The reluctant, coastal dual carriageway has finally made its debut in the province, with the completion of the Nerja – La Herradura link on March 1st. For the Costa del Sol, the process has just finished, but for us on the Costa Tropical we still have long way to go.

It had been announced that La Herradura link would be inaugurated on the 21st of last month, but as the date approached it turned out to be yet another ‘cry-wolf’ event. A few days before, it was rumoured that there could be a delay, but it was not until the very eve of the big day that Madrid confirmed that it had been put back.

Why? Because the Minister had a full agenda and couldn’t make it. After all, cutting an inaugural ribbon before cameras is something that cannot be lacking in a politician’s curriculum, can it?

I am sat writing this, on Sunday morning 25th January, and after a phone call to the Almuñécar press officer at his home, we are still none the wiser as to when the inauguration ceremony will be – we only know that it won’t be tomorrow, Monday. Whether the Ministra de Fomento will unleash the shears on pert tape on the following day, remains to be seen. What we do know, is that onThursday, 1st March, motorists will be driving along it in amazed and dazed gratitude, 29 months and a couple of failed promises after the original completion date.

On the very day that the A-7 Nerja – La Herradura link was to be inaugurated, i.e. 21st February, and subsequently postponed, Madrid announced that Taramay – Salobreña had been awarded to FCC Construcción with a budget of 84.4m euros. Many couldn’t help but think that this was some kind of consolation prize for having the La Herradura link put back, yet again.

With this last assignation, in theory, the whole route of the A-7 autovía through Granada is now underway, having budget allocated, construction companies hired and execution dates fixed. But practice is quite another thing, as experience has shown. This last ‘missing link’ has a works duration of 34 months – three more summer chaos’ to go, therefore, if things go well.

The short span of Costa Tropical is the last few kilometres of the coastal dual carriageway left to be built that effectively links Algeciras to France – you can go at 120 km the whole way, except from La Herradura to Adra, where you are reduced to single lane traffic motoring, if you’re lucky, and endless traffic jams through Almuñécar, Salobreña and Torrenueva, if you’re not.

On the 11th April 2002, the then Ministro de Formento, Francisco Álvarez, laid the first symbolic stone for the Nerja – La Herradura link and announced that it was to be finished by October 2004…

Who would have guessed that the 11th of April was really 1+1, i.e. a double April Fool’s Day?

Stop Press: It’s now 21.00h on Monday 26th and after another phone call, it now appears that there will be no ceremony tomorrow either. Now both the official ribbon cutting and the actual opening of the new road to traffic will occur on the 1st of March. Of course, we can’t hang on any longer for the good lady with the scissors to sort her agenda out, as we will be at the printers by the then.

Never mind… Enjoy your new dual carriageway connection, folks!

The Regional Statutes Referendum came and went on the 18th and guess which town in our province had the lowest turn out… Yes, Almuñécar, where only 27.61% of those eligible actually voted. Mind you, it was an important electoral date enough for the elections governing board to put a stop to certain public works being inaugurated during the campaign. The completed public works in Almuñécar were Avenida de Europa and the improvement in access to the Mezquita in La Herradura. Anyway, as mentioned in the Andalucía section, the ‘Yes’ vote won hands down, and only as 36% of Los Andaluces actually bothered to set aside their fino & tapas during the Carnival celebrations, and truck off (stroll) down to the voting urns.

Speaking of ‘a date with the voting urns’, the political shoving has increased for the May regional elections. Some things are overtly political positionings and others are ‘internal, party spring cleanings’. Take the case of Jesús Palacios Estévez who has denounced Rocío Palacios for calumny (libel). Now, this surname ‘Palacios’ can make things a bit confusing. Two of the three politicians that bear it are related, the third is not. Rocío Palacios (non-related) is the head of the local socialist branch (PSOE) and is also a regional MP in Sevilla; Jesús Palacios – brother of Andrés Palacios – was an old communist party militant who joined up with the socialists. He left the party during the local PSOE melt-down in 2004, as did the vast majority of the local branch members. Andrés Palacios, on the other hand, has always been a conservative and used to be the PP local branch leader, until the present ‘new-kid-on-the-block’ Juan Luis González Montoro took over the reins. Although the Old Guard, Andrés Palacios, supported Sr. González at the beginning, there has never been any love lost between them. In fact, Andrés Palacios has gone over to support Benavides from the ‘independents’ bench, giving the Mayor the necessary hinge, councillor vote, to convert his governing council from a minority one to a majority one. Speculation as to why Andrés Palacios is now a keen Benavides supporter ranges from financial stimulation to a desire for vengeance against his successor. However, speculation remains as speculation and rumours; unsupported by factual evidence. So there you have it: Rocío is the head of the socialist PSOE; Jesus is an ex-PSOE militant and brother of Andrés; and Andrés is the old leader of the conservative PP and Benavides’s best thing since sliced bread. So… back to the plot! The bone of contention is - what happened during a council meeting, where Rocío allegedly suggested that the brothers had ulterior motives for their postures in the Tropical Fruits Case.

The old medical centre, near the gasoline station, is going to be converted in to a day centre for the handicapped. Around 101,500 euros will be spent converting this old building with 2,000 sq/m of floor space. Don’t hold your breath, because it will probably take a while. In the meantime, the road leading through the premises continues to be an unofficial short-cut to the gasoline station from the San Sebastian side, instead of having to cross over and back at the main entrance into the town.

It’s not only the Almuñécar Local Police that are scorned by younger citizens from this town, but Motril’s local police force, as well. A 19-year-old driver from Almuñécar was arrested for failing to stop at two Local Police control points in Motril, in the early hours of one Sunday morning. He ignored four warnings, in the Avenida de Salobreña, to pull his speeding Fiat Stilo over to the curb and instead sped off. They managed to track him down again on the other side of town, where he again ignored orders to stop and sped off, burning rubber. Finally, they cornered him on the Avenida de Salobreña again. He ignored them and sped off, yet again. This time they chased him towards Salobreña, where a control point had been set up to stop him on the Salobreña/Motril limits, where he was finally trapped and nabbed. He was over the alcohol limit, of course.

The Cercado de la Santa Cruz is the building project up the top of San Sebastian. This company is also responsible for the controversial VPOs (government-subsidised housing) for young adults, just a couple of hundred metres further along the road, towards Torrecuevas. The company has just announced that it will now be developing ‘Young Housing’ in India! This project will provide 63 such dwellings, through the Fundación Vicente Ferrer. The interesting thing is that it will be the new owners of the Almuñécar VPOs that will sponsor the housing in India, financing the project with one percent of the contributions. However, the presentation of the project was coloured by the Mayor, taking advantage of the occasion to praise the building promoter, Trinitario Betoret, and denounce the Junta de Andalucía, which had blocked the Almuñécar housing project.

Whilst on the subject of the controversial, housing-for-the-young estate, some news has come up about the ruckus last month, concerning socialist party members being ‘attacked’ by prospective and hopeful house owners there. If you don’t remember the article, then you might as well skip this one, too. Go on… promise I won’t slash my wrists! The judge has found the four hitherto-alleged aggressors guilty as accused. One of the culprits was fined 30 days at eight euros a day, whilst the rest were fined 20 days at ten euros a day. The counter charges levelled by the four against the socialist militants were dismissed by the judge.

It’s sad seeing the traditional crafts disappear from the villages; weaving with esparto or anea (bulrush/reedmace), for example. I remember that at the beginning of the 80s there used to be a old man who had a hut on a loop of the old main road (now the junction for the International School turn off). He used to repair everybody’s sillas de aneas. Anyway, the good news is that Lentegí is going to try and recover some of these dying trades by opening several workshops. “This has been possible, thanks to the co-operation between the Provincial Council for Culture and the Town Hall,” say Marino Fajardo, who is the local Councillor for Culture, explaining that this project has the object of teaching these crafts to young people, so that this knowledge will not die out. One of the ‘old sweats’ who has been drafted in is José Cano Alaminos, who will be teaching four youngsters from the village. In fact, these intrepid four put some of the fruits of their newly acquired skills on show at the IV Exposición de Aprendices Artesanos, (Exhibition of Artisan Apprentices) in Guejar Sierra. Lentegí Town Hall provided a 55-seat bus for the occasions so that their fans could accompany them.

The Parents’ Association for the Virgen de la Antigua junior school is demanding stronger safety measures from the Town Hall, concerning the new roof over their covered playground. They asked the Town Hall not to accept the installations from the builders until ‘the opportune technical measures for its use are obtained with the maximum legal safety.’ In other words, until it is guaranteed not to fall down in the first gust of wind or blow from a hurtling football. Basically, the parents are worried about the metal columns that support the roof structure, considering them to be very dangerous, as they are not padded. Apparently, they’re not happy with the new elevated ground surface, which is higher than the original one, producing a considerable split level. Finally, the first rains since the completion of the structure produced a large puddle in the middle of the floor. The Councillor in charge has responded that the work on the structure is still not finished.

The case levelled against the Mayor, Juan Carlos Benavides Yanguas, by the Comunidad de Propetarios de Las Góndolas has been dismissed by the judge of the No. 2 Court of Proceedings in Almuñécar. You will remember that the good folk of Las Góndolas weren’t impressed when Benny commandeered its private access and turned it into a public thoroughfare. The Judge, Raúl Muñoz Pérez, considered that the action taken was the just recuperation of public domain. Plenty of people have taken Benny to court, but normally this ends in his taking them to the cleaners.

The Town Hall has announced that it will be investing 300,000 euros on the Museo Gastronómico. One of the prime reasons for a tourist visiting a place is to be able to eat well. Let’s face it, you can be in a beautiful seaside town enjoying the view, but if you’re having trouble convincing a passing stray dog that the food that you’re surreptitiously trying to give it is edible, even though you can’t bring yourself to eat it, then it does spoil the occasion a tadge (little). Up on the coast of Galicia, for example, many coastal towns and villages base their appeal on their restaurants and eating houses, where una buena mariscada is the star of the menu. For this reason, then, the Town Hall, has decided to increase the town’s tourist appeal with its Museo Gastronómico. The museum will be installed in the old Casa Morgan, which is at the entrance to Urbanisación El Montañes. This building was acquired by the Town Hall some ten years back for a different project, which never saw the light of day. The décor for the museum will be along the lines of the restaurant-school, Horno Cándida. As the building has several floors, there will be various dining areas of differing sizes and a small wine cellar. It is hoped that the project will be finished before summer arrives.

Casas Empotradas (houses that invade the space of others) are cropping up everywhere in our budding Brickoland, hitherto known as Almuñécar. Our overworked law courts have felt obliged to order a stop to a building project in Velilla that is closer than two Japanese commuters on the Tokyo Metro to a neighbouring property. A German couple, Petrus and Olga were not much impressed when the building went up alongside – and when I say, ‘alongside,’ I mean ‘grafted alongside.’ When they asked in the Town Hall how it was that the bulging neighbours had been allowed to build on 100% of their property – which is totally illegal - they were informed that it was their property and not their neighbour’s, which had exceeded the building ratio. So the couple took the affair to court, resulting in the judge slapping a building freeze on the towering neighbour until the affair was cleared up. That does not mean that building work will cease, however, unless the Town Hall enforces it via the Local Police… Two things are certain, however: the first being that the new building is grossly higher as far as height restrictions go in that area of Velilla. The maximum height permitted is six metres, whereas the builders apparently need oxygen masks to work on the top floor… OK, so I’m exaggerating, admittedly. The PSOE – sensing the proximity of the elections, perhaps – have agreed to champion the German couple’s cause. Anyway, if the said couple want to get in contact with us, we’ll take the affair to the Town Hall and get some answers.

One of the side items concerning the autovías is the dispute over money. The companies that are responsible for La Herradura – Taramay stretch are asking for more money from the government because the cost of the work has rocketed, thanks to landslides, which have required tripling the amount of land under compulsory purchase and performing extra stabilizing work. The work is being carried out by a UTE (Union Temporal de Empresas or ‘temporary joining of companies’) consisting of Ploder (no comment), Azvi and Obras Subterráneas. These companies are asking for an increase of 25% on the original sum agreed in 2002, when they were awarded the contract. Although work on the Río Verde viaduct has been stopped since the accident in November 2005, work on the rest of the stretch has continued, with the Cantalobos, Calacife and Del Gato tunnels completed. The work on La Herradura – Taramay section of the A-7 dual carriageway should have concluded in October 2006, which means that it is so far four months behind schedule.

Almuñécar Town Hall has set up a classroom for Flamenco, in collaboration with the Peña Flamenca Rafael Muñoz, El Niño de Cerval. The deal between the two entities is valid until the 31st December, but can be extended. The idea behind it is ‘for the citizens (of Almuñécar) to acquire more knowledge of la Cultura Andaluza.’ Accordingly, the Town Hall is throwing 15,000 euros at the Peña for it to provide initiation courses in Flamenco dancing and guitar, which will last three months; one from March to June and another from September to December. There will also be classes for perfecting dancing styles. More info can be obtained at the Town Hall in reception or by placing the tips of your thumb and middle finger together on both hands and emitting a long drawn out ohmmmmm noise.

Things are really getting ‘chungo’ (bad) for the Mayor on a judicial level and for those close to him. It would appear that the defensive dykes that are holding back the judicial floodwaters are starting to crack, and the tried-and-trusted tactic of appealing against unfavourable court sentences is winning less and less time. At the moment, he has two big cases around his neck:

A civil law suit in Motril, which found that he and his right-hand man and vice-Mayor, Rafael Contreras, had contributed decisively to the downfall of part-publicly owned Tropical fruits and should reimburse the municipal coffers with a multi-million euro sum. He has been appealing against this court decision since 2003. However, last November, the court said that he and the other culprits should start paying up now, and not await the result of the appeal.

There is also a criminal law suit levelled by the Public Prosecutor because it is alleged that both men legally separated from their wives, putting all their estate in the wives’ names, so as to be able to declare themselves insolvent (bankrupt) and thus avoid coughing up. They are subsequently charged with fraudulent bankruptcy. Whereas the civil suit means his having to fork out (pay out) 3.5m euros, together with 10 others, the criminal suit means that he and Contreras could go to prison, if found guilty. It also means that their wives face the same fate.

The question is, can a man who is appealing against a civil law verdict and stands accused of fraudulent bankruptcy, which is a criminal offence, stand for re-elections? In fact, should he have resigned already. The Mayor’s supporters state that he is innocent until proven otherwise, which is an indisputable fact, but does political ethics demand that until such times that his name is cleared (if that is to be the case) then he should stand down? The truth is that there are political candidates and post holders all across the country, in all the major political parties that are in similar positions but their parties see no inconvenience on their continuing, which is why neither the PP or PSOE are calling too loudly for his resignation.

Somebody has been dumping literally tonnes of cement, just off Punta de la Mona, which was discovered by fishermen from Motril. Capitanía Marítimo, which is a port authority, said ‘that’s the Mediterranean for you.’ Normally, such dumping occurs in deeper water, but in this case, the 20 tonnes of cement came to rest at 200 metres and was subsequently snagged by the Motril trawlers that habitually fish this part of the coast. However, the port authorities said that Motril Port is primarily for unloading, rather than loading, and that if a ship should set sail, not having completely emptied its holds to save time, then Motril passes this information onto the next port of call to make sure that it is still aboard. Anyway, Ladies and Genitals, you might ask ourselves what is 20 tonnes of cement, dumped off Punta de la Mona, compared with the millions of it dumped in Almuñécar and La Herradura, in the form of blocks of flats?

An 18-year-old male was arrested for blackmailing a 13-year-old boy, to whom he had sold marihuana. The drug pusher had charged him 30 euros, but upon seeing a way to easy pickings, upped it to 40, then 50 and finally 100 euros. The crisis came to an end when the drug pusher burst into the victim’s house whilst the parents were out, threatening him and his 15-year-old brother, and making off with a video game. The parents went to the Guardia Civil with the complaint that S.C.M. had trespassed upon their property when their children had been at home alone. Apparently, he had called at the door, which was answered by the older brother, and asked if their parents were at home. When he received a negative reply, he allegedly pushed the boy out of the way and turned the place upside down.

The Junta de Andalucía has finally announced that the new law courts (Palacio de Justicia) will finally go ahead – after a two-year-delay. The actual building work on the site, which is next to the new medical centre, will begin in late spring/summer. The present situation has Almuñécar’s law courts in two separate buildings, on either side of the Río Seco. And it’s really about time that this project starting manifesting itself in something other than hot air and vague promises, of course, because the Town Hall ceded the plot to the Junta two years ago and a building company was awarded the contract back in May of last year. But this long overdue addition to Almuñécar’s administrative buildings dates back to 1991, when the Andalusian Parliament unanimously approved a motion to urge the Regional Cabinet to begin work on a Palacio de Justicia for Almuñécar ‘as soon as possible.’ The first hitches came when the Junta blamed the Town Hall for falling to provide a suitable plot. After rejecting other locations, the Junta finally accepted the present one, of some 2,500 sq/m in May 2005. Then the Junta blamed the Town Hall for preventing building work from going ahead, accusing them of having failed to clear the ground. The Town Hall countered by accusing the Junta of ‘ineptitude’. Furthermore the Town Council under Sr. Benavides considered the sum put aside for the project, some 336,000 euros, as ‘ridiculous’. But this has clearly been a slagging match between Almuñécar and the Junta, because the case of Motril’s Palacio de Justicia is completely different. But then again, the Junta and Motril are ruled by the same party: PSOE. Anyway, the new set-up on the P-4 will house both existing law courts, with space for another. The Civil Registry, General Registry, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Forensic Clinic, Detention Area and Police Court will also be housed there.

You will have heard – or perhaps not – about the German resident here in Almuñécar, who was arrested for allegedly participating in an illicit arms trade. The police found assault rifles, shotguns, revolvers, silencers, bayonets and pen-pistols in his chalet in Cotobro, says a report in the Ideal newspaper. Norbert Johannes T. allegedly decided to boost his pension with a spot of arms dealing, carrying out the deal abroad, but using his house in one of the main lanes of Cotobro as an arsenal. He was arrested on a weekend, mid-February, in Berlin, where he had supposedly gone to close a deal involving nine weapons: two assault rifles and seven pistols, according to the newspaper report. He had been followed from Almuñécar by the GRECO (Grupo de Respuesta Especial al Crimen Organizado), whereupon the Criminal Investigation Department in Berlin was alerted. Both Norbet Johannes T. and his South-American wife, Ángela Brigitte T., were arrested. According to his neighbours, the couple did not have much of a social life amongst them. Apparently he is a retired Berlin policeman. N.J.T. had some trouble before over illegal (Málaga) airport runs (pirate taxi runs).

As spring approaches the folks at Restaurant La Tartana have been busy preparing several new tempting dishes of the day. Choices will include Indian Curries (mild to very hot!), Moroccan and Greek specialties, as well as their traditional American comfort food. Don’t forget to save room for Jo’s incredible desserts. Call ahead on 958 64 05 35 for reservations or to ask what the tempting daily specials are.

Felicia Hall’s programme for March is something to look forward to! This month is highly relevant for all of us, as David Broadhead is exhibiting a show entitled, ‘People of Andalusia’. Running from March 9th – April 8th, the opening reception is Sunday, March 11 at 1:00 pm. The artist is English, a figurative painter with a background in art and design. Living in the province of Málaga since 1987, he has obviously seen the region change in many ways. David uses a myriad of colours in his paintings, through the medium of acrylic on canvas. Steeped in an evocative quality, this technique is used to (literally, given where we’re based!) mirror life all around us. As always, Felicia, Andrew and Rosi have worked incredibly hard to bring you some unique talent, so make sure you don’t miss this latest treat at gallery Felicia Hall.

New road surface in Pago de Guerra, Los Pagos, La Mezquita and Cerval Bajo, as with all these public works anyone would think that it might be coming up to election time or something! Now servicing a large number of homes and weekend ‘cortijos,’ tarmacking has included some 4.5 kilometers worth of road surface at a cost of €220,000. Quick to celebrate this achievement, the neighbours banded together with authentic fiestas, feasting, music and traditional dancing such as the ‘fandango cortijero’ (still very popular amongst the older generation of Herradureños) It comes as no surprise that the neighbours were delighted, since, as one of them commented, “We’ve been petitioning for better access roads for almost 40 years.” Certainly, it fulfills some of the promises made by Benavides during his last stint in power. Ah, if only all of us got a second chance to make good… maybe even a third?

PP calls for a public meeting to present information about the more than 500 representations made against the new ‘paseo’. The Herradureño councillor Francisco Sánchez Alaminos has also highlighted other topics, which require attention and discussion with the current council body in power, including the need for a new public nursery. Some thirty mothers have already complained to the Town Hall about the lack of public childcare available in the village, clearly impacting on their ability to join the labour force. Sadly, they still haven’t received an adequate response from the appropriate authorities.

Strong concerns about the Paseo have been expressed by locals, observed the PP, not least of which has been the lack of foresight for parking, plus dealing with adequate drainage and of course, the hot issue of expropriation of land.

It’s good news to see that people are actually thinking ahead about how to deal with possible problems in the four tunnels in place between Nerja and La Herradura. The firemen from Almuñécar, Motril and the consort of Málaga province received information on site about the new security systems in place before the grand opening to the public. Daniel Barbero, the councilor in charge of citizen safety and responsible for Almuñécar’s Emergency Plan, plus the local boss, Francisco Díaz, received an explanation from the technical bodies of UTE about the differences between the four tunnels, as well as the similarities. It appears that all of them are on an incline, so that in case of any liquid spillages, the tendency will be to flow to the sides of the tunnel and from there to specially installed chambers, avoiding further contamination of the central part. Even Barbero was visibly surprised with this neat trick! Clearly quite advanced technology, so good to know it’s being incorporated in this project. Barbero also observed that the new fire station planned for Almuñécar would be primarily responsible for overseeing this function. Apart from these measures, there are also extinguishers in place, fire alarms, security cameras, loudspeakers, SOS telephones every 150 metres, plus four large evacuation points every 300 metres (sufficient for a medium size car to drive through – tough luck you limousine drivers).

The control point for the tunnels will be based at the Nerja-Frigiliana junction for now. For over a month, they’ve been checking the lighting and signal system within the tunnels, ensuring that they keep functioning 24 hours a day, every day. But by the time you read this, you will probably have checked it all out yourselves. Happy (and safe) motoring, folks!

Parents continue to fight for a permanent pediatrician as they continue to lobby the SAS (Servicio Andaluz de Salud) against reducing the hours dedicated to children in the village. Many parents have already commented to me about how difficult it is to get an appointment (the doctor herself sees more than 20 paediatric patients per day). It’s come to light that she’s been notified that she needs to spend Tuesday and Thursday from noon in Almuñécar, due to the epidemic of viral complaints that have been received at the Centro de Salud within the town in recent weeks. But without doubt, La Herradura’s children are experiencing similar problems (as any mother or father who has a child regularly moaning about a ‘sore tummy’ will testify to). Currently, Tuesday is the day dedicated to children’s vaccinations and Thursday is the day when most patients come to see the paediatrician since there are already reduced hours (9.00 – 12.00) in the surgery on Fridays. Surely the amount of work that the paediatrician has here, demonstrates how essential the service is? (Photo shows a demonstration exactly two years ago, demanding a permanent pediatric service.)

Public lighting installed in the Cañada zone, as resident demands are finally granted. With the Town Hall investing €40,000 in the just behind the petrol station and further back, the inhabitants are finally having approximately 20 streetlamps introduced. Old streetlights will also be updated in the Paseo de Prieto Moreno and La Caletilla.

It seems incredible but the wires that caused the fire in La Mezquita last summer still haven’t been repaired. A number of ‘denuncias’ (formal complaints) have been made to Sevillana, but frighteningly, these just don’t seem to be taken seriously. As things stand, thankfully, up until now there’s been enough rain to keep the immediate surrounding area reasonably damp – at least there isn’t the dry brush that added fuel to the fire last summer, yet! But we all know that given the drying combination of wind and sun here, this situation won’t last long. All it will take, once the dry brush returns, is another windy day and the probability of sparking wires is very high, more than likely resulting in unnecessary damage. This lack of effort on the part of Sevillana is sheer negligence, inviting disaster. It’s times like these that we feel powerless to know how to resolve the situation, but the likelihood is that if enough residents make enough noise, there will be a response from Sevillana. Worth a try, wouldn’t you say?

Día de la Paz celebrations on 2nd February saw the combined efforts of the local primary and high school, with a procession to the Plaza de Independencia, where there were a number of displays that the children had worked on, all based around the concept of a more peaceful and positive world. The prepared manifestos were read out by the children and there were presentations delivered by actor Germán Cobos, sportsman Raimundo de Haro, the Mayor’s representative María Victoria Ruiz and La Herradura’s own son, Antonio Ruiz, owner of the very successful La Barrica. The messages were clearly aimed at avoiding violence, making our own contribution towards helping the environment and improving the quality of life generally with hopes for a brighter future for everyone around the globe. Apart from the quality performance of Almuñécar dance school, Aromar, there was an amazing rap delivery by one of the high school students, entitled, Bajo la lluvia (Beneath the Rain). Until that point in my life, I thought I’d had a reasonable command of Spanish. Nope; failed the acid test and just couldn’t get much beyond the odd word. But then, I’m not sure that it wasn’t more due to my generation, rather than the vocabulary being fired at me…

Needless to say, there were some pretty powerful messages coming out of the day, not least of which involved a presentation to the high school students within the (now not so) new Civic Centre. A representative from the association AHIMSA came along to explain to the students about the work they were doing, supporting self sufficiency and development of the economy in Cameroon. Whether any of this information, together with the activities organized for the day actually help to promote harmony and respect within the colleges themselves, remains to be seen. But then, it can’t hurt – right?

Moves towards new paddel courts as the Town Hall speaks to contractors about constructing four courts next to the future sports pavilion. Estimated at €230,692, this project is just part of a push towards improving the sports facilities in the area. All this investment is the product of an agreement signed between the Town Hall and the Department of Tourism and Sport quite a way back. There are a number of initiatives that indicate a commitment to improving facilities in the area. Besides the new, covered sports pavilion itself (apparently scheduled to open during the coming month, despite the problems observed a number of weeks ago), there has also been the multi-purpose outdoor court located in the Espinar area of the village. And now, to top things off, the Town Hall has also approved the purchase of equipment and fittings to the value of almost €60,000 for the new covered pavilion. An additional amount of more than €50,000 has been committed to sporting items for the municipal stadium. Before too long, we should all be bouncing around like nobody’s business!

Andrés Segovia competition dates confirmed as 19th – 24th November this year, timed to coincide with the feast of St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. The competition will be held in its entirety within the Civic Centre. With prize money of €9000, as well as a beautiful guitar, crafted by Paco Santiago Martín, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that this competition has more than just national recognition; it is indeed a highly prestigious international event. Interested applicants (you must be under the age of 35) should send in their application form together with a photocopy of their DNI, passport, plus a photocopy of any diplomas, together with their curriculum vitae accompanied by a passport size photo, all before the 15th November. The address is: Andrés Segovia, Oficinas Municipales de La Herradura, C/ Gonzalo Barbero No 1, 18697 La Herradura, (Granada), Spain.

Carnaval was enjoyed by young and not so young with a children’s parade taking place on Shrove Tuesday 21st February (in between munching on pancakes) and then another adult version on Saturday 24 February. Lots of amazing costumes; some bought but some really imaginative home-made versions. Speaking with locals who have seen many years of this colourful fiesta, things are far less creative than they used to be. Also, there’s not the peer pressure there used to be to actually participate and dress up, even though there’s the added incentive of sharing in nearly €1000 of prize money. If anything, many complain that you feel a bit odd in a costume. But then some would argue that ‘odd’ isn’t such a bad place to be…

Yet more community spirit with the Día de Andalucía festival celebrated by Las Gaviotas primary school on the 27th February. Once again the weather smiled down as the children gathered together to play games, fly the green and white flag (yes, these are the colours of our region) and share some intercultural exchange – another opportunity to sample food prepared by parents from the many different nations that are represented by our local school. Certain things always strike me at these events: there is an increasing amount of effort made to structure the day and provide some core activities, although you might think everyone is running around without any purpose. Also, there’s always a great deal of enthusiasm from children and parents alike. We might not always understand what’s going on exactly, but the important thing is that we show willing. Finally, to get something out of all these events, you have to take a risk and actually participate, no matter how little. It might seem awfully daunting at first, but it wasn’t only Armstrong who recognized the importance of first steps!

We felt the earth move locally and it wasn’t because any politicians walked into the room, let me tell you! Just after midnight, in the wee hours of the Fiesta de Andalucía (28 February), in the midst of developing creative spiel for you, our readers, we felt a tremble in Almuñécar. Apparently, this seismic activity had even more force in La Herradura (it always has to get competitive, yeh?). Doesn’t bode very well for all the suspect building issues.

Photo exhibition at the Civic Centre entitled, Almuñécar and La Herradura in the Present, will be on show there until March 19th. Available to view between 6pm and 9pm daily, the almost 200 photos on display show distinct aspects of the cultural, social, festive and municipal life in the area. Although the majority of the exhibition is in colour, there is a section in black and white that has been loaned or in some cases, donated.

The town is getting a grant from the Junta for home improvement for those short of a shekel (not much money.) If you qualify, you will receive a grant for 50% of the building work, up to a maximum of 10,000 euros. If you reckon you have a chance, you have until the 30th to try your luck. The building must be at least 10-years old .

Salobreña will be getting a new sports centre within the next 18 months. Included are a six-lane athletics track and a football pitch covered in artificial turf. It will be situated near the existing tennis courts. Furthermore, at the end of last month, the swimming pool should have been inaugurated – you will know whether it actually came about, because you have the benefit of reading this in March, whereas I’m writing it on the 26th Feb. The new sports centre will cost 1.8m euros and will be completed by summer 2008.

What the village won’t be getting is the real bus station until 2010. The Town Hall has signed an agreement with the Transportation Department of the Junta, which has started this particular ‘square’ ball rolling. Compulsory purchase has already begun for the site, but the completion timetable is three years; hence the 2010 date. The site will be next to the above sports centre, on the same side of the main road as the industrial estate. It involves a 5,470-sq/m plot, giving enough space for ten platforms (bus-boarding bays). There will also be space for some business premises, such as cafés and shops. There will also be a taxi rank and an urban bus stop.

But, you’ve lost one of your morgues, it appears… It has been closed down, owing to health regulations that came into effect in 2001, which stipulates that morgues must be housed in separate buildings, and never on the ground floors of apartment blocks. The neighbours had been putting up a ‘stiff’ resistance to it being there for quite some time, so they have obviously broken out the party hats and farting cushions over this judicial decision. The morgue in Avenida García Lorca, for instance, should have moved premises four years ago – the 2001 law gave a two-year-adaptation margin. The demand for such services has grown since Motril hospital closed its own public morgue, but “The law is the law,” said the Mayor. So, in the meantime, until work finishes on the Motril one, the two towns only have one to count on, which is Salobreña’s surviving one.

Did you know that the Town Hall has plans for Salobreña to grow some 200% more than the Junta de Andalucía permits? You didn’t, well you can bet your mellifluous donkey (sweet ass) that the Town Hall did. However, the Mayor proposed ‘slowing’ urban development to come more into line with the POTA (Plan de Ordenación del Territorio Andaluz), which it is currently on a head-on collision course with. “The PGOU was drawn up eight months before the POTA came into being – we’re not fortune tellers,” explained the Mayor. Come, now, Jesús; you knew full well that turning Salobreña into New York wasn’t going to receive a standing ovation down in Sevilla, Mate! The First Minister of the Regional Government, Sr. Chávez, said quite clearly recently, “The Junta will not approve PGOUs that present unsustainable development.” The POTA states that you cannot increment more than 40% of the existing urban extension, or 30% the existing population. What is in favour is the fact that the PGOU was approved before this POTA bombshell exploded on to the urban legislation books. The Mayor also points out that the Salobreña PGOU covers the next 15 years, where as the PGOUs contemplated in the POTA cover only eight. Furthermore, according to the Mayor, 70% of the 17.5m sq/m forecast to be developed corresponds to the public sector, leaving 30% to the private one. In other words, the new area will be well equipped with public infrastructure, such as parks, and schools, etc.

The Town Hall has begun work on new regulations governing noise pollution. According to existing knowledge, La Avenida del Mediterráneo is the noisiest part of town, followed by the area bordering the main road, due to traffic noise. The authorities have been carrying out decibel checks around town to draw up a noise-contamination chart. Once the ‘map’ is complete, then the Town Hall will start acting against the culprits.

Just recently, a member of the Gazette team was driving on the urbanisation Monte de Los Almendros during the evening with friends. They were involved in taking night-time photographs of the area. As they drove back down the urbanisation, they came across a French registered car, containing four young men, who were driving in a strange manner and aroused suspicion on the part of my colleague and friends. The driver of my colleague’s car followed the other vehicle, which then stopped and allowed them to pass. However, one of those in my colleague’s car rang the Guardia Civil, to report the suspicious vehicle and its occupants. As they neared the bottom of the urbanisation, an un-marked car, belonging to the Guardia Civil, stopped both vehicles and checked the occupants. The car under suspicion contained four Moroccan men, who were checked for identification and so was the vehicle. It transpired that the four men did not have any identification and that the car was also without any legal papers! The men became a little abusive and un-cooperative towards the Guardia Civil, not an option I would have recommended and the Guardia produced their guns! The four Moroccan men, on seeing the weapons, decided they were going to come off second best in any fight and began to co-operate. Obviously they had now engaged their brains! The four men were taken away for further questioning, etc. but no up-to-date information is available from the Guardia at the time of going to press. Please be vigilant at all times and report anything you think is suspicious, take the registration number of any vehicle which give you cause for concern and, if you have a mobile phone with the facility, take photographs. These men might have been looking at some properties on the urbanisation that they could target for breaking into at a later date and stealing the contents! Be suspicious of strange vehicles, etc. you could be their next victim!

The latest scam! This one concerns damp-proofing your property and the perpetrators of this con are very plausible indeed. The first thing that happens is that you get a telephone call from someone who says that there is a problem with rising damp, or with damp in general in the area and your property is one of those at risk! They might also say that the Town Hall is aware of the problem and fully supports the company who are now calling you, in trying to eradicate the problem. They will now inform you that they will be sending a surveyor to your home, at a given time, to assess the problem that exists in your property, who will be able to deal with you on an individual basis and can offer you a special price for the work required. If this happens to you, try to get the name of the company and its telephone number, then tell the person who is phoning, that the next two phone calls you make will be to the Town Hall and the police to report them! Houses in Spain are not built in the same way as they are back in the U.K. For instance, the main structural loads on a house here are taken through the vertical reinforced pillars at each corner of a building, as well as the ones built in between. Loads are also taken through the reinforced floors at each level and the brickwork that forms the walls does not carry any load, but is only there to give the building its final shape. It is not normal in Spain to put down a damp course layer during the construction of a building, as it is in the U.K.

News of the Salobreña International Club. This local club, which meets every Wednesday at 11:00 hrs at the Salobreña Hotel, has gone through a change in the membership of its committee and the new President, Arlene Nichols, would like to welcome new members and welcome back those past members, who have let their membership lapse. The club currently consists of British, German, American, Australian and Spanish nationals who live in the Salobreña, Almuñecar and Motril area. However, no matter what your country of origin, all with be made most welcome at the International Club. The meetings at the hotel are for a social get-together and specialist talks, but other activities take place at various locations in the area and further a field, for walks, tours, picnics, museum visits, etc. Details of all activities, with their time and date, can be found in Salobreña at the Tourist office, Supersol on the way down to the beach and at the Cyber Surfer Internet café opposite El Peñon. You can also request information via email on icsalobrena@hotmail.com or by calling Arlene Nichols on 666 763 478.

Local photographer and his wife celebrate. Julie Curran, wife of photographer Justin, gave birth to their first child, a girl, on 1st February. They have named her Ocean Emma Curran and she weighed 3.45 kg at birth, or about 7.5 lbs in old money. Mother and baby are doing well.