Edition 5 Mar Menor Focus Jan/Feb 2009

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

Restaurant & Bar - La Manga Strip

Sunday Carvery now avai lab le luncht ime & eveningDia y Noche

See our Valentines adon the back page

advertise YOUR business with a budget website banner

www.marmenorfocus.es

Issue 5Issue 5Jan/FJan/Feb 2009eb 2009

Murcia– Cradle of Spanish Military Flying by Phillip Bruce - see page 10

Traders Directoryand Index on page 23

Telephone: 968 145 572 the Mar Menor FOCUS2

Murcia Villas are No 1 for property rentals in the Murcia Region specialising in

Property managementLong term rentalsHoliday letsKey holdingProperty salesOff plan property salesSnagging reports

Furniture packsSoft furnishingsPool maintenanceGarden maintenanceAirport transfersAir conditioning installationExtensive marketing for holiday lets

With three offices in the region of Murcia offering a flexible and professional servicefor all your property needs

Murcia Villas La Torre Murcia Villas La Manga Murcia Villas Sucina968 137 372 968 137 372 968 581 062699 568 062 619 415 561 638 382 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.murciavillaslamanga.com www.murciavillassucina.com

Please mention Mar Menor Focus when contacting any of our advertisers

Calle Mayor 53, Los Belones, 30385 Cartagena, [email protected] www.majesticaircon.com

Tel: 968 137 835 Fax: 968 137 839

Majestic Aircon S.L.Air Conditioning Specialists

Domestic Commercial ServicingSpanish and English staff

Excellent References

Quality Air Conditioning Units

Fully qualified engineers

Competitive quotations

3the Mar Menor FOCUS www.MarMenorFocus.es

FEBRUARY SUPER-SALEFOR THE WHOLE OF FEBRUARY

EVERYTHING, YES EEVVEERRYYTTHHIINNGG !! WILL BE EITHER

€5 or €10all your favourite clothes, M&S, BHS, Wallis, Evans

and many more

In store is a huge selection ofLingerie with over 1,000 bra’s, so,

ladies - come along, we are bound to have one for you!

We also have a great selection ofswimwear -

one piece & two piece.

Check out our stock of cards for Birthday, Wedding, Anniversary, Christening

and many more for all occasions.

Sunglasses for the daytime - Glamstraps for those evenings out.

OPEN10am - 2pm Monday - Saturday

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

€5€5 €10€10

€10€10 €5€5


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]

HHaappppyy NNeeww YYeeaarr from MMaarr MMeennoorr FFooccuuss, tthe magazine for the Mar Menor coastal area,

Welcome to our first edition for 2009

We thank our readers for their suggestions andcontributions - with your help we can continueto make the magazine informative and interestingfor everyone. Our website has everything in themagazine, and more! Every edition is archived,so you can always refer back - check it out on

www.marmenorfocus.esWe now offer low cost banner advertising

on our website, also budget webdesign & hosting.


BBEEAAUUTTYY,, NNAAIILLSS && BBOODDYY CCLLIINNIICCNEW YEAR! NEW YOU!

Day Clinic With Dr Helena BensonCarrying out treatments including -

Semi PermanantMake Up

Eyebrows, lip liners, & eye liners,wake up with perfect make-up,

lasts up to 5 yearsWrinkle Fillers

Get rid of smoking lines & kiss thin lips goodbye

RadiesseDermal filler for deep laughter lines

and facial contouringSkin Peels

For younger looking skin anduneven pigmentation

Spider Vein Removal on the LegsTreatment with sclerotherapy

Localised Fat & Cellulite Reductionwith mesotherapy

NEXT DAY CLINIC 24th FEBBook early to avoid dissapointment

Limited SpacesTel: Julie 697 363 469

Lou 638 300 656www.tranquility.es

Open Tues - Fri 10 - 4, Sat 10 - 2

Anti-ageing TreatmentsWe all know that the secret to beautifulskin starts with a healthy diet, regular exer-cise and a balanced lifestyle. However, theinevitable effects of ageing combined withthe additional factors of sun exposure,smoking, poor diet and stress all eventual-ly take their toll. With the accumulativeaffects of ever-faster life styles, less thanideal health and diet regimes, and thestresses and strains of every day life, dete-rioration in the condition of your skin can-not be entirely blamed on ageing.

Facial rejuvenation without surgery maybe the best alternative to invasive therapy.Treatments with wrinkle fillers can becomepart of your grooming routine, like going tothe hairdresser or doing your nails.

Line & wrinkle treatments have been usedas cosmetic treatments since the late1980's, revolutionising the cosmetic indus-try, due to its remarkable results combinedwith very few risks and no recovery time.Wrinkle Relaxing injections have beenused to treat millions of patients worldwideand is the world's most popular NonSurgical treatment.

For more information or to make yourappointment, call now on 697 363 469 or 638 300 656

TRANQUILITY

Galerias el Flamenco, 26 Gran Via,Exit 40, La Manga del Mar Menor

(behind Zocos)

Dr Helena Bensonis the director of theAdvanced BeautyClinic in Londonestablished in 1998.She is a member ofthe Dental, Facial andAesthetic Association,Network-Lipolysis andInternational Institutefor Anti-aging. DrBenson is a regular guest on radio talkshows and she is the founder of theLondon School of Permanent Make-up.

Day Clinic Now Available at

Tranqu i l i t y


Murcia Villas SL is the number 1 forProperty Management, Sales and Lettings inthe Costa Calida area of Spain. We are theonly company in the Region to offer ourclients a "one stop shop" for the purchase,management and letting of their property.An unrivalled, dedicated marketing teamensures that the maximum potential isachieved for each and every property man-aged by the Murcia Villas group. OurManagement and maintenance teams areon hand to make sure that the process ofproperty management and maintenance isseamless and painless and caters for ourclients property needs.

With three existing busy offices we are look-ing now to expand the business further tocope with the demands created by the newGolf Course Resorts which are completingand up and coming in our Region of Murcia.

You don't need to speak Spanish to considerthis franchise. We are looking for enthusias-tic people who want a fantastic work/ life bal-ance. You must be able to move to or to livein Spain to start the franchise and no previ-ous experience is necessary.

We will provide a full training package withlots of support. With weekly meetings anddaily contact, you will have all the help youneed to make your new lifestyle in Spain runsmoothly and profitably.

Our franchise will enable you to work fromhome or office in Spain and build up a prof-itable business at an early stage.

If you are looking for a new and excitingbusiness opportunity in the wonderful warmclimate of Murcia with the added bonus ofbeing recession proof, then we are here tohelp you. Investment includes everythingyou'll need to get going: training, marketingpromotion and launch.

Murcia Villas SL was established in 2002 tomanage and let of properties purchased byUK clients in the region of Murcia. Our ded-icated systems are easy to use and quick to

learn. Our property maintenance team areon hand to help with maintenance issuesand our bilingual staff can assist with mattersthat need fluent Spanish.

Our unique marketing and advertising strat-egy and experience in this area means thatwe can deliver the best results and financialreturns to our property owners and provideour guests with excellent quality modernaccommodation at very reasonable prices.We have developed strategies to provide theowner with more whilst the guest pays less,and all without compromising our commis-sion in the middle.

Holiday lettings and long term rentals alike,we can assess the marketing situation andoffer property owners an honest and realisticassessment of their anticipated rentalincome.

Training and SupportWe provide a full 3 week training course.During this we will visit the other offices tosee how their operation is run and at the endof the course we will leave you to run one ofthe offices for 2 days and deal with the dayto day issues. Once you are establishedand confident in running the business andmanaging the properties and clients we willhave a further 2 days course dedicated tomarketing the properties. Until that point themarketing of your properties is done byHead Office until you are confident to takeup the reins.

Daily phone calls, emails and assistance areavailable from Head office and our bilingualstaff.

If you are looking for a business which ishighly client focused, dealing with peopleand assisting them with all aspects of theirproperty needs then this could be the oppor-tunity for you.

Please contact Hugh or Fiona James on 0034 630 877 887 or by email for aprospectus and further [email protected]



This potent cocktail was probablyinvented by Don Beach of Hollywoods Don theBeachcomber restaurant, allegedly to revive the spiritsof a regular who claimed he felt like the living dead!Ingredients

cracked ice cubes 25ml white rum25ml white rum 12.5 ml golden rum12.5ml apricot brandy 50ml pineapple juice1/2 lime juice 2 tspns caster sugar

kiwi fruit & pineapple wedge, cocktail cherry powdered sugar

MethodPut ice in cocktail shaker, add the rums, apricot brandy,lime juice, pineapple juice and sugar and shake to mix.Pour into a chilled old fashioned glass without straining.To decorate, spear the kiwi fruit, cherry and pineapplewith a cocktail stick and place it across the top of theglass. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and serve.

CCoocckkttaaiillCCoocckkttaaiillCCoorrnneerrCCoorrnneerrRecipe courtesy of Q-bar, La Manga Club, Tel: 968 175 317

Zombie



MurciaMurcia –– The Cradle of Spanish Military Flying The Cradle of Spanish Military Flying

The Murcia region has a distinguishedpresence in the history of Spanish mili-tary flying. In fact, the region isdescribed as the “cradle” of the SpanishAir Force.

Flying started at the end of the 19th cen-tury with exhibitions by balloonists atthe bull rings of the region and from thenonwards may towns and other areasplayed a part in the history of Spanishaviation.

The Spanish Air Force had a presence atLos Alcázares, on the shores of theinland sea, the Mar Menor, since 1915when it operated flying boats. A majorbase developed at San Javier, nearby,and in 1943 this became the home of theAcademy General of the Air, which stilltrains pilots, crew and other personnel.

Distinguished studentsinclude His MajestyKing Juan Carlos, whostudied fromSeptember 1958 to July1959 and received hiswings at the July 15,1959, graduation cere-mony. His RoyalHighness Prince Felipede Borbon, studied atthe academy duringthe 1987/88 academicyear and was commis-sioned as a Lieutenanton July 10, 1989.

Alcantarilla, a little tothe southwest ofMurcia City, is knownto generations ofSpanish parachutistswho have trained thereat the Military

P a r a c h u t eSchool, whichdates back to1947. This isstill very active.The town ofTotana is hometo Number 13A i rReconnaissanceSquadron.

However, mili-tary aircrafthave been seenin the skies atone time oranother at many other places aroundMurcia. Cieza, Fuente Alamo, Lorca, ElPalmar, La Aparecida and El Carmoliare amongst the places that have playeda part in the history of military aviation.

Against this back-ground, the SpanishAir Force also has agreat debt to the regionof Murcia as home toJuan de La Cierva, oneof the greatest figuresin aeronautical engi-neering in the world.The design of the heli-copter was based onhis autogiro, developedduring vacations inVerdolay.

During 2006 theSpanish Air Force paidtribute to Murcia, andcelebrated with anextensive programmeof aeronautical activi-ties under the titleMurcia – Our Cradle.

Photos and article courtesy of Phillip Bruce find out more at

www.discoveringcartagena.com

by Phillip Bruce



ArdlyArrods

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 primeros de enero es el momento cuando casi todas las actividades empiezan otra vez,como clases de baile, gimnasio, natación, etc

Now it´s the time to start any Spanish activity such as dancing, gymnasium, swimming,yoga,etc, Imagine that you want to get fit, then you have to go to your local POLIDEPORTIVO.

Example of a useful dialogue to join any activity:

You: Hola buenos dias, quiero apuntarme al gimnasio = I´d like to join the gym.

Recepcionista: Si, digame. ¿En que puedo ayudarle? = How can I help you?

You: ¿Cuánto cuesta la matricula ? = How much is the registration fee?

Recepcionista: Ahora en enero es gratuita = now in January registration is free.

You: ¿Cuánto cuesta al mes ? = How much is it per month?

Recepcionista: Son 60 Euros al mes = 60 Euros per month

You: ¿Que tipo de clases ofrecéis? = What classes do you have?

Recepcionista: Tenemos aeróbic, mantenimiento, musculación, yoga, pilates ect = we have aerobics, maintenance, muscle training etc

You: Me puedes dar un programa con todas las actividades y los horarios= Can I have your program with all the activities and the timetable?

Recepcionista: Aqui lo tiene= here it is.

You: Muchas gracias. tengo que ver el programa y ya les llamaré. = Thank you. I will look at the program then I will call you.

Just choose any activity and you will be learning Spanish at the same time, in any activity youwill be meeting Spanish people.

OS DESEO UN PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO = I WISH YOU A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

If one of your New Year resolutions for 2009 is to learn Spanish, please let me help you. I will start to work again on the 7th January 2009.

NEW ONE-TO-ONE IMMERSION COURSE AVAILABLE

If you are interested please contact me on: phone : 968 546 859 / 678 936 110

or email me on: [email protected], website: www.open-spanish.com

Maria Linares Spanish teacher


Time to join any Spanish activity


WWhat arre yourr new yearr'ss rressolutionss??To get in sshape and sstarrt taking carre offyourrsselvess a little morre??

Well we thought we'd give you a littleinspiration by asking 2 Mar MenorFocus readers to attend a day of fitnessand pampering courtesy of the health &beauty experts. Here's how they got on:-

It's years since we've stepped foot in agym or beauty salon, but we felt instant-ly relaxed with the lovely staff at Shape& Tone and Revive Health & Beauty inLos Alcazares.

First up was the hard work.

After a full consultation with Paul &Charlotte the owners of Shape & Tonethey explained that we were to completea circuit on the toning tables, 6 powerassisted tables each lasting 5 minutes. Afull body work out in just half an hour,perfect. Each table tightens & tones dif-ferent muscle groups, resulting inincreased mobility, healthier body andthe best bit - inch loss. It's not unusual tolose up to 10" after a course of 12.

I particularly liked the tummycrunch table, 80 sit ups in 5 min-utes and completely effortless.Next up were the power plates or'Wobbler' each 10 minute sessionis equivalent to an hour gym ses-sion, burns around 250 calories,improves circulation, breaks downfat & cellulite and improves bal-ance. My husband is a keen golferand has found that he hasincreased his core muscles andadded greater lower body stabilitywhich has improved his golf game,to his surprise & delight.

Next up wasthe relaxation.

Sarah the ther-apist recom-mended aDermalog icafacial. Tuckedup on thecouch I wastreated to afabulous treatment. As my skin was

slightly dehydrat-ed, I had a deepmoisturising treat-ment using theamazing CaciFuture - Tec systemunique to the MarMenor area, I wasinformed thatSarah is also a reg-istered Caci non-surgical face liftingtherapist, some-thing I'm definitely

going to consider in the future.

As my husband suffers terribly withsinus pain and trapped ear wax, he went

for the Hopi ear candletreatment, a natural, pain-less way of syringing theears combined with a Thaiback & shoulder massage,which he described as "sim-ply amazing".

A great day, we felt fantas-tic and signed up for ourShape & Tone sessionsthere & then.

Thanks to Mar MenorFocus for a great day…


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

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)

Monday to Saturday


The aim of the sudoku puzzle is to insert num-bers in the boxes so that: each row, columnand 3x3 box contain one each of thedigits 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




Children & Vegetarian Menus availableFootball shown on our Large Screen TV

Open 11.00am - midnight, Tuesday 7.30 - midnight

DDaavvee aanndd CCllaaiirr wwiisshh aallll tthheeiirr ccuussttoommeerrss aa HHaappppyy NNeeww YYeeaarr..

Small Breakfast €5.00Big Breakfast €7.50

Served 11.00 to 1.00pm, Wednesday - Monday(except Sundays)

New Lunchtime & Evening MenusMenú del día Monday, Wednesday & Thursday

3 course served 1pm-3pm 5€* * * * * * * * *

TUESDAY Night is Bingo Bobopen at 7.30 eyes down from 9.00pm

WEDNESDAY Night3 Course Menu, €7 plus Free Quiz for diners

(€2 per person if not dining)followed by Race Night on the big screen

First prize of €50, plus Booby PrizeTHURSDAY Night - Steak & Ale Pie

Famous FRIDAY Night Freshly battered Cod & Chip nightHaddock can be pre ordered

also available every lunch time €9.00SATURDAY Daytime - half fresh roast chicken & chips €6

SUNDAY ROAST served 2pm - 8pm 2 course €10, 3 course €12, with free top ups on meat, veg etc

plus free bottle of house wine with any two diningChild price €7

booking advisable

Cats and dogs have differentfeeding needs and habits,which are important to know,so as to give the very best toour pets.

Your dog is in the order carnivora, although as itdoes eat other foods apart from meats it can beconsidered to be omnivorous, even though itdigests animal proteins better than vegetable pro-teins.

A cat is strictly carnivorous, theoretically onlyeating meat from the prey it hunts. That is why‘processed’ or formulated commercial cat foodscontain high levels of energy and protein. Catsare much more demanding than dogs when theychoose their food and they can ‘fast’ for a longtime if it is not to their liking.

The sense of smell is fundamental in feeding: adog sniffs, smells and then swallows its food. It iscapable of distinguishing between sweet, salty,bitter or acid food. A dog, contrary to a cat, nor-mally swallows its food without chewing it.

The smell of food is very important fora cat to be ‘attracted’ to it, for this rea-son the aroma of commercially pro-duced cat food is as important astaste, texture and physical form.

Cats drink the same amount of water, regardlessof the food they eat or the season – they normal-ly ‘ration’, or control, water consumption, whilstdogs drink a lot more.

Cats are not normally so fond of sweet productsas dogs, and those little treats, particularly thosegiven to dogs, should only be given sparingly toprevent obesity in your pets.

The majority of cats and dogs like the taste ofmilk, but even though it is a source of calcium,proteins and vitamins, it can cause diarrhoea dueto the high lactose content.

Finally, a cat’s sense of taste is only slightlydeveloped, compared to man. Whilst man has9,000 taste buds (and dog has 7,000) a cat hasonly 470 – that is why the smell of their food ismore important than the taste.


Feeding Cats & Dogs


Gala Dinner Dance& Grand Prize Draw

A Gala Dinner & Dance, and Grand Prize Draw, will be held on Saturday 14th Februaryat the Hyatt Hotel in La Manga Club, and it is set to be a Valentines night to remember.

This is a charitable event, hoping to raise 18,000€ to help pay for medical treatmentsfor Richard Fleming Horner, of the Costa Calida Informer. Richards is well known, andliked by all those who know him.

The gala dinner dance has been organised by Peter Clarke, of Legs and Co, Spain.Below is a list of what will happen on the night. Most will agree this should be a won-derful evening, and hopefully the proceeds can be used to hit the target. The tickets arefor sale at 40€ each, which as you can see below, is a real bargain.

For the Grand prize draw: 10,000 tickets have been printed, to sell at 1€ each. This alone will raise half the target if they are all sold. These are available from variousoutlets.

7.00 pm guests arrive

7.15 Legs & Co. fashion show organised by Zigi

8.00 3 course dinner with a drink and live music

9.00 Speech by celebrity (TBC)

9.30 Auction by Maurice Boland from REM FM

10.30 Disco

This will not be a sad affair, but a really nice night with the emphasis being onValentines day. The tables are to seat 10 people, and it is hoped that some companiesor groups will book a table for 10. There is a strict capacity of 300 seats, so please getin touch asap to reserve your tickets.

Companies who would like to donate prizes for the grand prize draw, items to be auc-tioned, or simply advertise their business on the night, should contact Peter Clarke atLegs & Co. either by email at [email protected] or telephone on 660170355Peter will also be happy to tell you the nearest outlet to buy tickets.

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oorr eemmaaiill:: iinnffoo@@mmaarrmmeennoorrffooccuuss..eess

We are going to kick off the New Year with some "cred-it crunching" recipes to try and make your moneystretch just a little further in these rather worryingtimes and the first recipe this year is for a blindingWinter Fish Stew, perfect for those on a budget andwhats more, its quick and easy to do.

Ingredients:700g/1½lb white fish fillets - whatever is available andlooks good, a mixture of fish is fine500g/1 lb 2oz mussels or clams350g/12oz cleaned squid, cut into rings (optional, butan excellent addition)4 shallots, thinly sliced3 cloves garlic, chopped1 tbsp coriander seeds2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 x 400g/14oz tins chopped tomatoes2 tbsp tomato purée1-2 tbsp sugar3 tbsp Pernod or Noilly Prat2 strips dried orange peel (fresh peel will not be asgood. To make your own leave some strips of zest to dry ona wire rack for a few days then keep in an airtight jar)1 chunky sprig of thyme300ml/½ pint fish stocksaltfreshly ground black pepperrice or crusty bread, to serve

Method:1. Cut the fish fillets into pieces about 4cm/1.5inacross. 2. Scrub the mussels clean, pull away any beards andrinse thoroughly in cold water. Throw away any thathave broken shells.3. Mussels that are gaping open should be tappedfirmly on the work surface. If they close up they arefine, but if they remain open discard them.4. If using clams, rinse thoroughly and discard anythat do not close when tapped firmly.5. Cook the shallots, garlic and coriander seeds gentlyin the oil until the shallots are tender and translucent. 6. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar,Pernod or Noilly Prat, orange peel, thyme and a little

salt and freshly ground black pepper, simmer downuntil thick.7. Stir in the fish stock and bring to the boil. Simmer fortwo minutes, taste and adjust seasoning. The stewbase is now ready.8. Shortly before you wish to eat, bring the base backto the boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook for aboutthree minutes.9. Then add the fish and the squid, cover again andsimmer gently for a final 2-3 minutes until the musselsor clams have all opened (discard any that stay firmlyshut).10. Serve straight away in large bowls with rice orwarm, crusty bread.

There you go, quick, simple, wholesome and inexpen-sive, and as usual a little bit of light humour entitled

"Why is fishing better than making love"

When you go fishing and you catch something, that's good. If you're making love and you catch something, that's bad.

Fish don't compare you to other fishermen, and don't want to know how many other fish you caught.

In fishing you lie about the one that got away.In loving you lie about the one you caught.

You can catch and release a fish, you don't have tolie, and promise to still be friends after you let it go.

You don't necessarily have to change your line to keep catching fish.

You can catch a fish on a 20-cent frozen squid.If you want to catch a woman you're talking dinnerand a movie minimum.

Fish don't mind if you fall asleep in the middle of fishing.

Ok, thats about all for this time folks,

Take care till next time Andy


A Chef’s Eye ViewHi my name is Andy Taylor and I am Chef/Proprietor at Dia y Noche Restaurant, La Manga. Welcome to the first editionof Chefs Rant for 2009, and may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy, healthy and of course prosporousNew Year from myself and all here at Dia y Noche, we truly hope that your festive period was an enjoyable one and Santabought you all you wished for.

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]

Majestic Aircon S.L.AIR CONDITIONING Specialists. 968 137 835 Fax: 968 137 839email: [email protected] (page 2)

BAR APICOCO Playa Honda 968 563 958 (Pages 18/19)BAR EL SOL Plaza CavannaLa Manga Strip, 968 563 899 (page 7)

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

BRAMBLES BAR Playa Honda610 622 249

DIA y NOCHE Urb Nuevo Puerto Bello 11968 146 400 (Page 31 & back page)

FRESCO BISTRO / FRESCO LOUNGEOpp. Mercadona, Los Alcazeres

JAN’S LOUNGE Los belones968 137 256

PADDYWACKS IRISH BARLa Manga Strip 968 563 648

PEPE’S BAR Mar de Cristal (page 29)

Restaurante EL SABINAR Los Belones968 137 865

Restaurante JULIETTA Playa Honda968 564 552

Restaurante MARC’O POLOGalerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco)968 102 169

SINATRAS Tapas Bar Pto Thomas Maestre616 110 678 (page 25)

Q-BAR La Manga Club968 175 317

Restaurante SAN REMO Plaza Bohemia, La Manga 968 140 813

TRANQUILITY Galerias El Flamenco (behindZoco) 697 363 469 (page 5)

REVIVE Health & BeautyLos Alcazares 618 111 398 (page 15)

SHAPE & TONELos Alcazares 661 002 648 (page 15)

Specialist Vehicles (GB) Ltd968 146 158

Confay Motors Ltd968 539 070

IBERCAR La Manga 607 900 655 (page 12)

SUNNY PC Los Belones 968 569 191 (Page 8)

CHRIS COMPUTER SERVICES968 564 416 or 639 262 531 (page 9)

Clinica Dental ALEMANA La Manga968 175 300

JUDY’S GIFT SHOP, C/Mayor, Los Belones968 569 235 (Page 11)

AIR CONDITIONING

BARS & RESTAURANTS

CAR DEALERS

BEAUTY & NAILS

CAR & VAN HIRE

COMPUTING

DENTISTS


GIFTS & HOBBIES

David Mason Insurance ServicesLos Belones 968 137 719 / 659 226 112 (page 11)

Richard Howard Insurance Services,Los Belones 968 13 72 59 (Page 9)email:[email protected]

SUNNY’S LAUNDRY Galerias El Flamenco(behind Zoco) 686 750 190

IBERBRIT LEGAL, La Manga Strip968 337 392 (inside back page)

CD Property Management968 563 598 (Page 17)

OPI, Avenida de la Fuente, Los Belones968 137 448 (inside back page)

Resort La MangaMar de Cristal, 968 545 204

CD Property Sales968 563 598 (Page 17)

Murcia Villas S.L. C/Mayor, Los Belones968 137 372 Mobile: 619 415 561www.murciavillaslamanga.com (page 2)

VECOS, Rentals & SalesGalerias El Flamenco (behind Zoco) 968 140 957

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

Sunny’s Services Galerias El Flamenco(behind Zoco) 686 750 190

ARDLY ARRODS, Quality used furniture,El Algar - 968 136 501 (page 12)

GUD AZ NEW, New & used furnitureGalerias el Flamenco 697 545 693 DJ’S MINI MART Los Belones617 029 321 (page 11)

HONDAMAR SupermercadoPlaya Honda 968 56 43 68 (page 8)

LEGS & CO, Galerias el Flamenco660 79 25 13 (Page 3)

MISSING LINKS (Cornish Pride)Los Belones (page 12)620 562 973 / 650 267 650

THE CORNER SHOP English SupermarketLos Belones

TRENDS Boutique, Cabo de Palos (page 8)

e.g. ESSENTIAL SERVICES La Manga, 679 979 962 / 608 836 392 (page 11)

PA & CHU La Manga, 617 468 090

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

CABO MANGA Ctra Cabo de PalosLa Manga 968 146 364 (page 20)

Aqua Adicta968 545 193 / 659 434 811 (page 30)

Mar Menor Sea School968 143 718 / 695 326 184

Workman International Marine SchoolPuerto Tomas Maestre968 142 423 / 654 771 708 (page 25)

SPANISH LESSONS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

PROPERTY SALES

RETAILINSURANCE

LEGAL & FINANCIAL SERVICES

WATER SPORTS

LAUNDRY SERVICES


PROPERTY SERVICES

SIGNS & GRAPHICS

SECURITY

VETERINARY SERVICES




Across

1 Kind of treat6 "The Thief of Bagdad" star10 "Death in Venice" author14 Video game pioneer15 Semiprecious gem16 Busy as __17 Less covered18 Stallone movie19 Excellent review20 Barber's work21 Checked23 Rick's love in"Casablanca"25 Distance runners26 Omnia __ amor29 Plunder31 Turned off33 Big Apple law enforcers

37 Min. fraction38 __ Moses41 History chapter42 Company hotshot44 Was like46 Helpful suggestions49 Italian brandy50 Display ostentatiously53 Prison54 Ferber novel57 Ballroom dance61 Cosmologist Sagan62 Swing around63 Private detective64 Genuine65 German-Polish borderriver66 One for whom playmeans work67 Transmitted

68 Grows sleepy69 Prepare

Down1 Light touches2 Beehive State3 "Gone With The Wind"plantation4 Fissure5 Mercenary6 Oprah's "The ColorPurple" role7 Neat as __8 Lively party9 Last month

10 Opera singer Horne11 Die down12 At no time13 Has to have22 Rein check24 School reward26 Arrangement holder27 Holm oak28 Pleasant29 Two-time Czech presi-dent30 Bookie's quote32 Bakery product

34 Canine cry35 Kind of school36 Absurd art39 Large prefix40 Center of the Sikh faith43 Wreath or garland for thehead45 Remainder47 Sweet-as-apple-cider girl48 Author Algren50 Early Britons51 Not __ in the world52 Later showing53 Taunts55 Actor Ray56 Prompted58 N in N.B.59 Virtuous60 C & W showplace

TIME FOR A BREAK

The Big Puzzle


Cala Cortina in CartagenaCala Cortina in CartagenaOn a sunny day in November we visitedCala Cortina in Cartagena. We'd seen thebeach in the distance from the dive boat afew times and promised we'd take a day tovisit. Being fairwater divers, Novemberwas a little too chilly for a trip under thesea, so it seemed a great opportunity to tryout a new beach and perhaps a little lunchin the only restaurant. We're very glad wemade the trip!

When you get down to Cartagena headtowards Santa Lucia, not the most salubri-ous bit of town, so keep going rightthrough, past the working port keeping thesea to your right hand side, heading east.About 3 minutes later you'll come to thefirst of the three tunnels.

As soon as you see the tourist signs herald-ing Cala Cortina, slow right down and lookfor the car park on the right hand (sea)side. Do not follow the signs to the left anddown to the car park at the bottom. Unlessof course you enjoy doing 17 point turns orhave an amphibian vessel!

From the top car park you get a spectacu-lar view of the natural harbour and cliffs.No doubt this is a lover's hangout afterdark, with the views to the sea and the lackof other people to disturb you.

A short 80 steps down (sorry, I didn't countthem, there might be more!) brings you tothe well-equipped beach. There are swingsand a mini playground for the children,showers, parasols and a bar / restaurant(I'll come to that later!) It's a small beachand I guess it will be very busy in summer.A short stroll towards the east brings youto the joining beach, where I believe youcan sunbathe naked - though I guess it's abit too nippy in November.

The sand is artificial and very well main-tained. Just out to sea a few metres is arock cluster which acts as a natural spring-

board for the adventurous. And of course,you'll always find somebody fishing.

Now to the restaurant, Mares Bravas. Inhigh season reserve a table for lunch,unless of course you want to eat at 5 in theafternoon. Being hungry Brits we turnedup looking for a table at 1.30 and had ourpick of the sea views on the terrace. By2pm it was heaving. It's open all year, butthey close to give the staff a rest onMondays. Give them a call - RestauranteMares Bravas - 968 12 24 35 or have a lookon their website (the music is very bad)http://www.infoeuropa.net/web/mares-bravas/

The chef suggestsarroz con bogavante(rice with lobster) ypaella de marisco(seafood paella). Wehad prawns in garlicfor starters followedby a different fisheach - just for fun.

Everything wascooked to perfectionand the service wasattentive andrelaxed.

One of our party doesn't eat seafood, so ourtrip to a "seafood" restaurant could havebeen disastrous, but no, they provided aperfectly cooked piece of pork. So we wereall happy!

The price was excellent, under 100 eurosfor 4 people for Saturday lunch, includingbeer.

After lunch and the obligatory paddle inthe sea, we drove further along the coast tohave a look at the industrial works at theEscombreras natural gas refinery - quite asight!

Debbie Jenkins is co-author of "Going Native in Murcia" and author of"Buying Property in Murcia".

Find out more at www.nativespain.com

by Debbie Jenkins


Christmas is a time for giving, and that iscertainly what lots of local people did thisyear.

Hampers overflowing with Christmascheer, along with other festive goodieswere raffled by the Novo Carthago Bar LosUrrutias, Brambles Bar Playa Honda,Fuego's Bar Los Urrutias and the Celt Barin Los Alcázares who between them man-aged to raise a staggering €1570 for theCancer Support Group (MABS) Murcia.

"Even with the economic downturn, peoplehave been very generous in supporting usthis year" remarked MABS volunteer,Lesley, who visited all the bars to thankthem for their continuing help and support.

MABS Group Co-ordinator, Lyn Baines,

said "We have lots of events to look for-ward to in the new year, including a SpringDance at Las Claras in March, an auctionand, of course, our second Race for Life,which we are confident will raise even moremoney this year as many bars and localbusinesses want to run in fancy dress andhave a real FUN-RUN!.

We really appreciate all the efforts made onour behalf which enable us to continue tohelp cancer patients and their families."

MABS MURCIA is always looking for volun-teers who could perhaps spare a few hoursto help look after cancer patients, drivethem to appointments etc., or just be therefor a chat or a bit of help in the home. If youwant to volunteer, donate or you need help,you can contact MABS on 693 275 779 orvisit our website: www.mabsmurcia.com

A MASSIVE THANK YOU FROM MABS MURCIA


This month I have chosen to write about two birds both classed as "Waders". TheAvocet and Black-Winged Stilt are both common around the Mar Menor. Like otherWaders they have very long legs in proportion to their bodies, this enables them towade out into the water to feed.

Avocets actually have much in common with Flamingos, though you wouldn't thinkso to look at them. Both Flamingos and Avocets are found in very saline water andfeed off brine shrimp and tiny invertebrates which live in it. Both have hooked bills,designed to sweep through the water to catch food. Finally, both have very long legsand like to stand on only one to relax!

As you can see from the picture they are very elegantbirds, quite distinct in appearance from any other.They are often seen in large groups, though this isnot always the case. Although you will be more like-ly to see them on the Salinas in San Pedro or PlayaParaiso, you may also see them on the Mar Menor.

The second bird I am going to consider today is theBlack-Winged Stilt. I have chosen this bird as it isfound in similar situations to the Avocet and has sim-ilar colouring. The Black-winged Stilt has exceptionally long legs for its body size. Itcan wade out into quite deep water to feed. It then picks insects off the water sur-face with its long pointed bill.

Although my RSPB bird book tells me both of these birdsare only in this area during the summer, a resident, whohas been keeping records for the past few years, informsme that they may be seen here all year round.

The Salinas are great places to go bird watching.Unfortunately, the Salinas de Marchamalo (PlayaParaiso) are frequently allowed to dry out, this meansthere is less life in the water and therefore less birdscome to feed. It takes a long time for the birds to returneven when the water levels are back to normal.

Lesley SingletonAqua Adicta


Friday 16th Jan saw the Dia y NochePost Christmas Party, an event laid onby Andy & Elaine to thank their cus-tomers for their support over the Xmasperiod, and what a night! doors weresupposed to open at 8.30pm but thequeue of people by 7.30 meant they hadto open early, the evening got of to a fly-ing start with the buffet, courtesy ofAndy & Elaine, and what a feast, Paella,Chilli, Sweet & Sour, you name it, it wasthere and plenty of it!

Next it was on to the entertainment withlive music and entertainment from noneother than Mr. Andy Taylor (yes, theowner of Dia y Noche) who in another lifewas a professional entertainer, and suc-ceeded in getting the crowd dancing andsinging with his popular choice of music.

After a 90 minute set they moved on toKaraoke, where those who wanted to hadtheir own chance to be a superstar. Theevening finally wound down about 2amwith a popular round of sing-a-longsongs enjoyed by all. The evening wassuch a sucessthat Andy &Elaine haveplanned anotherone for 27th Feb,again offeringcomplimentarybuffet, live enter-tainment andkaraoke. Ticketsare limited, so toensure your placecall Andy orElaine at Dia y Noche on 968 146 400 now.

DDiiaa yy NNoocchhee PPoosstt CChhrriissttmmaass PPaarrttyy

Choice of menu for only €7 pp **€2 of which goes straight to Mabs**

Curry & Rice, Chicken & Chips, Burger& Chips or Vegetable Pasta Bake

TV Theme QuizA special edition of "Beer or no Beer"

Body Bingo (work it out for yourselves)Prize raffle with a great selection of

prizesPLUS LOTS MORE

Tickets are limited so call us now toreserve your place

CCoommiinngg uupp aatt DDiiaa yy NNoocchheeWednesday 11th February

CHARITY NIGHT in aid of

Come and join us for a night of fun, games and entertainment with all proceedsgoing to Mabs Charity

Hopefully January brings amonth of sunny if cold weatheras a welcome change to all therain we had in the autumn. Crispsunny days are just what oneneeds to get into the garden towork off the Christmas excesskilos, progress the laying out ofnew gardens and prepare estab-lished gardens for the spring.Luckily the following ten jobswill keep us warm on the coldestof days.1. Get on with the major wintercut back and clean up. Whatneeds doing is explained inChapter 6.9 of Your Garden inSpain.

2. Old olive, almond and citrustrees will need heavy remedialpruning, younger ones and allother fruit trees will require annu-al prunings to stimulate flowersand sizeable fruit this year.Growing Healthy Fruit in Spaindetails what needs doing.

3. Large flowering trees often need amajor pruning every few years to ensurethat they are not too large for the gardenwhile ensuring that they still give suffi-cient shade in the summer.4. If you don't already have one, prepare araised bed or vegetable plot forsowing/planting up from March onwards.A Chapter of Growing Healthy Vegetablesin Spain compares ways of constructingraised beds.

5. Unless it's freezing, January is a goodmonth to lay down terraces or pathswhether with stone slabs or chippings laidover plastic sheeting.6. Ponds and fountains add a special touchto Spanish gardens both by adding therelaxing and cooling sound of runningwater and for water/bog plants with exot-ic summer flowers that need no watering.Now is a good time to dig one out butmake it twice as big as your first plan. Wehave enlarged both ours to ensure that thefish can still be seen when water lilies arefully leaved.7. Hedges are due for a thorough trim aspart of the winter cutback.8. Compost heaps need turning and fillingwith shredded prunings and weeds fromthe winter cut back. Last years fully com-posted heap can now be worked intoflower and vegetable beds and used formulching shrubs and trees.9. Major branches cut from trees need cut-ting, stacking and drying ready for burn-ing next winter in the wood stove.10. If you are an experienced builder, howabout building a garden kitchen ready forthe Easter Monday paella and summerbarbecues.I suspect that's more than enough winterwork for even the most enthusiastic gar-dener handyman! Happy gardening in2009 from the results of your efforts.If you have a special topic you would likeus to cover just send an email to: [email protected] headed Mar Menor Focus Magazine.


Clodagh and Dick have now lived and gardened inSpain for twenty five years. They have collatedmuch of their experience and ideas for your con-venience in a trilogy of books titled Your Garden inSpain, Growing healthy Fruit in Spain andGrowing Healthy Vegetables in Spain. They areavailable from many bookshops and websites or bytelephoning 952-485838 if you have no internet.

By Clodagh and Dick HandscombeWarming Winter GardeningWarming Winter Gardening

The Big Puzzle

Codebreaker

Puzzle

Solutions

Sudoku

There was a pilot flying asmall single engine char-ter plane, with a couple ofvery important executiveson board. He was cominginto Seattle airportthrough thick fog withless than 10m visibilitywhen his instrumentswent out. So he began cir-cling around looking for alandmark. After an houror so, he starts runningpretty low on fuel and thepassengers are gettingvery nervous. Finally, asmall opening in the fogappears and he sees a tallbuilding with one guyworking alone on the fifthfloor.

The pilot banks the planearound, rolls down thewindow and shouts to theguy "Hey, where am I? Tothis, the solitary officeworker replies "You're in aplane." The pilot rolls upthe window, executes a275 degree turn and pro-ceeds to execute a perfectblind landing on the run-way of the airport 5 milesaway. Just as the planestops, so does the engineas the fuel has run out.

The passengers areamazed and one asks howhe did it. "Simple" repliesthe pilot, "I asked the guyin that building a simplequestion. The answer hegave me was 100 percentcorrect, but absolutelyuseless, therefore thatmust be Microsoft's sup-port office and from therethe airport is just a whileaway."

One night, a police officerwas staking out a particu-larly rowdy bar for possi-ble violations of the driv-ing under the influencelaws. At closing time, hesaw a fellow stumble outof the bar, trip on thecurb, and try his keys onfive different cars beforehe found his, then sat inthe front seat fumblingaround with his keys forseveral minutes.

Everyone left the bar anddrove off. Finally, he start-ed his engine and began topull away. The police offi-cer was waiting for him.He stopped the driver,read him his rights andadministered the breatha-lyzer test. The resultsshowed a reading of 0.0.The puzzled officerdemanded to know howthat could be. The driver replied,"Tonight, I'm theDesignated Decoy."

**********Steven Spielberg wasbusy discussing his newaction adventure aboutfamous classical com-posers. Bruce Willis,Sylvester Stallone andArnold Schwarzeneggerwere in the room. "Who doyou want to play?"Spielberg asked BruceWillis. "I've always been abig fan of Chopin," saidBruce. "I'll play him.""And you, Sylvester?"asked Spielberg."Mozart's the one for me!"said Sly. "And what aboutyou?" Spielberg askedArnold Schwarzenegger."I'll be Bach," said Arnie.

The FThe Fun Spotun Spot33the Mar Menor FOCUS www.MarMenorFocus.es

Lost Pilot

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



Iberbrit LegalLegal and Financial Services

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

Winter opening timesTues - Thurs 10am - 2pm

Fri/Sat 10am - 2pm & 7pm - 9pmSunday 10am - 4pm & 7pm - 9pm

€2200peerr peerrson

Bookings now being taken - Tel: 968 146 400 or email: [email protected]

Documents

Edition 5 Mar Menor Focus Jan/Feb 2009