Mar Menor Focus Edition 8 - May 2009

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

Issue 8Issue 8May 2009May 2009

San PSan Pedro del Pedro del Pinatarinatarsee page 2

TTraders Directorraders Directoryyand Index on page 29and Index on page 29

Property Management and Rentals

see our ad onpages 6/7

Tel: (0034) 968 545 204

see our ad onpage 19Tel: 968 563 899

Dia y NocheLa Manga

Restaurant & BarNow Open Every Day

see our adon page 5

Telephone: 968 145 572 the Mar Menor FOCUS2

Situated on the N332 coast road, justnorth of the Mar Menor is the town ofSan Pedro del Pinatar, whose saltworksare the most significant marshland areaof Murcia's Region, declared a NatureReserve Regional Park in 1985.Flamingos and other migratory birdflocks nest here every year, using thisNature Reserve as a stopping place intheir migrations between Europe andAfrica.Within a relatively small space (about1.800 acres-) you can see terrain forma-tions such as saltworks, dunes, saltmarshes, reedbeds, large and wild sandbeaches, pinetrees growing in the sandsand "encañizadas" (a traditional fishingsystem of the Mar Menor). The bird fauna is specially important.Flamingos are the kings of the area,because of their spectacular nature, arriving at the end of the Summer to hibernate on the salt lakes.

There are two bird watching areas fromwhich you can observe the flamingos andmany other birds, such as herons,eaglets, owls, storks, storklets, seagulls,and avocetas among other species.

The two windmills that remain wereused to pump the salty Mar Menor'swater to the saltwork ponds. Nowadayselectrical pumps are used, but the wind-mills outline is still an important part ofthe landscape.

Walks around the salt lakesThe area of the salt lakes has seen muchregeneration in recent years, what was adirt path has been transformed into atree lined promenade, which runsbetween the salt lakes and the MarMenor.

Our walk starts at the Quentin windmill(pictured on the front page) past the sec-ond windmill, "Molino de La Ezequiela".and along the South side of the salt-works and the Mar Menor "encañizadas"

The track borders on the saltwork pondsuntil it reaches the Mediterranean"Punta de Algas" sandy beach. If youbear to your right once you’ve reachedthe mediterranean shore, and follow thebeach for a few hundred metres, you canactually see La Manga Strip’s infamoushump-back bridge across the reserve,near Veneziola. (continued on page 4)

San Pedro del Pinatar & Lo Pagan

3the Mar Menor FOCUS www.MarMenorFocus.es

OPEN - 10am - 3pm Monday to Friday10am - 2pm Saturday

Tel: 660 284 970or email: [email protected]

We buy and sell new and nearly new furniturnew and nearly new furnituree

Stock arriving daily - white goods availablePlus over 100 books to choose from

Ray: 697 545 693Open 10am - 3pm Monday - Friday, 10am - 2pm Saturday

GUD AZ NEWGUD AZ NEW

YOUR FAVOURITE STOREwith .

Your Favourite Brands from UK StoresSomething for everyone at very low prices

Call iin aand sseeAlso on 8th MMay aat 77pm aat EElvis’ DDiner

FASHION SSHOWHosted by Jan & Dave, your MC for the evening

Events going on during the evening proceeds to be donated to MABS

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(continued from page 2)

Follow the coastline back past where youfirst entered the beach for approximate-ly 3-4kms and you will find yourself atthe port (Puerto Villa de San Pedro).Inside the port complex, as well as theChandlery and a yacht broker, there is agood selection of restaurants and barswhere you can enjoy a cold drink, an ‘allday breakfast’ or a menú del día torefresh you ready for the rest of thewalk.Leave the port area through the maingate, turn right, then left at the t-junc-tion, and you will be on the marked walkagain. This road leads you up throughthe salinas, within 300metres you willsee a large car parking area on the right,with ample spaces, a picnic are, routemap boards, and an ‘information centre’.The information building is only openfrom 15th June to the 15th September,but as it is all part of the Regional Park,there are numerous signs, maps of thewalks and information boards about thewildlife and plants peculiar to the area.

View across to the hump-back bridge

San Pedro del Pinatar has other inter-esting places to visit, Including:Museo del Mar (Sea Museum) Located in Lorenzo Morales street dis-playing collections of sea shells, fish fos-sils, mollusk caparison, miniatures oftypical art from Mar Menor, knots, car-tographic maps, etc. Condes de Villar de Felices Palace or"Russian House"A huge building located in the center ofSan Pedro del Pinatar. It was built atthe end of 19th century by BenifayoBaron, who was also assigned to build asimilar palace in the Isla Mayor (MajorIsland) of the Mar Menor.

San Sebastian's House or "Clock'sHouse" is a nice mansion from the 19thcentury, and at one time, the Presidentof Government, Emilio Castelar was liv-ing there.Apparently, Emilio Castelar was a closefriend of the owners, the Servet Family.

They invitedhim to stay inthis beautifulplace situatedby the MarMenor, heaccepted theirinvitation andwhat a paradox!, he died there.Now, and due to the first centenary ofhis death, the municipal government ofSan Pedro del Pinatar is planning aseries of acts: exposures, speeches, etc.in commemoration.

“Russian House”

The house of El RelojWalkway through protected area


New a la carte Menu available from 7pm New a la carte Menu available from 7pm + New Tapas Menu available All Day + New Tapas Menu available All Day For more details go to www.diaynoche.co.uk

RReessttaauurraanntt&& BBaarr

Nuevo Puerto Bello Blq 11, La Manga - Tel: 968 146 [email protected] - www.diaynoche.co.uk

Dia y NocheLa Manga’s Best Kept Secret

Now Open Every Day 10 - 4 & 7 till lateFull English Breakfast €3€3 served from 10.00 - 12.00

Menu del día - Menu del día - €€553 courses inc beer, wine or water, served mon-sat 12-3pm

Amstel 2.00€ a pint, strongbow 2.80€ a pint, Spirit & mixer 3€, glass of wine 1€, every day!

Sunday: ‘All You Can Eat’ Carvery 3 Courses - 9€9€ served 1 - 4pm & 7 - 9pm

Evening Specials - Served From 7pmMonday: All you can eat Tapas; 10€

Tuesday: Curry-oke; 5€bowl of home made curry with rice & beer, wine or water

Karaoke starts 9.00pmWednesday: Mid week Carvery 9€

3 courses ‘all-you-can-eat’ carvery & Live MusicThursday: Steak Night; 10€

Steak, chips, peas & tomato & beer, wine or water

Friday: Fish Night & Live Music; 7.95€Large battered cod, chips, bread & butter & beer, wine or water


About Resort ChoiceResort Choice is a trading name of Resort La Manga SL, the company was establishedin 2004 in La Manga and now we manage and rent properties throughout the Murciaregion. Our head office is based in Mar de Cristal and we have staff on hand for mostlocations of Murcia. Our reservation and customer service staff have many years expe-rience in property management and tourism, we have well trained staff includingEnglish, Spanish, French and German speaking. Resort La Manga has partnershipsfor rentals with many leading holiday companies like Expedia, Bookings.com, andPriceline.com who supply over 60,000 branded and private label partners and affiliatesglobally. Resort La Manga booked over 16,000 nights and 1,200 families for ourowners in 2008.

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

Property Ma

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


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

Car HireHoliday InsuranceAttraction TicketsBooking Activities inc. Tennis and GolfProperty Snagging ReportsComplete Furniture PacksLegal and Financial Services

nagement and RentalsTelephone:

(0034)968 545 204(0034) 680 650 471UK Freephone: 0800 316 6181

Fax: (0034) 968 970 212Email: [email protected]

Website: www.resortchoice.com


MABS Charity Nightat

ELELVIS’VIS’ DINERDINERFashion Showby Jan’s UK Fashion

RaffleFinger BuffetEntertainment

Sponsored Chest WaxFriday 8th May at 7pm

Elvis’ Diner, Galerias El Flamenco,La Manga - (behind zoco)

Tel: 639 466 417 see Galerias map on page 3 for directions

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Member of the Society of Will Writers

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For several years I hadheard tales of the losttrain of Portman andrecently I managed totrack it down.

Portman is a bay on theMediterranean in theSierra Minera hillswhich run to the northof Cartagena. Thesehills have been workedfor more than 2,000years with thePhoenicians extracting silver and leadcenturies before the birth of Christ.Some scholars speculate that this mighthave been the location of the bible’s fab-ulous mines ofTarsus.

In the 19th cen-tury, minerale x p l o i t a t i o nbecame a vastindustry and itseems thatalmost everysquare inch ofthe hills wascovered inresidue, wash-ing plants, pit heads, winding gear andother machinery and buildings of themines. Finally, in the 1950s enormousquantities of residues were spilled intothe bay from a washing facility. By thetime this stopped in March 1990 some 50millions tonnes of waste had pushed thecoastline hundreds of yards out to theedge of the bay.

One of the longest of the mining tunnelswas the Jose Maestre tunnel, whichbears the date in Roman numeralsMCMLVII (1952?). It was here, I hadheard, that a train had been abandonedwhen the mine closed down.

Calling in at a local bar I talked to agroup of women enjoying a morning

coffee and a chat.I m m e d i a t e l ythere was paydirt. They allknew where thetunnel entrancewas and one ofthem said: “Don’tforget to have alook at the train.”Her father haddriven it for sever-al years, she said,until the mine

closed in the early 1990s. Armed with directions I headed into thehills and drove along some very bumpy

tracks in my four-wheel drivevehicle. Finally, I came to adead end, surrounded by fan-tastically coloured rocks thatlittered the bed of a dried-upriver. I retreated and headedback into the streets again. Iasked for more directions fromlocals and returned to thehills. Having parked the cartwo women pointed upwards.It was only a short scrambleand I was up at the line of therailway embankment.

Right in front of me was the abandonedtrain, or trains. It looked as if they hadsimply been driven up to the mine tunnel

Discovering The Lost Train by Phillip Bruce


entrance and then abandoned. Therewere two engine units, one with a cab ateach end, lines of wagons and iron pitprops scattered around. The railsand sleepers are still there, as is abuilding that must have been usedfor maintenance. The small enginesbear the makers mark “Deutz”, ofGermany.

Not being a technical type, I can’tgive much further detailed informa-tion but maybe the pictures with thisarticle will allow others to providesome comments. Send any informa-tion to: [email protected]

I tried to have a look at the mineentrance, but there had been rainrecently and the ground in front wasa swamp of brightly coloured yellowwater, amidst which huge pampas grassplants flourished.

Vandals have topped the decorative ele-ments of the entrance but the lettering isundamaged.

Article and pictures by Phillip BruceRead more at: www.discoveringcartagena.com

The Margarita may have developed from the traditional way of drinking a shot of tequila then lick-ing salt from your hand and sucking a lime wedge.Ingredients

2 Limes Tequila 37.5 ml Fine saltCointreau 20 ml Ice Cubes 4-5

MethodTake a slice of lime, reserve and juice the remainder.Cut the other into 3 wedges.Dampen the rim of a chilled margarita glass with 1 ofthe lime wedges then dip the rim into fine sea salt.Pour the tequila, Cointreau and lime juice into a cock-tail shaker. Squeeze the juice from the remaining 2lime wedges into the shaker, press the wedges hardto release the oils in the skin and then drop them intothe shaker. Add the ice cubes and shake vigorouslyfor about 10 seconds. Strain the cocktail into theglass and decorate with a lime slice. Serve with astraw.

CCoocckkttaaiillCCoocckkttaaiillCCoorrnneerrCCoorrnneerr

Recipe courtesy of Q-bar, La Manga Club

Tel: 968 175 317The Margarita

Q-bar, in association with ‘The Cheese Board’

Invite you to a FFRREEEE CCHHEEEESSEE && WWIINNEE

TTAASSTTIINNGGTuesday 26th May

from 8pmeveryone welcome to come along and try some unique cheeses and fine wine

Centro Comercial AtamariaLa Manga ClubFor more information

TTeell:: 996688 117755 331177

AAsskkiinngg qquueessttiioonnss iiss aallwwaayyss mmoorree ddiiff-ffiiccuulltt tthhaann mmaakkiinngg ppoossiittiivvee oorr nneeggaa-ttiivvee sseenntteenncceess,, tthhiiss wweeeekk wwee aarreeggooiinngg ttoo pprraaccttiiccee hhooww ttoo aasskk aa ffeewwqquueessttiioonnss::

Preguntar por el precio de unobjeto

( Cuanto + verbo en singular)EExxaammpplleess::

¿ Cuanto cuesta ese libro ?¿ Cuanto vale esa chaqueta ?

Preguntar el precio de variosobjetos

( Cuánto + verbo en plural )¿ Cuánto cuestan los libros ?¿ Cuánto cuestan esas chaquetas ?

Preguntar alguna información

(Cuánto/a/os/as + sustantivo )¿Cuanta gente hay en tu clase?¿ Cuantos dormitorios tiene tu casa?¿ Cuanto tiempo tienes de descanso?

Now try to practice these ques-tions in the following exercice,you can also use: donde y como.

1. ¿_________ años tiene tu hijo ?2. ¿_________ se llama tu padre?

3. ¿_________ puedo ir a la calle mayor?

4. ¿_________ cuesta ese libro?5. ¿_________ se va a Sevilla?6. ¿_________ estudiantes hay en tu

clase?7. ¿_________ dinero tienes?8. ¿_________ hay un estanco cerca

de aquí?9. ¿_________ idiomas hablas?10. ¿________ chaquetas tienes?

Have a good time now that theweather is getting better, but if youhave a little bit of time try to do thisexercise to refresh your Spanish, Iwill give you the answers in the fol-lowing issue.

We have a Spanish saying for thespring that says:““LLaa pprriimmaavveerraa llaa ssaannggrree aalltteerraa”” you can try to find out what it meanswith your Spanish friends.

If you would like to have more infor-mation on my lessons you can see myweb site: wwwwww..ssppaanniisshhffoorraadduullttss..eessor you can call me on 968 546 859 – 678 936 110

Maria Linares


Learning Spanish with Maria Linares Hacer preguntas = Asking questions


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


Los Belones (next door to Judy’s gift shop) Tel: 968 137 256

2nd May LLiinnee DDaanncciinngg - Buffet and entrance 5€

9th May MMuussiicc wwiitthh DDaavvee - Curry 5€ - Chicken or Beef

16th May “Ladies Day” - at Judy’s Gift Shop

21st May ““MMeeddiiuummsshhiipp eevveenniinngg wwiitthh GGiillll”” - tickets 10€

23rd May EEvvaannggeelliinnaa’’ss FFaammoouuss ““TThhaaii EEvveenniinngg”” - 3 courses for 17.50€ please pre book

30th May BBaarrbbeeccuuee EEvveenniinngg - 7.00pm onwards, tickets 12€Pre booking always advisable

Jan’s Lounge


We can use artwork provided by you, or design your advert using text & images approved by you.(there is a minimal standard origination charge of €10 for this service)

Prepayments for 3, 6 & 12 months will qualify for 5%, 10% and 15% discounts respectively.All prices quoted are subject to IVA @ 16%.

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

Disclaimer: ‘Mar Menor Focus’ does not accept responsibility for the standard of goods or services given by it’s advertisers and does not endorse, unless stated otherwise,any company or individual published in the magazine, or any views or opinions expressed in any articles.

ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS designed by the Mar Menor Focus magazine for use in its publication remain the property ofMar Menor Focus and may NOT be reproduced in any other publication without our prior written consent

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

DEPOSITO LEGAL MU-2307-2008

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

AAffffordableordableaadvdverer titi singsing

thathat really wt really worksorks

Full colourFull colouradvertisementadvertisements froms from

only €38only €38Full Page Full ColourFull Page Full Colour

only €120 (+IVonly €120 (+IVA)A)discounts for 3, 6 or 12

months advertisingCall Now on

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

or email: [email protected]

see our online magazineat

www.marmenorfocus.es

Distribution points include:Bars, Restaurants, Golf Clubs, Shops,

Estate Agents, Tourist Offices, PostRooms, Tabacs, Supermarkets and more,

throughout the Mar Menor area, coastal and inland.

Advertising RatesFull page Colour €120 - Mono €70Half page Colour €65 - Mono €40Quarter page Colour €38 - Mono €25

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

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

[email protected]

WWeellccoommee to Issue 8 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

www.marmenorfocus.esWe now offer low cost banner advertising

on our website, also budget webdesign & hosting.


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

10.3012.3014.3016.30

11.3013.3015.3017.30

Monday to Saturday

Elvis’ DinerTex / Mex Menu

Great Fun Nights Out - Book your Table for Dining NOW!Tel: 630 466 417 For Details

SEE GALERIAS MAP on PAGE 3 for directions

EVERY THURSDAYKARAOKE / DISCO

EVERY FRIDAYROCK & ROLL PARTY

LIVE MUSIC then DISCO

EVERY SATURDAYELVIS LIVE ON STAGE THEN DISCO

EVERY SUNDAYKARAOKE / DISCO

FRIDAY ANDSATURDAY NIGHTSSET MENU - €10.99 WITH

FREE BOTTLE HOUSE WINE FOR 2WHEN BOOKED

MENU DEL DIA - €6.99FROM 12.00 – 3.00, MON – FRI

CHOICE OF 3 ON EACH COURSEPLUS FREE GLASS HOUSE WINE

AND COFFEE8th May, starting 7.00pm - FASHION SHOW in aid of MABS


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


Vaccination protects animals againstvarious diseases, which can cause pain,distress and are often fatal.

By vaccinating your pet you have peaceof mind, knowing that you have providedprotection. As well as safeguarding yourown pet, it also prevents diseases frombeing passed on to other animals.

• What are vaccinations?Vaccinations contain a harmless form ofthe virus or bacterium that causes aparticular disease. They work by stimulating the body’snatural defence mechanisms. These arethen ‘remembered’ and triggered whenthe cat or dog comes into contact with thedisease for real – so protecting the animal.

• Primary and booster vaccinationsPets should receive a ‘primary’ vaccina-tion course early in life, followed by‘booster’ vaccinations. Booster vaccinations are needed becausethe body’s immune response graduallyfades over time. They are often givenevery year, depending on the vaccine.

DOGS

The primary vaccination course for dogsvaries with the type of vaccine used. Thefirst vaccine can sometimes be given asyoung as six weeks, with the second usu-ally given two to four weeks later. Askyour vet when it is best to vaccinate yourdog.

• Meeting other animalsPuppies should be vaccinated before theymix with other animals. It is essential fortheir normal development that they areallowed to socialise with other animalswhile they are very young, so you should

get them vaccinated as soon as possible.Ask your vet when they can start meetingother animals and begin to socialisethem as soon as it’s safe to do so. • Which major diseases do dog vaccines

protect against?

Canine distemper (‘hard pad’) Canine parvovirus (young non-vaccinat-ed dogs are the most vulnerable) Infectious canine hepatitis Kennel cough Leptospirosis

CATSThe primary vaccination course for catsvaries with the type of vaccine used. Thefirst vaccine is often given from nineweeks of age, with the second usuallygiven two to four weeks later. Ask yourvet when it is best to vaccinate your cat.

• Which major diseases do cat vaccinesprotect against?

Cat flu Feline Chlamydia Feline infectious enteritis Feline leukaemia virus

Your Pets HealthcareWhen you get a new cat or dog, you should register withyour chosen vet straight away. Make an appointment assoon as you can for a check-up. Your vet can then devise a‘care programme’ for your pet. Write a list of the questionsyou want to ask, so everything can be covered. Vaccination

Hi and welcome to this months ChefsRant.With everyone concerned about the rec-cession and watching exchange ratesfluctuate on a daily basis, I thought thatthis month we would look at some" creditcrunch busting dishes" Watching thepennies doesn't mean you have to stopeating tasty, wholesome food. We haveassembled a collection of deliciousrecipes that can all be created for lessthan €5 for two portions, and will bedetailing them in this article over thenext few months.So don't skimp on supper, treat yourselfto some sea fresh scallops, and whatabout a light passion fruit parfait fordessert?

Everything you need to survive the credit crunch in luxury is right here.

Here’s a great Spanish inspired starterfor you to try

Ingredients2 clementines50g outer leaves of Brussels sprouts, (kept back from preparing them for dinner)50g wild greens4 slices Parma hama little Olive oil4 Scallops50g Almonds

For the dressing1 clementine, juice only1 tbsp caster sugar1 tbsp sherry vinegar

2 tbsp dry Sherry, 6 tbsp extra virgin Olive oila good pinch of sea salt,

Method1. For the dressing: mix together all thedressing ingredients. Set aside.2. Peel the clementines, removing asmuch of the white pith as possible, andbreak into segments.

3. Blanch the brussels sprout leaves andwild greens, leave in boiling salted waterfor 30 seconds. Drain and pat dry.

4. Tear the ham into bite-sized pieces.

5. Heat a large frying pan with a film ofolive oil. Season the scallops, and whenthe oil is really hot, sear for about 2 min-utes without disturbing, until goldenbrown and caramelised on the under-side. Then turn them over and cook foranother 2 minutes to colour andcaramelise the other side.

6. Serve the scallops on warmed plates.Scatter the clementine segments brusselsprout leaves, ham and almonds around. Drizzle with a generous amount of thedressing and serve immediately.

Heres a great dessert to try, simple andcosts less than €5 for 2 portions.

Passion Fruit ParfaitIngredients170 ml passion fruit purée, 175g Sugar260ml whipping cream


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


5 egg yolks1 block dark chocolate, scraped intoshavings & frozen4 passion fruit, to serve

1. Sweeten the passion fruit purée with50g of the sugar. Place in a saucepan and reduce by ¼ oruntil the flavour is concentrated. Setaside to cool.

2. Mix the remaining sugar with enoughwater to cover in a small saucepan. Bringto the boil and cook until the temperaturereaches 118C on a sugar thermometer,remove from the heat and allow to coolslightly.3. Meanwhile start whisking the yolksslowly in a mixer. Gradually add the boiled sugar to the eggyolks and whisk on full speed until cool.4. Add the reduced passion fruit mixture.5. Softly whip the cream, then add half tothe eggs and whisk in.6. Fold in the rest of the cream and pipeinto round moulds approx 5cm indiameter7. Freeze until firm (approx 24hrs).8. To serve, remove from freezer anddemould onto individual plates. Scoop out the passion fruits and spreadover the top of the parfait. Sprinkle withthe chocolate scrapings.

Next month wewill be looking

at tastywholsomem a i nc o u r s edishes forless than

€5 for 2 por-tions, in the

meantime if youhave any specific questions relating tofood or techniques or you want a particu-lar recipe just drop me an email [email protected]

And as always, a little topical humour toend with.

Q: With the current market turmoil,what’s the easiest way to make a smallfortune?A: Start off with a large one.

A rich, dying man, laid on his deathbed,requested to be joined at his bedside byhis vicar, his bank manager and hislawyer.He instructed them that he wished to beburied, when he finally passed away,along with all his money. He gave each of them fifty thousandpounds and asked them to throw themoney on top of his coffin, in the burialplot, when he died.A couple of days later the old man passedaway and was buried within the week.At the wake, the three men were chattingand the vicar was suddenly overcomewith guilt. He confessed to the other two that he hadthrown only half of the money onto thecoffin, as the church needed urgentrepairs to the roof. The bank manager thought, ‘What theheck if we are having a confession,’ andtold the other two men that he had alsoonly thrown half the money in, as the ‘Credit Crunch’ was hitting hardand he needed some money for the bankto stop it going bust. The lawyer jumped up and said to theother two, ‘I think that is a shameful acton both of you. I threw a cheque in for the full amount!”

Record unemployment levels have beenannounced today as the Credit Crunchtightens it’s grip.Worst hit sectors are the constructiontrade and Icelandic bank robbers.

Have a good week folks, see you nexttime

Andy


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


The Cartagena region has been known for its mineral wealth since well before its conquest bythe Romans. Portmán has been a major part of Cartagena's 3000 year history providing Lead,silver and tin smelted in the ovens of Vulcan. This example of a Portmán Piedra, locally knownas a Gatcha, is an artistically intriguing and uniquely individual product of the smelting ovenextraction process. Created from what was once molten ore, there are No two alike and withtheir diminishing availability these historical icons will soon be lost forever. Portmán Piedras areMounted in hand formed terracotta, framed in wood, serialized and supplied with a certificate ofauthenticity. A selection of Gatchas is available for purchase through the website below. Theyare delivered worldwide with a brass easel for your personal orientation and viewing pleasure.

GatchART is a selection of high quality objects d' art representative of the history and mineral wealth of Portmán, Spain.

Visit GatchART ™ at www.bahiadeportman.com/Gatchart.htm

PortmÁn Gatchas


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]

SEGURO PARKING , Murcia Airport622 062 115 (page 8)

BAR APICOCO Playa Honda 968 563 958 (Pages 21)

BAR EL SOL Plaza CavannaLa Manga Strip, 968 563 899 (page 19)

BAR LA TAPA Galerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco) 626 937 084

BRAMBLES BAR Playa Honda610 622 249 (page 33)

DIA y NOCHE Urb Nuevo Puerto Bello 11968 146 400 (page 5)

ELVIS’ DINER, Galerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco) 630 466 417 (page 17)

JAN’S LOUNGE Los belones, 968 137 256 (page 15)

JULIAN’S BAR, Playa Honda,

PADDYWACKS IRISH BARLa Manga Strip 968 563 648 (page 13)

PEPE’S BAR Mar de Cristal (page 27)

PUERTO AZUL pizzaria, Los Belones699 205 328 (page 26)

Restaurante JULIETTA Playa Honda968 564 552

Restaurante Novo Carthago, Urb Estrella deMar, Los Urrutias, 968 134 777

SINATRAS Tapas Bar Pto Thomas Maestre616 110 678

Q-BAR La Manga Club968 175 317 (back page)

Restaurante SAN REMO Plaza Bohemia, La Manga 968 140 813

TRANQUILITY Galerias El Flamenco (behindZoco) 697 363 469

REVIVE Health & BeautyLos Alcazares 618 111 398 (page 9)

SHAPE & TONELos Alcazares 661 002 648 (page 26)

TODO TUNING - Servicing, tyres, spares etc.El Algar 968 136 313 (page 17)

IBERCAR La Manga 607 900 655

SUNNY PC Los Belones 968 569 191 (Page 28)

CHRIS COMPUTER SERVICES968 564 416 or 639 262 531

Clinica Dental ALEMANALa Manga 968 175 300

JUDY’S GIFT SHOP, C/Mayor, Los Belones968 569 235

DAVID MASON Insurance Services, (page 14)Los Belones, 968 137 719 / 659 226 112

RICHARD HOWARD Insurance Services,Los Belones 968 13 72 59 (Page 15)email:[email protected]

AIRPORT PARKING

BARS & RESTAURANTS

CAR REPAIRS

FITNESS, BEAUTY & NAILS

CAR & VAN HIRE

COMPUTING

DENTISTS

GIFTS & HOBBIES

INSURANCE


SUNNY’S LAUNDRY Galerias El Flamenco(behind Zoco) 689 339 095 (page 8)

IBERBRIT LEGAL, La Manga Strip968 337 392 (page 27)

UK WILLS, Chris Thomas968 545 047 (page 9)

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

CD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT968 563 598 (Page 20)

RESORT CHOICE (Resort La Manga) Mar de Cristal, 968 545 204 (pages 6/7)

CD PROPERTY SALES968 563 598 (Page 20)

MURCIA VILLAS S.L. C/Mayor, Los Belones968 137 372 Mobile: 619 415 561www.murciavillaslamanga.com

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 33)

A TIME 4 A CHANGE, Quality used furniture,El Algar - 968 136 501 (page 14)

DJ’S MINI MART Los Belones 617 029 321 (page 28)GUD AZ NEW, New & used furnitureGalerias el Flamenco 697 545 693 (page 3)

HONDAMAR SupermercadoPlaya Honda 968 56 43 68 (page 13)

JAN’S UK FASHION, Galerias el Flamenco660 79 25 13 (Page 3)LA TIENDA DE SEGUNDA MANO(Second hand shop) Los Belones (page 13)

MISSING LINKS (Cornish Pride)Los Belones (page 14)620 562 973 / 650 267 650

THE CORNER SHOP English SupermarketLos Belones 650 638 726 (page 35)

e.g. ESSENTIAL SERVICES La Manga, 679 979 962 / 608 836 392

SIGNS & GRAPHICS, La Manga, 667 821 082 (page 22)

MARIA LINARES Spanish Lessons968 133 331 / 678 936 110 (page 12/13)

CABO MANGA Ctra Cabo de PalosLa Manga 968 146 364 (page 22)

AQUA ADICTA968 545 193 / 659 434 811 (page 34)

MAR MENOR SEA SCHOOL968 143 718 / 695 326 184 (page 28)

PAWSON PAINTBALL, Granja Park,Alumbres, Cartagena - 642 210 130 (page 26)

WORKMAN International Marine SchoolPuerto Tomas Maestre968 142 423 / 654 771 708

VALERIE’S NOVIAS, bridal gowns &Accessories, C/Mayor 9, Pilar de Horadada966 766 689 (page 39)

SPANISH LESSONS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

PROPERTY SALES

RETAIL

LEGAL & FINANCIAL SERVICES

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

LAUNDRY SERVICES

PROPERTY SERVICES

SIGNS & GRAPHICS

SECURITY

VETERINARY SERVICES

PHOTOGRAPHERS

WEDDING SHOPS


Across1. Man's felt hat (7)5. It was (4)8. Radical (7)9. Wool fat (7)10. Spendthrift (7)12. Loud, rushing noise (6)15. Encroach (5)18. Instructed (6)20. Yorkshire town (7)23. Rotate (7)25. Thin coating of metal (7)26. Pace (4)27. Nightgown (7)Down1. Empty (6)2. Morning (4)3. Unfasten (7)4. Valleys (5)5. A tenth part (5)6. Removing faults (8)7. Erodes (5)11. Agreement (4)13. Cloudy (8)14. Sharpen (4)16. Dividing into two equalparts (7)17. Silhouette (5)19. From that place (6)21. Scrimp (5)22. Inert elemental gas (5)24. Ultimate (4)

TIME FOR A BREAK

CROSSWORD

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)

FOR SALEFirewire IEEE 1394 cableKobishi, 4.0 m, €9.Firewire IEEE 1394 cable4 pin to 4 pin, 3.0m, €5Firewire 6 Pin Coupler €52.5” to 3.5” HDD conver-sion kit €5.PCI IEEE 1394 host card,3 port, €15 SVHS plug to SVHS plugGold, 3.0m €5Serial Link Cable, 1.8m,for data transfer between2 PCs, 9 & 25 way Femaleeach end €6Partition Magic 7.0,boxed, unregistered €15Backup MyPC 4.81,boxed, unregistered €10Headset, padded earpads,flexible mic, inline volumecontrol, ideal for DJs €6Belkin USB 10/100 ether-net adapter €8Jettec inkjet refill kits, incCanon 5 colour, Canonblack, Epson, HP andLexmark - 16 sets plusextras, €6 each or all for€40 Tel: 667 821 082 La Manga area

Plancha - 3 phase Pro-liteCommercial Plancha, per-fect working order €300ovnoKaraoke Player - RSQ,plays cdg, vcd, cds etc€150Sony Mini Disc Player€50Beko Fridge Freezer, asnew €150Mountain Bike - Curtis 28speed, Full suspension,disc brakes etc, nearlynew €125For more details or toview Tel: 968 146 400

New keyboard, mouse &speaker set Tsunami 3in1€10 Tel: 968 145 572Playa Paraiso

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Restaurant/Bar Lease forsale, main strip LaManga, fully refurbishedincluding electrics, fur-nished and trading well,includes 3 bed apartment,all sensible offers consid-ered tel 648 044 551 formore details.

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

FurnitureBought & Sold

New and used,from single Items

to a full house. Call now:

Ray 697 545 693

Attention / Calling all bars"Suzyq's

quiz nights"Does your bar need a quiz night,“play your cards right” night etc

Contact Sue on 667711 226655 221133

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 with me,with all home comforts.

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

Established 4 years, References availableTel Joanne 620 460 557


Some of the best times to go out walking and bird spotting are during the early morn-ing and evening when many birds are most active. They get out at this time to feed,as there are many airborne insects available for food.

The birds I am going to write about this week all feed on the wing, diving and swoop-ing for insects, they are; Swallows, Swifts and Martins.

Swallows are largest of thethree birds, with distinctiveelongated tail feathers whichcan easily be seen while theyperch on a wire or post.

Swifts are the next smallest.They are totally brown incolour and virtually neverperch. They can remain in

the air for months, even years at a time and only cometo land to breed.

House Martins are the smallest of the three and are often mistaken for Swifts. Theydart around in the air catching insects and have a very similar habit, however unlikeSwifts; they can be seen perching on wires.They have a white underbelly which can clearly be seen when they are flying.

All three birds use buildings for nesting.Swallows normally nest inside buildings andthey frequently use farm outbuildings. HouseMartins make mud-pellet nests on the outsideof a building, usually under the eaves of theroof and Swifts use feathers to line their nestswhich they often make in cavities high up onbuildings, though they will also use cavities incliffs in remote areas.

You will frequently spot all these birds over reed beds in theevening, as they are areas rich with insects. They may alsobe seen on the islands of the Mar Menor and the open landnear Estrella de Mar, Mar de Cristal and Playa El Vivero atthe bottom of the La Manga strip.

Lesley Singleton, Aqua Adicta

Swallow

HouseMartin

Swift


Clodagh and Dick's books are designed to help you make the most productive use of your gardenspace. 'Your Garden in Spain', 'Growing HealthyVegetables in Spain' and 'Growing Healthy Fruit inSpain' are available from Bookshops or direct fromthe publisher on 952-485838 or www.santanabooks.com.

Don’t Waste Money This Year!By Clodagh and Dick Handscombe, Holistic gardeners

and gardening authors, living in Spain for over twenty years.

For many people May is the majorplanting month of the year, when gardencentres and local markets are packedwith enticing plants, some of which willprove to be sensible buys and others anexpensive short term luxury.Before you venture out to the gardencentre do a little planning.Ask yourself:What gaps are there from last year? Did the plants die because they were notdrought resistant, frost resistant or weredamaged by gale force wind or saltspray?How successful were our windowboxes and containers last year?Were they colourful throughout thesummer and late autumn? What plantings should we repeatand what should we change?What are sensible choices wherewe want a change?Over a period of ten years we tried

almost every plant available inorder to write Part Four of

our book 'Your Garden inSpain'. This includes

details of some fourhundred plants withcoloured photographs

and gives details ofwhat are droughtand frost resistant,

those good for containers and by the sea,

those good in the sun and those in theshade, when they flower and their rela-tive sizes etc.Having decided on the plants you want,think twice when you select them.Choose plants with a pot that looks as ifthe root ball inside will be able to sup-port the extent of the green growthabove. For instance if you buy a twometre high Bougainvillea in a ten cen-timetre pot it will have less chance ofquickly establishing itself than if it were

in a twenty centimetre pot.Likewise a large blue

flowered Feliciaperennial plant ina small pot isunlikely to estab-lish itself easilyand give severalyears of pleasure

- look rather for ayounger plant in a

pot that looks rightfor the size.

When buying annuals such as petunias,french marigolds, busy lizzies andportulacas we would rather buy smallinexpensive plants with just one or twoflowers out to indicate their colour thanbuy the largest plant one can see in fullflower. The smaller ones will soonestablish a good root ball and catch upwith the larger plants.

The Big Puzzle

Codebreaker

Puzzle

Solutions

Sudoku


Do prepare good planting soils and composts beforeplanting. There is much advice re this in our book.But for starters recognise that many of today's palmtree fibre composts are not as good as the peat basedones of a decade or two ago. We wished that we hadknown about TerraCottem soil improver, whichreduces watering needs by 50 to 70 percent andincludes useful slow release nutrients. If you arestarting a new garden, about to do a lot of replanting,or want a long lasting display in your terrace pots it'swell worth buying a five or ten kilo container directfrom the distributors - see www.terravida.com. Itmay look expensive at first but one uses very littleper plant and you save on water, lost plants etc.One word of warning about watering. Over wateringprobably kills more plants than under wateringespecially if you constantly feed your plants. Excesswater and fertilizer stimulates fast, weak growththat is more likely to be attacked by insects and fungithan slower stronger growth. If you recognise thatthis is one of your problems try cutting your wateringback by half and your feeding by three quarters - andweak fertiliser solutions are better than strongerones.Over all, garden centres make a lot of money fromyou buying inappropriate plants for the microclimateof your garden, buying large, versus small plants,over using fertilizers and then having to buy insecti-cides and fungicides. A well looked after garden orterrace pots will rarely face major pest problems andif they do occur there are handy ecological solutionsas outlined in our book.Having said all that we hope you all have colourfulgardens this summer.

Advertise Your Business in the Next Issue of

Prices start from just €25Full Page full Colour Advertisements €120

Call now on 968 145 572or email marmenorfocus.com

The

Magazinefor the

Mar Menorarea

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

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

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

AIRPORTS (www.aena.es)Alicante 966 919 000San Javier (Murcia) 968 172 000BUS STATIONSCartagena 968 505 656Murcia 968 292 211San Pedro del Pinatar 968 182 942RAILWAYSFEVE www.feve.es 968 501 172RENFE www.renfe.es 902 240 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 8 - May 2009

Documents

Transcript of Mar Menor Focus Edition 8 - May 2009