Three out of four of Almuñécar's four-star hotels plan to close until Easter. Hotels Playa, (old Sol Meliá, pictured above), Playacálida, (Taramay/Cabria) and Sol Los Fenicios have all announced their imminent closure for 'building reforms'. This is truly surprising for two reasons: the whole point of having these hotels was to foster the area's off-season, with its enviable climate. Almuñécar doesn't need more people in the summer - the town is already ungovernable, as it is, with its grossly inflated summer occupation.

Secondly, these hotels received preferential treatment and subventions, under the understanding of providing year-round employment. The reason behind all these official (and costly) trips to tourist fairs in London, Paris and Hamburg, etc., was to make the town's economy into a ten month one, at least - not a 30 day one, which is what we currently have.

All hell has broken loose and industrial action is in the air.

We had whiff of this coming bombshell, but to protect our inside source of information, we held off, even going so far as to postpone the print date of the October issue. The news was leaked to the Ideal newspaper on the 1st October, enabling us to publish our information, as well. On Wednesday 29th September the manager of Almuñécar Playa Hotel, (Sol Meliá, San Cristóbal) announced to the department heads of the hotel that the hotel would be closing for building reforms for up to six months, but this was to be kept secret, as it was still not official. The workers are worried because this same excuse has been used before in the hotel sector. Basically, with the excuse of building reforms, they terminate everybody's work contracts, thereby eliminating their 'seniority.' It also means - in the case of Almuñécar, as well - that they can re-hire the staff, when they open, but under inferior working conditions.

But that is only what is happening in this particular hotel. What about Almuñécar's winter tourism? Mayor Benavides praised Sol Meliá's decision to open a hotel in Almuñécar in 2001, because it has an excellent international reputation and caters for class tourism - not 'all-included' package tours.

Sol Meliá leased the building from Comarex, who had built and owned the building. However, the lease was due to expire when Playa Hotels (an Almería-based company) bought the hotel building, effectively terminating Sol Meliá's presence in Almuñécar.

Eliminating Sol Meliá in Almuñécar effectively disposed of all four-star competition in the area. Hotel Bahía, (Taramay) although it is a four-star hotel, isn't really in on the running. What did Benavides say, when we lost the presence of the prestigious Sol Meliá company? He said that it wasn't important.

The PSOE, PA and PP are all proclaiming that class, winter tourism is the future for Almuñécar, but where is it? We have hotels that only open in the hunting season for the rich pickings but are unwilling to stay open in winter when the town's business sector is crying out for trade.

Surely, these hotel companies, before receiving grants, must have committed themselves in writing to year-round operation.

What is the Mayor going to do about it, if they go ahead and close?

Everything now depends on a proposed meeting between the hotel chief and Union representatives.

Beware of people who approach you in little inland villages like Otívar and say, "oh, I have a cortijo that I want to sell!" Apart from the fact that this tactic is that of a 'time-share salesman,' i.e., a studied, casual encounter with a bargain that you just cannot miss, it is also full of pitfalls. I cannot explain why Brits makes such fools of themselves, by doing things that they would never dream of back in the UK. This sought-after, 'gold mine encounter with a little old Spaniard' is like the lottery - winning does exist but the majority of players lose their money. There is someone operating in the Río Verde valley area (Otívar, Jete & Lentegí) who is putting 'gullible hopefuls' in contact with 'gullible locals'.

He does not represent a bona-fide estate agent and I'm not saying this to protect estate agents that advertise with the Seaside Gazette. It is because I am still officially an Otívar resident and my in-laws are Otiveños and it does so mightily piss me off when somebody takes advantage of my adopted home village. Brits are gambling their life's earnings on this sort of thing and it breaks your heart to see somebody end up with a piece of secano, on which they will never be able to build their dream home. Half of these properties don't have deeds. In the space of not even two years things here have changed so fast that it has left everybody out of breath. Imagine what will change in the next two years - the laxity surrounding building permission, for example. Go to a trusted real estate dealer who has a word-of-mouth reputation. Don't be just another stupid guiri, whose actions only confirm what many Spaniards already think - foreigners have more money than sense. Because in many cases, they have a lack of both.

The European Senior Championships for Badminton were held in Almuñécar between the 21st and 26th of last month. Teams from 20 European states took part... well 29 really, because for some obscure reason, Israel was included and by no stretch of the imagination can it be geographically termed as European - tell that to the European Song Contest, right? Scotland and England had separate teams, as well. The categories were split into five different age groups: +40, +45, +50, +55 and +60. The competition was further divided in to men/women & singles/doubles. All told, 400 players took part. In the end the greater part of the 400 lost, a handful won and everybody got sweaty and had showers afterwards... hopefully.

The last time that the town hall had a major overhaul of their computer system was ten years ago - and you can imagine what has happened in the computer world since then! The Ed. remembers that Luis and Fernando, who both worked in the computer department, with its special climate and grumpy computer banks, told him that this baby was hot off the shelves. That was ten years ago. Now it's a relic of a bygone era. Neither of them works in that department now, and we imagine that the soon-to-be discarded computer system will miss them, as it's carted off for cyber euthanasia. Well, the town hall has just splashed out a hefty 234,320 euros on the leasing of a new one from IBM. "The new system, which should be operating within three months, will mean an important advancement for all the municipal offices," explained Miguel Ángel López Ligero, who is the Councillor for Silly Walks... Sorry I mean Councillor for Administrative Organisation. The old system, if you know anything about this sort of thing, was the AS400. Well, the town hall press release speaks of 'Twinax,' 'ThinClient,' and 'Citrix, which all sounds like it has something to do with dual, anorexic lemons, but will mean something completely different and might even be interesting to somebody else.

Roy Nash had a good book-signing session at the Kasbah Bookshop. Loads of people turned up - the shop is spacious and it was full. Roy spent most of his time sat down signing books, which is fine because it is depressing when he stands up, when you are a dwarf like me. Anybody who is even faintly interested in this part of the coast in the 60's, should read this latest book. We published a write up on 'A Home in Andalusia' last month on page 70. Almuñécar and La Herradura had few foreigners before, but most of them were mad or slightly eccentric at best, which was still the case when the Ed. turned up in 81. There are few people around now, who remember the late 60's here: Joyce, Roland, Netty, Philip and Pauline... Copies of the book are available at Kasbah in Almuñécar and WH Smiffs in Nerja.

Yet another press release tells us that the La Herradura-Almuñécar underwater park will be operating as of the end of 2005. The world might have ended by then, but survivors (if that isn't a contradiction) will be able to enjoy the underwater joys of fibreglass Roman villas, plastic sunken galleons and rusting bed frames and refrigerators. Having said that, an Almuñécar-based diving school have been cleaning the seabeds this week - plenty of Smarty points deserved there. This park will extend from El Peñon del Santo (The rock with the cross), across San Cristóbal and Cotobro bay, around the Punta de la Mona, right the way across La Herradura Bay and end at Cantarrijan, which is the provincial border. Quite apart from the sagacity vs. stupidity behind the scheme, as a major tourist attraction, credit must be given for the effort to protect the seabed by building artificial reefs that will provide breeding grounds for our beleaguered marine life.

Gotcha, yer g'ert wazzocks! The Guardia Civil has dismantled a gang of young Almuñequeros who have been stealing all the mopeds and scooters. In fact, this gang is responsible for two equally annoying things: a) the constant attrition of 49cc extremities and motor parts, and b) the races along the seafront roads. Basically, they have financed their illegal road races by 'obtaining' spare parts from unwitting suppliers. They have also been using the access points for the motorway under construction for similar races. Another favourite area for races was the raised tracks along the riverbeds in Rio Verde. The Guardia arrested four youths of between 18 and 22-years-old. Between 20th July and 1st September, the gang had stolen 18 bikes. All of this acquired material was dismantled, fine-tuned, and in the case of exhaust pipes, had bloody great holes knocked into them for sonic, sadism sessions. Some bikes - once the thieves had taken the parts that they were after - were sold on at special bargain prices of 100 or 200 euros. The favourite machines that were targeted were Yamaha, Piaggio and Aprilia, according to the Guardia Civil, who confiscated a total of six bikes, two frames, five number plates, 13 engine blocks, five radiators, 16 carburettors, 32 cylinders, 29 exhaust pipes, ten silencers, 40 cowlings and three boxes of miscellaneous parts... not to mention a partridge in a pear tree. Finally, the Guardia Civil believes that between 30 and 40% of all the bikes of that cylinder range in town have stolen parts.

The summer traffic jams are bad enough without what happened at the beginning of last month. A lorry that had been transporting one of the bridging sections for the motorway managed to get jammed on one of the bends just outside Taramay. The lorry consisted of a rig and bogey with a sod-off girder between them. Actually, what happened was it simply broke down - wouldn't you with 100 metric tons on your back? It was the transfer operation, then, to another lorry that caused mile after mile of tailbacks in both directions. A similar thing happened back in 1984 when a lorry carrying a bridge girder jammed into one of the bends on the old road - if you think the present bends are tight, you should have seen the old road before 1984, when they completed the Motril to Almuñécar stretch. Going back to the hold up last month, fortunately, the Guardia Civil always has a unit to accompany such loads in case of problems, so within minutes they were letting people past one direction at a time. Even so, the queue stretched ten kilometres in both directions.

The rains are just round the corner and accordingly 100kms of rural tracks are being prepared for the slippery onslaught. Actually, it's a thing that you take for granted here - the rains coming in an orderly block, twice a year. In England it usually rains twice a day - here it rains twice a year. Anyway, back to the tracks. The Spring rains caused havoc and necessitated a constant coming-and-going of the town JCB. Many tracks have been tarmacked in the last year or so, which is the case of Peña Escrita, for example. Many of the tracks now have concrete gutters, which prevent erosion. Yes, the town hall can be very efficient, when it wants to be. Well done, Sr. Benavides!

Talking of Big Bad Benny, he has been holding talks with the lorry drivers who use the P-4 as a parking ground, with the objective of finding an alternative parking area. Not much news has come out of this meeting, so we imagine that somebody suggested parking their lorry where the sun doesn't shine... in the words of Mr Dylan.

The storm damage from the spring gales will, at last, be sorted out, starting at the beginning of this month. The Ministry of the Environment has handed over 200,000 euros for the reparation of La Escollera de Cotobro, amongst other damaged points along the town's shoreline. 'escollera,' by the way means 'breakwater' or 'seawall.'

Going back to the expected autumn rains, the Cotobro residents have been nagging the town hall to clean the river beds, or better said, the gully beds (barrancos). The Barranco de Cotobro, for example could be used as a WWII setting for a Chindits and Japs battle ground - the vegetation is prolific. When the rains do come, any obstruction in the gullies could cause serious flooding problems.

The Almuñecan PP have proposed that the planned golf course should have a par of 72 and not 60. According to the party leader, Juan Luis González Montoro, a golf course with a par of 60 does not unite the basic conditions to have a decent game of golf. He also pointed out that a 70 or 72 par would mean that the planned 3,000 house building development would no longer be valid, unless more land is included. At present the golf course will occupy 2,000,000sq/ms. Neither does Sr. González understand why the town hall wants to receive its 10% now, long before any building work is due to commence - it may be as long as seven years from now before the project can begin.

Don't forget the Europa Day will be celebrated in the Majuelo park on the 9th. Miguel Ávila, the Councillor for Something-or-Other, announced there would be gastronomic treats and music. Each nationality will have its stand where they can exhibit typical national dishes and customs. As for music, well, there's bound to be flamenco and a lot of stomping around on the stage. And we can also count on our Juanito - a local musical legend. Juanito & Simone used to run the Piano Bar in the Plaza de la Fabriquilla for many years. This duet had worked the best venues in Paris before finally settling in Almuñécar. Juanito retired from the music scene for a while after Simone's death, but has since hit the circuit again with a new partner. Anyway, this gathering in the park will be an all-day event, so don't miss it! Finally many representatives from 'twinned towns' in other countries will be present; Cerveteri (Italy), Livry Gargan (France), Kelibra (Tunis), Khan Jounnes (Palestine), Baracoa (Cuba) and Fürstenfeldbruck (Germany).

It all goes to show what you can achieve when you all pull together. The locals of Loma del Gato, which is up where they are building the motorway above Taramay, finally managed to get their way and have an access point added to the motorway for their neighbourhood. Let me explain that better. Their normal access lane to the N-340 had been cut by the motorway works, so what the Ministry of Public Works has agreed to do, is to provide them with an alternative access lane of good quality. How did they achieve this? By threatening to block the work site with their vehicles - and there are around 100 residents up there. There was an alternative route via Citasol, but this was just a dirt track in a terrible state. This track is what the MOP has agreed to sort out and tarmac. You see, if you reason with somebody in a civilised manner, they will normally come round to your way of thinking, which is when you can relax your grip on their throat...

All hell has broken loose over the Blue Parking Zones, in other words, the pay-per-stay parking areas. The Town Council, who governs with a minority, had the new price system thrown back at them, when they presented it before the other party members at the Town Council meeting. Basically, under the new scheme, just about every street left in the centre of town would be paying areas. A spokesman for the IU suggested that the Mayor's scheme to convert the whole town into a paid-parking zone was just another trick to rake some money in for his 'friends' companies.' The IU's proposal is to provide free public transport or at a token price, to withdraw all the bar and restaurant terraces that invade public space and to stop giving permission for the construction of blocks without their own underground parking. In fact, what they propose is that these private underground car parks should contain more parking slots than flats in the building.

Almuñecan businesses now have a headquarters at the Open Commercial Centre. This office can be found at the Carrera, which is up at the top of town, near the fountain-roundabout. So what exactly does this entail? All the local small businesses in the centre of town have grouped together to show a united front against the big shopping centres and supermarket chains. These associations have been springing up all over Andalucía. The office in La Carrera will permit them to co-ordinate and to pool resources.

In anticipation of the new golf course being built behind La Herradura, a new golf society has been formed. Sponsored by bar/restaurant El Ancla (The Anchor) and La Herradura Property Management. The society will be known as The Anchor Golf Society (TAGS). Full details and fixtures will be featured in next month's Gazette, however the society currently plays every Sunday morning. Anyone interested in joining/playing should leave their name, number and email address behind the bar at El Ancla.

As a temporary measure, the parents association, the town hall and the Fajardo bus company have reached an agreement to provide a school bus from the village to the schools in Almuñécar, financed by the parents association. This service will only operate during this term, as, hopefully, the municipal service will have begun to operate by then. The bus will set off from next to the tourist information kiosk on the seafront at 08.00, with a return service at 14.30. This effectively brings to an end the crisis that was brought to a head when the Town Council suspended the existing, early-morning municipal bus service.

Whilst on the subject of schools, at the commencement of the new school year, work on the new infant school, next to Las Gaviotas junior school, still hadn't been completed. Juan Luis González Montoro, who is the chief opposition leader in Town Council, says that he cannot explain why things are going so slowly... He can't explain it? Welcome aboard!

Anybody who is capable of receiving, and masochistic enough to stomach, the municipal television service will have seen the report on the inauguration of the sports set up in Barrio de las Maravillas, which can be seen from the main road. It comprises of a large tarmacked pitch/yard with a one-storey building containing changing rooms and showers, as well as a storeroom. Access to it is via the old loop of the N-340. The inauguration took place during the Fiesta del la Virgen de las Maravillas (the Virgin of the Marvels). The throne, or effigy, was borne on the shoulders of women only, which is unusual. However, as usual, the religious procession ended up as a binge, with plenty of music, wine and belching.

There seems little point in telling the villagers about the filming going on in detail because they probably know more than we do about it. Nevertheless, here are a few details for those who read the Gazette on-line version. The film is called 'Business' and is directed by the British director Nick Love (on the right). The production is under Vertigo Films and deals with the criminal underworld here on the coast in the 80's. Many of the villagers have been drafted in as extras, with filming taking place in the port and the Paseo, amongst other locations. Gaynor tells us that they have also been filming up at her house. Needless to say, the Mayor is beamingly happy, as he considers that it will stimulate British tourism amongst the UK television audience. He gave them the use of rooms up at the old 'Matadero.'

The growing demand and limited berths available on the Costa Granadina has meant that in Marina del Este, for example, the price of berthing has gone up from 60,000 euros to 75,000 euros in only one year. In fact, there is a two-month waiting list to be able to moor in either Motril Port or Marina del Este. The province has 3,492 craft on its register. Compare this with 411 legal anchorage points, 144 berths in Motril's Club Náutico and 227 in Marina del Este. Francisco González, who is in charge of Marina del Este, says that if somebody only wants to stop over for a night or a couple of days, then there is no problem. And you think that you have parking problems?

Villagers, taking full advantage of the summer visitors, have been busy collecting signatures to demand a janitor-cum-clerk for the La Herradura medical centre. "It is shameful that the man in the street always bears the brunt of ineffective administration and service," said María Carmen Martín, who was one of those out collecting signatures. She finds it inexplicable that somebody can't be sent for two or three hours to attend to the administrative needs of the locals. They are not impressed!

Our Papa José (pictured left) from Restaurante Sardina has been in the provincial newspaper. Together with three other business people from the area, he has been awarded a prize for outstanding efforts within the town's touristic sector. It was handed over by Mayor Benavides on World Tourism Day.

Now it's off - then it's on again. The Medgroup Development company doesn't seem to know whether it's coming or going. On the 22nd of the month they issued a press statement saying that they would no longer be participating in the projected Coladill-Barranco de Maro Golf Course, almost two years after the town hall had put aside the land. There have been several obstacles during the course of this time, namely from the Provincial Department for the Environment, who were deeply unhappy that three of the holes would be on National Park land (i.e., Parque Natural de Sierras Alhama, Tejeda y Almijara). To date the company hasn't coughed up any of the 15m euros for the requisitioned land. One week later the Mayor announced via the press that the deal was back on again. The company had asked in return that the Town Council should sign the deeds for the land, adding that the Mayor should indicate the day, time and place for the signing of the deeds in front of a public notary. According to José Pont, who is the Director-General of Medgroup Development SL, everything is being done to solve the environment problems, via the regional government, La Junta de Andalucía. Immediately upon signing the deeds, the company is to hand over 15,105,900 euros. It was stipulated back in 2002, when the original agreement was signed, that the payment could be made in two separate instalments, but it now looks as though it will be paid in one go. You can only speculate upon what went on in that intervening week and what changed hands...

The purchase of CCTV equipment for the problematic parts of town has been suspended. This has been done, the Town Council announced, in order to 'carry out an exhaustive study of the project.' The scheme to install this surveillance equipment entailed four cameras and an investment of 26,000 euros. There has also been a bout of eyebrow raising from the High Court of Andalucía over privacy considerations.

José Armijo (the Mayor) has announced that he will not convoke the Comisión de Disciplina Urbanística anymore. This multi-party commission investigates building irregularities. In his opinion, the opposition parties are not in the slightest interested in imposing fines on the culprits, as they have never voted in favour of doing so in the various cases that have been brought before the commission. This, the mayor deems, is irresponsible. The Mayor assured the press that the processing of irregularities that have been discovered would continue their course and would not 'fall into a bottomless sack.' Spokeswomen for the PSOE and the IU opposition parties, (Carmen Jiménez & María Bueno, respectively) consider that their posture is 'perfectly legal.'

Somebody has been throwing stone down onto passing cars from the Frigiliana/Nerja flyover. The local police informed the Guardia Civil, who went to the scene, finding nobody. Furthermore, nobody has made any official complaints at either police station. We have a clear case here of: the local police who can't be bothered to act alone; the Guardia Civil, who can't be bothered to tell the local police to buck up; drivers who can't be bothered to make formal complaints and local louts who can't be bothered to repeat their 'daring successes,' due to a complete lack of interest by all.

The law courts in Torrox have decided to fine two politicians for causing a public disturbance. PP councillor José Miguel Jimena and PSOE councillor Jaime Hernández have both been fined 540 euros for the 'perturbation of the public peace' in Calle Los Huertos.

I am aware that this lovely land has different rules and expectations, compared to the UK. But having been a sign-writer in my previous land, I cannot help but wonder at some of the signs that I see dotted about the place. I recently spotted this one in Nerja, and although I could possibly understand a consistent spelling discrepancy, the two signs are one above the other, yet spelt differently. I would have been shot for such a deed (and would have expected it)!

The Brits are reluctant to eat horsemeat, but it does not appear that horses are reluctant to eat the odd Englishwoman... in Nerja, at least. Around mid month a horse bit off part of a British resident's finger. Judith Stevens explained that she had been out riding on her mare, accompanied by a friend on her horse, when the incident occurred. Apparently the friend's horse was the culprit. Judith was quick to explain that the horse in question is a noble beast and that neither the horse nor its owner was responsible for the incident. Judith went to the local medical centre but was transferred to the area hospital, where she underwent a three-hour operation. She has been working with horses for 40 years and points out that this is not a usual occurrence.

Is nothing sacred? The dreaded local police had the temerity to fine a badly parked vehicle outside the town hall... that belonged to the town hall! This happened at 12.30h on the 23rd, when the co-ordinator for municipal services parked his 'company wagon' in a no-parking area. All those Brits with a persecution complex that believe that the Spaniards only fined foreigners are obviously mistaken. The co-ordinator in question declined to make any comment. However, astoundingly, the Councillor for Municipal Police, Francisco Rivas, described the incident as 'ridiculous,' as the driver was carrying out 'municipal duties.' "The world is full of absurdities and that this was just one more case," he mused.

The company, LUAL, has presented a preliminary project for a pleasure port in Nerja before the Regional Government with the backing of the Town Council. The siting of said marina would be between Punta Lara and Ladera del Mar, where such a provision had been made in the PGOU (Urban Development Plan). The chairman of ASEN (Nerja association of businesses) thinks that it's a wonderful idea, which will attract much tourism. "An example can be found in this same summer, during which the spending and purchasing power of tourist has dropped notably, thus effecting the economy of Nerja," said the chairman, Ivan Jullit. The facts are as follows. Berths: 700 for crafts up to 30mts. Investment: 60m euros. Location: between Punta Lara and Ladera del Mar, with a perimeter of 150.000sqms. Commercial centre: Large open areas, cinemas, supermarkets, shops and other businesses.

The Chapel - a place of worship! Who worships what, you might ask? It's very simple really. The Chapel is also known as 'Scot's Corner. Apparently the availability of Tennants lager - the pride of Scotland, is what brings that beautiful accent to this corner of Nerja. A 'jolly' lot they are too, and very friendly. Though I am not sure at the moment, whether it's harder work trying to ascertain what the Spanish folk are talking about, (at a million miles an hour), or the Chapel crew! In either case, I manage to understand about one word in three!

Foreign Residents Meetings. These usually take place on the first Friday of every month at about 12.00 noon in the town Hall (Ayuntamiento), which is just off to the right of Plaza Cabana, next to the underground car park. It's a friendly place, and you get the chance to ask any questions that are worrying you on any subject, as well as the chosen topic for the meeting. If you have a subject which you consider needs broader coverage, Emma and Jaqui will do there best to research and cover it for you. There is also a free booklet available in English, called Living in Nerja, which covers most possibilities for concern, and is very useful. This is available at the Town Hall.

New 'Pod' Place. Almost at the corner of the street called Bronce, there is a sign that says that there will be a new Podologa opening here soon. Now apart from a clue with the 'pod' bit of the word, there is a picture of a pair of feet. So I will presume that this will be a place to pamper your pods (not those pods!) Keep an eye out for it…then I suppose you will be looking for an optico?

Caught red-handed! Police officers here are dealing with a young woman that has been causing concern to them. After going through her bag, she was detained by the police for some time. It is a little unfortunate that the couple on the left of the photo look as though the article could have been 'headlined' for them! (Though it does look a bit like he's getting an 'on the spot fine' from his companion, doesn't it?)

Driving in Spain. There are many aspects to this that need your attention, as there are specific rules about how long you are able to do this in a foreign registered vehicle. Many 'Old Hands' here will believe they are being helpful when they tell you that they have been driving their UK and other foreign registered vehicles here for the last umpteen years with no problems. They are simply lucky! You may not be! The Police are starting to clamp down on foreign vehicles being driven illegally here (under Spanish regulations!) Too many have extracted the urine for too long, and you may be the icing on the cake. Don't risk being fined, or having your car confiscated This is now quite likely, especially as the holiday makers are waning, leaving obvious culprits more visible! The above mentioned booklet gives you most of the information you need regarding this matter, and the town hall can, and will, help you sort this out. You have been warned!

Reader's Letter. There is nothing particularly interesting about the photo above, apart from the fact that "L.S" wrote an extremely long letter that was printed in last months Gazette. This letter, amongst other issues, made reference to construction work going on in local towns, and how they carried it out, whilst pedestrians continued to use the pavements. I felt obliged to show, that we at the Gazette, do follow up on issues when we can. So here you go. This is a photo from a street in Nerja undergoing some works in the immediate vicinity. There may be other sites about that are more offensive, but to be honest - I can't really pick any holes in this one - though I may have thought differently, had I been daydreaming past as a dusty load came down!

Parking! Something I love to do, is watch other people trying to park cars. It is a constant source of amusement for me, as I can do it reasonably well. (What a bitch I sound!) But in this bit of Nerja, parking really does make me muse. I never saw it happen, but I was wondering who got there first? Did the BMW park with amazing accuracy to within 10mm of the bike? Did the driver actually realise, although the bits of the bike that one could see from inside the BMW (like the handlebars) were quite some way away, that some of the bike is actually under the bumper? Or did the Bike simply slip in (and almost over) to the gap left by the two cars! Hmmm?

Nerja History Club
Doctor Dorothy Price, with the idea of giving people a chance to learn something of the Spanish History and of its people, formed the Nerja History club three years ago. It is not a club in the strict sense in that only members can obtain - it is open to all (residents and visitors) who are interested in learning more about their host country. Although the members are from many different countries, the lectures are always given in English. The first meeting for this new season will be held on the 1st October at the Hotel Cavana, in the square of the same name, in Nerja. All monthly meetings fall on the first Friday of the month with a 11.30 start. As a follow up, on the second Friday of each month there will be visits to places mentioned in or related to the previous lecture. The meetings generally last to 13.30 and have an attendance fee of 6 euros. The meeting on the 1st October will be about Motril and Salobreña and is just one in a series of talks on 3,000 years of Spanish History. Some of the coming topics will be on: Gibraltar, Priego de Córdoba, Almería, Cueva del Tesoro and The International Brigades.

For more info, please contact Sandra Duncan on sandrafromtorrox@hotmail.com or Tel/Fax: 952 539 486