew Ping G15 andI15 range….Onlyat Great Golf LaManga!

Shop openinghours are :weekdays 10-6,Saturday 10-4,during these times

golfers of all ages and levels are cateredfor, from children and beginners toProfessional golfers.

Even if you have left your clubs at homethere are hire sets available and all vis-itors are welcome to the shop, you don'thave to be a resident to enjoy their greatoffers.

Managing the store at La Manga forKarl and Dawn is Ryan Boal, a TeachingProfessional from Northern Ireland,with over 15 years experience in golfingretail.Ryan is also experienced on golf productknowledge and fully trained in CustomFitting clubs which can be tailored toindividuals needs.

Before turning Pro,Ryan had an excel-lent amateur careerrepresenting Ulsterat junior and seniorlevel and making thepanel for the IrishInternational Team.

After achieving aplus two handicapRyan turned Pro andwithin two months had won his firstthree day pro-am at courses La Serena,La Torre and Roda.

So whether youare just gettingstarted or a lowhandicap player,get yourself downto Great Golf at LaManga and grab abargain whilststocks last orimprove yourgame with Ryan'sadvice. Telephone:968338333 La Manga Ext 2283.

THE GREAT GOLF COMPANY


The Black Russian is a simple vodka and coffeeliqueur drink. This popular lowball is knownthroughout the world and is so popular that it (andthe White Russian) should be one of the first thatevery aspiring bartender should memorize.

Ingredients2 parts Vodka1 part Kahlua coffee liqueur Cola5 Ice Cubes

MethodShake the vodka and kahlua. Pour over the ice.Top up with cola. Serve in a tumbler.

CCoocckkttaaiillCCoocckkttaaiillCCoorrnneerrCCoorrnneerr

KahluaBlack Russian


The region of Murcia is fast becoming the top golf locationin Spain for both residents and tourists alike and asreported in last months edition we at Mar Menor Focus are delighted to announcethat we have secured the services of local golf expert Mike Probert and who is theauthor of a Golfing Guide to Murcia to write a series of articles of interest to golfersand this series continues with:

'Mike Probert Talks Golf ' Sponsored by Costa Blanca Green Fee Services).

For more information, tuition and discounted green fees, tel: 0034 966 704 752 or661 345 931 or e-mail [email protected]

or visit us at our web-site on www.costa-blanca-greenfees.com.

Just how did the game of golf evolve?

The first game using a stick and a ballstarted in Russia and was called 'pagan-ica' which travelled through Europe toHolland, where it was renamed 'kolf'.

While historical records show no evi-dence of golf being played in Scotlandbefore 1450 there is proof of the Dutchplaying 'kolf' in 1300.

Scottish wool merchants played 'Kolf'while waiting for favourable returnwinds and took the game back to the eastcoast of Scotland playing across countryto a rabbit scrape, which they used as ahole, which was marked with a gullfeather.

In the middle of the scrape, the buck rab-bit would create a hole and urinate in it

to mark his territory and the earlygolfers would play from one hollow to thenext.

So there you have it, the history of theorigins of golf………or is it?

Chinese Professor Ling Hongling claimsthat the game began in China in 945ADsome 500 years before the Scots firstplayed the game.

There are references in Chinese librariesto a pastime called 'chulwan-chui' whichwhen translated means 'to hit a ball' andtwo Chinese paintings from the 13th cen-tury depict noblemen hitting balls intoholes with sticks that look remarkablylike today's golf clubs.

Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes arebelieved to have taken golf to Europecenturies later.

Whatever the origins of the game there isclearly a history associated to golf, whichgives it a certain mystic.

So the next time that you are out on thegolf course and having 'one of those days',forget the disappointment and anger,simply enjoy your surroundings, thecompanionship, the challenge and enjoythis wonderful game of golf that our fore-fathers gave to us.

The History of Golf

One of the more famous Spanish recipes,meatballs are often served in tapas barsas a snack or an appetizer. Spanishmeatballs are made as a main dish athome. Albóndigas are also often offeredas the starter in the set menu (menú deldía) which Spanish restaurants arerequired to offer to customers. There arelots of recipies for Spanish meatballs - Ithink this one includes the best thingsfrom most of them!SSppaanniisshh mmeeaattbbaallllss

2 medium onions 2 cloves of garlic 2 whole cloves A little flour Salt and pepper 1 Carrot 1 bayleaf 1 small glass of white wine Tomato puré or tomate fritoHalf a stock cube400g minced chicken or turkey 100g minced bacon 1 desertspoon pinenuts (optional) 1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley 3 desertspoons soya sauce 2 desertspoons bread crumbs 1 tsp. of oregano Olive oil 2 small, ripe tomatoes A small cup of peas

1. Mix the minced chicken or turkey withthe minced bacon. Grate one onion andchop or crush one clove of garlic. Add thegrated onion, chopped garlic, soya sauce,oregano, pinenuts and breadcrumbs tothe meat, and mix all ingredients togeth-er very very well.2. Make small balls with the mixture -about the size of a large marble. Coat

them lightly in the flour (get a bowl, putsome flour in and roll each ball around)and put all the balls on a large plateuntil you are ready to fry them.3. Now make the sauce. Cut up the otheronion and chop the other garlic, and putboth of them in a non-stick pan with alittle olive oil, the fresh parsley and somesalt and pepper. Fry gently until they aresoft, and then chop the 2 tomatoes andadd them. Finally grate the carrot and

add that too. Add the white wine andthe cloves, half a stock cube dissolvedin half a cup of water, the peas, abay-leaf and a bit of tomato puré (ortomate frito if you live in Spain). Stir

well and put on a low heat.4. Put some olive oil in a non-stick fry-

ing pan, enough to cover the bottom ofthe pan, and fry the meatballs until theyare brown all over. You don’t have to uselots of oil - turn them over so that theycook on all sides, and make sure the heatisn’t too strong, otherwise they mightburn. You will probably need to fry themin two or three batches, depending onthe size of your frying pan. As each batchis ready, put the meatballs straight intothe pan with the sauce and when theyare all done and in the pan, leave themto simmer in the sauce for about half anhour.5. You can serve the meatballs on theirown as a tapas dish, or as a main courseaccompanied by a green leafy salad anda red pepper salad.

Hope you like it and as usual somehumour to end with, on page 23.

till next timeAndy


A Chef’s Eye ViewBy Andy Taylor former Chef/Proprietor at Dia y Noche Restaurant, La Manga.

Well, here we are September already and welcome to this months edition of ChefsRant, I hope that your summer has been as enjoyable as mine, since selling myrestaurant I have spent the last two months doing absolutely nothing, seems quitestrange really, but I have taken time to prepare the following recipe for you, try it outand let me know how you get on.


It’s great to be a bloke because .....Your bottom is never a factor in a job interview. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Car mechanics tell you the truth. You couldn�t give a sh#t if someone notices yournew haircut or not. Wrinkles add character and grey hair looks dis-tinguished. People never glance at your chest when you�retalking to them. New shoes don�t cut, blister, or mangle your feet. Not liking a person does not preclude havinggreat sex with them. Your mates can be trusted never to trap you with�So, notice anything different?� You can appreciate great sport. You can throw a ball more than 5 feet. A weekend break requires only one suitcase. If another guy shows up at the party in the sameoutfit, you just might become lifelong friends. You can open all your own jars. You can go to a public toilet without a supportgroup. You can leave a hotel bed unmade. You can kill your own food. You get extra credit for the slightest act ofthoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you to something,they can still be your friend.

If you are 34 and single, nobody notices. Everything on your face stays its original colour. You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passen-ger�s seat. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You don�t have to clean your house if the meterreader is coming. You can sit in silence watching a football gamewith your friend for hours without ever thinking�He must be mad at me.� You don�t have to shave below your neck. Your belly usually hides your big hips. You don�t have to stop and think of which wayto turn a nut on a bolt. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybedecades. One wallet and one pair of shoes, one colour, allseasons. You can �do� your nails with kitchen scissors. Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25relatives, on December 24th, in 45 minutes.

Don�t be offended ladies, next month we will do�why its great to be a woman�

Then there was the pensioner who......stopped doing drugs because he got the sameeffect by standing up really fast. Have fun till next time. Andy

Local MarketLocal MarketssMondaySan Pedro del PinatarSucinaTuesdayLos BelonesLa UnionPilar de la HoradadaLos AlcazeresMil PalmerasWednesdaySantiago de la RiberaSan Javier

San Javier Autocine(car boot sale)ThursdayLos UrrutiasLa palmaTorre Pacheco (Balsicas)San Pedro del Pinatar (Lo Pagan)FridayEl AlgarLlano del BealPilar de la Horadada

SaturdayLos Alcázeres (Los Narejos)Torre Pacheco (Dolores)San Javier Autocine (carboot)SundayCabo de PalosLos NietosSan Javier AutocineTorre Pacheco (Roldán)

The FThe Fun Spotun Spot

QUIZ ANSWERS: 1 David Walliams, 2 David Hasselhoff, 3 David Jason, 4 David De Rothschild, 5 David Blaine, 6David Bowie, 7 David Niven, 8 David James, 9 David Schwimmer, 10 David Coulthard, 11 David Beckam, 12 DavidDickinson, 13 David Baddiel, 14 David Miliband, 15 David Letterman, 16 Craig David, 17 David Carradien, 18 DavidVilla, 19 David Soul, 20 David Tennant


Across1 Crustacean that wears a cast-offmollusc shell (6,4)6 Compound used in rat poison,also to treat thrombosis (8)12 What DOS stands for (4,9,6)13 A set of moral principles (5)14 Bronze-age Cretan city, home ofthe mythical Minotaur (7)15 Second largest of the zodiacalconstellations (5)16 The sign '&' (9)17 Subatomic particle with almostzero mass (8)20 United Arab countries – nationalcapital Dubai (8)22 Athlete competing in contestwith ten events (10)25 Person fallen from the normalmoral standard (10)27 Shakespeare’s tragic sovereign(4,4)

30 Name of the pre-Roman civiliza-tion in modern-day Tuscany / partof Umbria (8)32 Written expositions consideringtheir subject matter in a systematicand in-depth manner (9)35 6C BC Greek writer of fables (5)37 Shakespearean lover rejectedby Hamlet (7)38 Middle Eastern, N. African ruler– found in extreme Eritrea? (notusual spelling) (5)39 Illness involving progressivedegeneration of nerve cells andmuscles (5,7,7)40 Heavenly body such as Polaris,used as navigational aid (8)41 Cancer-causing substance (10)Down1 The real, undisclosed motive(s)behind a discussion, programme of

action etc. (6,6)2 The fruit of a thorny-stemmedflower (4,3)3 Churchill's metaphoricalphrase for the barrier to com-munications in the Cold War(4,7)4 Inescapable chess positionfor a king (9)5 South American boa (8)7 Aromatic bitter bark used asflavouring for alcoholic drinks (9)8 Bridge carrying a road overanother – or ceremonial flightof aircraft (7)9 Set of revolving blades thatlift a helicopter (5)10 Legendary mighty hunterand name of one of Elgar'sEnigma Variations (6)11 German-born US diplomatand Nobel Peace Prize winner1973 (9)18 What Queen Victoria was toWilliam IV (5)

19 One who operates on e.g. brainand spinal cord (12)21 Piece of cast gold (5)23 Violation of allegiance to one'ssovereign or state (4,7)24 Foul-smelling fungus (9)26 e.g Tommy or Quadrophenia bythe Who (4,5)28 Language of N. Atlantic islandpeople (9)29 Greek mythological huntresswho challenged suitors to a race (8)31 Sports officials enforcing rulesand settling disputes (7)33 Everything involved in a set-up(usually in the phrase "the whole__") (7)34 Mount in Israel after which acontemplative order is named (6)36 Of a desire or appetite, fullyindulged (5)

TIME FOR A BREAKthe big puzzle


ADVERTISEYOUR BUSINESS HERE

In the NEXT EDITION

OfMAR MENOR FOCUS

Call NOW on968 145 572


Mar Menor Focus Business DirectoryYour business here, under the heading you choose

for just 60 euros a year!Call Mar Menor Focus on 968 145 572 or email: [email protected]

STARAIR, Air Conditioning Sales, installation& Service, Tel: 679 573 643 (page 25)

SEGURO PARKING , Murcia Airport622 062 115

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT968 563 598 (Page 25)

BAR APICOCO Playa Honda 968 563 958 (Page 2)

BAR EL SOL Plaza CavannaLa Manga Strip, 968 563 899 (back page)

BRAMBLES BAR Playa Honda610 622 249 (page26)

DOLLY’S BAR, Plaza Bohemia, La Manga (page 12)

ELVIS’ DINER, Galerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco) 630 466 417 (page 7)

ENSO SUSHI Restaurant Los Belones968 137 810 (page 3)

GREGORY’S Argentine SteakhouseGran Via, Hacienda Dos Mares968 140 148 (page 25)

NOBBY’S CANTINA, Nuevo Puerto BelloLa Manga, 968 564 551 (inside back page)

PADDYWACKS IRISH BARLa Manga Strip 968 563 648 (page20)

PEPE’S BAR Mar de Cristal (page 20)

THE DUBLINER Irish Bar Urb Nuevo Puerto Bello 11 - La Manga968 146 400 (page 5)

Q-BAR La Manga Club, 968 175 317

TODO TUNING - Servicing, tyres, spares etc.El Algar 968 136 313 (page 7)

SUNNY PC Los Belones 968 569 191 (Page 31)

Clinica Dental ALEMANALa Manga 968 175 300

MARUJA Garden Centre/NurseryCabo de Palos Tel 968563 905 (page 31)

TRANQUILITY Galerias El Flamenco (behindZoco) 638 300 656

SHAPE & TONE - Toning TablesChiropractor - Masseur - Chiropodist,Los Alcazares 661 002 648 (page 25)

DAVID MASON Insurance Services, (page 12)Los Belones, 968 137 719 / 659 226 112

RICHARD HOWARD Insurance Services,Los Belones 968 13 72 59 (Page 3)email:[email protected]

AIR CONDITIONING

BABY EQUIPMENT HIRE

CAR REPAIRS

HEALTH & BEAUTY

COMPUTING

DENTISTS

GARDEN CENTRES

INSURANCE

BARS & RESTAURANTS

AIRPORT PARKING


SUNNY’S LAUNDRY Galerias El Flamenco(behind Zoco) 689 339 095

IBERBRIT LEGAL, La Manga Strip968 337 392 (page 32)

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

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT968 563 598 (Page 2)

RESORT CHOICE (Resort La Manga) Mar de Cristal, 968 545 204 (page 17)

CD PROPERTY SALES968 563 598 (Page 2)

EDEN International Independent Property AgentsLos Carmenes, Gran Via Km 330380 La Manga, Murcia, SpainTel: 0034 968 143 185 Fax: 968 143 755email: [email protected]

OLYMPIEZA, apartment cleaningC/La Loma, Torrevieja, 675 021 669 (page 11)

A TIME 4 A CHANGE, Quality used furniture,El Algar - 968 136 501 (page 12)

DJ’S MINI MART Los Belones 617 029 321 HONDAMAR SupermercadoPlaya Honda 968 56 43 68 (page 25)

THE FURNITURE STORE Poligono Ind. Los Alcazares. 968 582 546 (page 31)

MISSING LINKS (Cornish Pride)Los Belones 620 562 973 / 650 267 650

THE CORNER SHOP English SupermarketLos Belones 650 638 726

THE GREAT GOLF Co. La Manga ClubTel: 968 338 333 (Centre Pages)

TURKESA, Clothing & Garment PrintingZoco, La Manga 660 265 806 (page 7)

696 BOUTIQUE Nuevo Puerto BelloLa Manga 968 564 879 (page 31)

SIGNS & GRAPHICS, La Manga, 667 821 082

MARIA LINARES Spanish Lessons968 133 331 / 678 936 110 (pages 30/31)

AQUA ADICTA968 545 193 / 659 434 811 (page 16)

MAR MENOR SEA SCHOOL968 143 718 / 695 326 184

INTERPRETER Available, call JOSÉ on Tel: 968165565 / 626690873 (page 33)

VALA ESPANIA, Car & Marine Valeting,Tel: 666 817 069 (page 15)

CABO MANGA Ctra Cabo de PalosLa Manga 968 146 364 (page 32)

VALERIE’S NOVIAS, bridal gowns &Accessories, C/Mayor 9, Pilar de Horadada966 766 689 (page 31)

WINDOW FILM APPLICATIONTel: 627 898 608 (page 11)

SPANISH LESSONSPROPERTY MANAGEMENT

PROPERTY SALES

RETAIL

LEGAL & FINANCIAL SERVICES

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

LAUNDRY SERVICES

PROPERTY SERVICES

SIGNS & GRAPHICS

TRANSLATION SERVICES

VETERINARY SERVICES

PHOTOGRAPHERS

WEDDING SHOPS

VALETING SERVICES

WINDOW TINTING


Clodagh and Dicks books are available from bookshops,Carrefour & internet shops including www.santanabooks.com.Descriptions of each book are available on www.gardeninginspain.com. At the end of each description thereis a clickable link to the order page of the Santana site.

Grow your own Delicious FruitsBy Clodagh and Dick Handscombe,

Practical gardeners & authors living in Spain for twenty five years.

With the widely promoted 'Eat five aday', no Spanish garden or terraceshould be without fruit trees or plants.In less than a square metre it is possi-ble to grow alpine or ordinary strawber-ries in a barrel or window box andlemon, mandarin, peach, apple, pear,pomegranate, avocado and fig treesgrow perfectly well in containers pro-vided you fill the containers with a richin nutrient and water retaining/ welldraining soil mix and don't forget towater them. In a larger garden it is notdifficult to fit in ten types of fruit thatmature in different months of the yearand be able to harvest one fruit crop oranother on every day of the year.The thing is to select varieties of fruitthat you like to eat raw or cook andwhich are appropriate for the microcli-mate of your garden. Over seventytypes of fruit are described in 'Growinghealthy fruit in Spain' to help you makea wise choice.Favourites from our garden are the win-ter tangerines and mandarins, spring towinter raspberries (yes for eightmonths of the year), early summer wildstrawberries, redcurrants, peaches and

apricots, late summer figsalmonds and grapes (plusmangoes until the heavy

frost of 2005), autumncacti fruit, quince, avoca-dos and persimmons, and

lemons on almost everyday of the year from aLunar lemon tree.

Most families do not require a largeorchard. Indeed, many inland expatri-ates with 10.000 square metre plotshave discovered that it is impossible tocope with the ripening fruit of severalhundred trees and vines whenSpaniards are feeding surplus orangesto their sheep and goats, as it is lessexpensive to do so than pay to harvestfruit that can be only sold for very lowprices.Luckily many fruit trees have multiplebenefits so they easily fit into mixedgardens for they are among the besttrees for spring blossom and summershade, then the colouring fruit addinterest, followed by the vivid autumnleaf colours of the deciduous trees andearly winter colours of persimmons andpomegranates well after the leaveshave fallen. Combine the above with growing yourown vegetables and you can becomelargely self sufficient in daily fresh, andif you wish chemical free, fruit and veg-etables in even a moderate sized gardenhere in Spain….and it's much easier todo so than in rain ravished Britain.

When you get gluts it's not difficult toprocess many excess crops for later useby freezing, bottling, making jams andchutneys, and drying them in the sun,or rather easier in a heated air traydryer. There is a full article on our web-site www.gardeninginspain.com tellingyou how.


Learning Spanish with Maria Linares

¿Vas al aeropuerto?

Useful vocabulary

Aeropuerto = airportFacturar las maletas = to check inthe casesEquipaje de mano = hand luggageTarjeta de embarque = boarding cardPasaporte = passport Azafata = stewardessDespegar = to take offAterrizar = to land Cinturón de seguridad = safety seatbelt Vuelo = flightAvion = planePasajeros = passengersControl de seguridad = safety controlSalidas = departuresLlegadas = arrivals

Useful sentences¿Me permite ver su pasaporte? = Can Isee your passport?Date prisa, todavía tenemos que facturarlas maletas = hurry up,we still have tocheck in the cases.El vuelo con destino a Paris llega con unahora de retraso = the flight to Paris willarrive an hour late

¿Dónde está la terminal de vuelos inter-nacionales, por favor? = Where is theinternational flight terminal, pleaseAbrochense los cinturones de seguridad,el avion va a despegar = fasten your seatbelts, the plane is going to take off.

I hope you find this lesson useful, the nexttime you have to go to the airport try toread all the signs in Spanish. Now the sum-mer is nearly over, September is the righttime to start up new projects and activities;I hope learning Spanish is one of them.

I am starting to prepare the groups for thenext season from October to December, alllevels available for the weekly lessonsmornings or evenings.I am also planning to start up a new groupfor business people adapted to individualsand companies that are doing business inSpain.My residential courses are available forpeople who need to improve their Spanishquickly.

For more information on my Spanish courses:Weekly lessons, Residential Courses andSpanish for Business please go towww.spanishforadults.co.uk, feel free to contact me on:968 546 859 - 678 936 110, or email me [email protected]“Just book now to assess your Spanish

level free and have a free lesson”

Maria LinaresSpanish teacher

Solutions to the previous exercise:1.una 4.el 7. una 10.la 13.del 16.un2. la 5.la 8. la 11.el 14.un3. la 6.el 9. al 12. del 15.la


Iberbrit LegalSolicitors and Chartered Accountants

CONVEYANCINGMADE SIMPLE.

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

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

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

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

OURSERVICES

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

Advert ise YourBusiness in the Next Issue of


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Puzzle

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OVERSEAS HOLIDAYDo you want to escape the heat of the Spanish Summer Sun

and enjoy a "cool" holiday in New Zealand?Go-Kiwi Travel UK Limited

offer discounted Self Drive Motorhome and Car Rentals; Hotel / Motel Passes issued by Go-Kiwi, Go-Koala

& Golden Chain also escorted Coach tours from Kirra,Mount Cook Line and AAKings.

For fullll cconttacctt deettaiills plleeasee seeeewww.gokiwipasses.com or www.campermagic.com

Do you have something you want to sell? a car - a job - or property to advertise?

ClassifiedsClassifieds

Phone us on 968 145 572 or email:[email protected] with the details

Line ads €5 per month, (up to 30 words) - box adverts from €8 +IVA

INTERPRETER AVAILABLESpanish national (10 years in England) with fluent English.For hospitals, doctors, police, banks, solicitors, schools, ITV, etc.Translation of documents. Sympathetic and totally reliable.

Cartagena and surrounding areas, Mar Menor, FuenteAlamo, Torre Pacheco. Other areas considered.

From 15 euros per hour.

Landline: 968165565 - Mobile: 626690873 (ask for JOSÉ)

Notice To All Dog OwnersDo you want to go away?

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

my home is their home when they stay withme, with all home comforts.

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

Established 4 years, References availableTel Joanne 620 460 557


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

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

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

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

APAH Rescue 630 422 563www.apahrescue.com

Mar Menor Focus Edition 12. September 2009

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Transcript of Mar Menor Focus Edition 12. September 2009