A couple of people coming to visit me hurrah!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday 30 March 2012
Day 33 Visitors 30/03/2012
Friday 30th March 2012 - viernes
A couple of people coming to visit me hurrah!!!!!!!!!!!
A couple of people coming to visit me hurrah!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday 29 March 2012
Day 32 General Strike Day 29/03/2012
Thursday 29th March 2012 - jueves
General Strike Day
Thousands are planned to demonstrate against the Spanish Governments new labour law reforms.
The main UGT and CCOO union militants have been canvassing the working public to down tools and join the demonstrations. Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, leader of the CCOO union has stated that 'the mobilisation will continue' with Candido Mendez, leader of UGT union saying the measures put in place by the Popular Party government to drag Spain out of recession were not temporary but 'for the rest of our lives'.
The Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy has already accepted that his labour reforms would cost him a general strike but the unions are gearing up for additional industrial action unless the government agrees to open a dialogue with them.
Polls show that more than 80 per cent of the population disagree with the reforms which are seen as oppressive and unfairly biased towards employers, especially those that have workforces of 50 people or less, making it cheaper and easier to sack workers.
The number of registered unemployment people in Spain is now at 4.7million the worst for over 3 years. In the Valencian region it is 566,000.
In addition to this, there are reports that Spain has accepted the Eurogroup demand to reduce its national deficit to 5.3% which will mean reducing the 2013 budget by an extra 5 billion euros, a target that will mean an increase in IVA, cutting unemployment benefits and making 250,000 civil servants redundant.
Prime Minister Rajoy had previously stated that reducing the deficit to 5.8% will mean having to make budget cuts of 39 billion euros. The budget on how this will be achieved is expected to be approved by the spanish Cabinet at the end of this month with changes in education, energy, justice and public services.
General Strike Day
Thousands are planned to demonstrate against the Spanish Governments new labour law reforms.
The main UGT and CCOO union militants have been canvassing the working public to down tools and join the demonstrations. Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, leader of the CCOO union has stated that 'the mobilisation will continue' with Candido Mendez, leader of UGT union saying the measures put in place by the Popular Party government to drag Spain out of recession were not temporary but 'for the rest of our lives'.
The Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy has already accepted that his labour reforms would cost him a general strike but the unions are gearing up for additional industrial action unless the government agrees to open a dialogue with them.
Polls show that more than 80 per cent of the population disagree with the reforms which are seen as oppressive and unfairly biased towards employers, especially those that have workforces of 50 people or less, making it cheaper and easier to sack workers.
The number of registered unemployment people in Spain is now at 4.7million the worst for over 3 years. In the Valencian region it is 566,000.
In addition to this, there are reports that Spain has accepted the Eurogroup demand to reduce its national deficit to 5.3% which will mean reducing the 2013 budget by an extra 5 billion euros, a target that will mean an increase in IVA, cutting unemployment benefits and making 250,000 civil servants redundant.
Prime Minister Rajoy had previously stated that reducing the deficit to 5.8% will mean having to make budget cuts of 39 billion euros. The budget on how this will be achieved is expected to be approved by the spanish Cabinet at the end of this month with changes in education, energy, justice and public services.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Day 30 Bigastro 27/03/2012
Tuesday 27th March 2012
The scruffy little town about 10 miles away - worst place i've been to in the 30 days of being here.
Even the dustbins are trying to get out of the place.
What's here ?
Bigastro is a traditional village of the Vega Baja. Like all its neighbours the heart of life is set around the church square.
The church is the Church of Virgin of Bethlehem and a sculpture of Saint Joachim of Salzillo.
Near to Bigastro is La Pedrera recreation area with mountain bike trails, and barbecue areas.
There is a small market on Thursday mornings
How'd it get here ?
Formed in 1701 as the home for 24 families. Has around 7,000 residents.
Most famous resident being Francisco Grau Vegara – author of the Spanish National Anthem.
Today -
On the CV91 Orihuela road until the Algorfa left turn and up until the CV920 right turn through the bottom of Algorfa, through Benejuzar, through Jacarilla and Bigastro is the next village on.
Bigastro is different a lots of the other villages i've been to as everything it has to offer is located on small streets rather than one big high street.
It's also different to other places as this is a scruffy little town that must have missed out on council grants when the government was dishing them out - everything seems run down and its the worst place ive been to in the last 4 weeks - hence the entrance sign to the town with the dustbins.
On the outskirts there are a few big muebles (furniture) stores in the Parque Empresarial Apatel industrial estate.
When you enter the town there's a big Perales and Ferrer Factory (pears?) and another that sells baths and kitchens.
The Bigastro square - plaza constitucion - has a music sculpture with a scroll and harp - dated 14-Oct-2001, next is the Casa Constitorial and then the Church itself. Also in the square is a Cam bank, Rural Central bank and Cafe vai ven.
On the next street is a farmacia and MEM - Mobiliario Interiorismo y Disero, cafe bar las tasca.
There is the Parque huerto del cura square with a band stand, auditorium and peluqueria (hair). Cafe roma, bar toni, grocers shop, passarela pizza, pub blu, pub avalon with Guinness and Murphys advertised and a large red brick building the social club in the plaza de la concordia.
A couple of bazar asia, solicitor, renault dealer, car shop (like a halfords), a big hiperber supermarket (shut down) and a kids playground - with graffiti all over it.
On another street there is a school caja murcia, lots more flyposting, electric goods shops, relax disco pub, tabacos, BBVA and La Caxia banks, cafe cocoa, heladeria, panaderia, confiteria, cafe los candiles and local office of PSOE political party.
So, definitely not worth another trip here until they get the place tidied up - first impressions and all that - didn't see anything about Francisco Grau Vegara who wrote the Spanish National Anthem. Decided to find La Pedrera recreation area with 'mountain bike trails, and barbecue areas' and see what beautiful sights could be found there.
The recreation area is about a mile and a half out of the town and signposted. They must have a market here and also there's a recent block of houses - some left half built to keep with tradition - oh and a nice map of the Pedrera park - although its got graffiti over it so pretty much useless.
The place itself is ok, play area for the kids, BBQ's to use, toilets - with Bigstro graffiti all over them - but i think if you have absolutely nothing else to find to do on a day then it could be nice to spend a couple of hours around the walks/trails and have a picnic afterwards - maybe.
You could also feed the ducks although i think they'd prefer their duck pond being fixed.
The scruffy little town about 10 miles away - worst place i've been to in the 30 days of being here.
Even the dustbins are trying to get out of the place.
What's here ?
Bigastro is a traditional village of the Vega Baja. Like all its neighbours the heart of life is set around the church square.
The church is the Church of Virgin of Bethlehem and a sculpture of Saint Joachim of Salzillo.
Near to Bigastro is La Pedrera recreation area with mountain bike trails, and barbecue areas.
There is a small market on Thursday mornings
How'd it get here ?
Formed in 1701 as the home for 24 families. Has around 7,000 residents.
Most famous resident being Francisco Grau Vegara – author of the Spanish National Anthem.
Today -
On the CV91 Orihuela road until the Algorfa left turn and up until the CV920 right turn through the bottom of Algorfa, through Benejuzar, through Jacarilla and Bigastro is the next village on.
Bigastro is different a lots of the other villages i've been to as everything it has to offer is located on small streets rather than one big high street.
It's also different to other places as this is a scruffy little town that must have missed out on council grants when the government was dishing them out - everything seems run down and its the worst place ive been to in the last 4 weeks - hence the entrance sign to the town with the dustbins.
On the outskirts there are a few big muebles (furniture) stores in the Parque Empresarial Apatel industrial estate.
When you enter the town there's a big Perales and Ferrer Factory (pears?) and another that sells baths and kitchens.
The Bigastro square - plaza constitucion - has a music sculpture with a scroll and harp - dated 14-Oct-2001, next is the Casa Constitorial and then the Church itself. Also in the square is a Cam bank, Rural Central bank and Cafe vai ven.
On the next street is a farmacia and MEM - Mobiliario Interiorismo y Disero, cafe bar las tasca.
There is the Parque huerto del cura square with a band stand, auditorium and peluqueria (hair). Cafe roma, bar toni, grocers shop, passarela pizza, pub blu, pub avalon with Guinness and Murphys advertised and a large red brick building the social club in the plaza de la concordia.
A couple of bazar asia, solicitor, renault dealer, car shop (like a halfords), a big hiperber supermarket (shut down) and a kids playground - with graffiti all over it.
On another street there is a school caja murcia, lots more flyposting, electric goods shops, relax disco pub, tabacos, BBVA and La Caxia banks, cafe cocoa, heladeria, panaderia, confiteria, cafe los candiles and local office of PSOE political party.
So, definitely not worth another trip here until they get the place tidied up - first impressions and all that - didn't see anything about Francisco Grau Vegara who wrote the Spanish National Anthem. Decided to find La Pedrera recreation area with 'mountain bike trails, and barbecue areas' and see what beautiful sights could be found there.
The recreation area is about a mile and a half out of the town and signposted. They must have a market here and also there's a recent block of houses - some left half built to keep with tradition - oh and a nice map of the Pedrera park - although its got graffiti over it so pretty much useless.
The place itself is ok, play area for the kids, BBQ's to use, toilets - with Bigstro graffiti all over them - but i think if you have absolutely nothing else to find to do on a day then it could be nice to spend a couple of hours around the walks/trails and have a picnic afterwards - maybe.
You could also feed the ducks although i think they'd prefer their duck pond being fixed.
Day 30 NEWS Heredades district to be expanded in 2013
Tuesday 27th March 2012 - martes
ROJALES - Heredades Plan.
The council has unanimously agreed to go ahead with a 2006 plan to expand the district of Heredades.
A tender process in 2007 had to be abandoned after none of the bids received fulfilled the conditions.
The area in question is in the south east along Calles Geranios and La Anilla towards Formentera del Segura.
Socialist party spokesman, Jose Pedro Chazarra, said the town hall will set aside money to cover the costs of installing the infrastructure in order to carry out the work in 2013.
He claimed they had met with affected residents and they are all in agreement but PADER party spokesman, Desiderio Araez, called for this to be ratified with a vote in front of all the local political groups.
He expressed concern that the plan had been rushed and said they had not received enough details to be sure the town hall could fulfil its promise.
Article taken from this weeks Costa Blanca News dated 23-29 March 2012 on page 14.
ROJALES - Heredades Plan.
The council has unanimously agreed to go ahead with a 2006 plan to expand the district of Heredades.
A tender process in 2007 had to be abandoned after none of the bids received fulfilled the conditions.
The area in question is in the south east along Calles Geranios and La Anilla towards Formentera del Segura.
Socialist party spokesman, Jose Pedro Chazarra, said the town hall will set aside money to cover the costs of installing the infrastructure in order to carry out the work in 2013.
He claimed they had met with affected residents and they are all in agreement but PADER party spokesman, Desiderio Araez, called for this to be ratified with a vote in front of all the local political groups.
He expressed concern that the plan had been rushed and said they had not received enough details to be sure the town hall could fulfil its promise.
Article taken from this weeks Costa Blanca News dated 23-29 March 2012 on page 14.
Monday 26 March 2012
Day 29 EXTRA - Moussaka on a Monday 26/03/2012
Cookery stuff ! Whatever next ??? Well i've never bought an aubergine before never mind cooked one of the things.
That good old traditional Spanish dish of Moussaka (er....yeah right).
First get to the market and buy one of these beauties - they're about 23 cents
Then find the kitchen, the cooker is that thing with 4 circles on the top.
1 - stick a couple of onions and some garlic in a frying pan with some olive oil and fry for 5 minutes
2 - add a pack of mince and fry until brown
3 - add some white wine, herbs and chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes
4 - while that's happening have a swig of the vino for yourself and on to the next bit
5 - slice an aubergine, sprinkle with salt and fry in another pan for a few minutes
6 - slice and part boil some potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes
is it looking something like this yet ?
7 - repeat step 4
8 - lower everything off the heat and get another pan and melt some butter, stick in some flour to make a paste, then some milk, cheese and an egg and stir on a low heat for a bit
mines like this - how bout yours?
9 - in a large oven dish put a layer of mince, then a layer of potatoes, then aubergine, then mince etc... finish off with a layer of mince then pour sauce all over it and add a cover of cheese and bake for 25minutes
While its cooking you've got a shed load of washing up to be getting on with - ok maybe some of mines from earlier in the week but if you hurry up you can do step 4 again
repeat step 4 until the 25 minutes is up and then eat - nom nom - nosh nosh
This recipe has been brought to you courtesy of Margaret in Benimar.
That good old traditional Spanish dish of Moussaka (er....yeah right).
First get to the market and buy one of these beauties - they're about 23 cents
Then find the kitchen, the cooker is that thing with 4 circles on the top.
1 - stick a couple of onions and some garlic in a frying pan with some olive oil and fry for 5 minutes
2 - add a pack of mince and fry until brown
3 - add some white wine, herbs and chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes
4 - while that's happening have a swig of the vino for yourself and on to the next bit
5 - slice an aubergine, sprinkle with salt and fry in another pan for a few minutes
6 - slice and part boil some potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes
is it looking something like this yet ?
7 - repeat step 4
8 - lower everything off the heat and get another pan and melt some butter, stick in some flour to make a paste, then some milk, cheese and an egg and stir on a low heat for a bit
mines like this - how bout yours?
9 - in a large oven dish put a layer of mince, then a layer of potatoes, then aubergine, then mince etc... finish off with a layer of mince then pour sauce all over it and add a cover of cheese and bake for 25minutes
While its cooking you've got a shed load of washing up to be getting on with - ok maybe some of mines from earlier in the week but if you hurry up you can do step 4 again
repeat step 4 until the 25 minutes is up and then eat - nom nom - nosh nosh
This recipe has been brought to you courtesy of Margaret in Benimar.
Day 29 Catral 26/03/2012
Monday 26th March 2012 - lunes
What's here ?
Catral is one of the most inland villages of all the villages of the Vega Baja and is located close to El Hondo reservoir - protected nature reserve. Not doing that today as the visitor centre is closed on Mondays (as are a number of shops and bars i've noticed over the past few weeks) - El Hondo is one for another day.
The main Catral village square is a great place to sit and have a coffee whilst admiring the large domed church that sits proudly in the square as it protects the village 9,200 inhabitants.
How'd it get here ?
The village existed back in Moorish times when it was known as Al-Quatrullat. From 1296 Catral went to the Crown of Aragon and then gained its independence in 1741.
Today
I've done this route before on the bike so to save time it's back in the Flintsones Jonny Cab so straight up the AP7 towards Alicante for just one junction, off at 737 and take the CV905 Dolores road, through Dolores and carry on to Catral which is the next village.
Catral is the only village i've been to so far which has a one way system in place - coming into the centre the traffic it diverted left away from the town on Calle Manuel Flores.
I'll cover that street later but for now I parked up and walked along the high street - Aveinda de la Constitution. At the start of the road is a small (from the outside, i didnt go in) Casino called Lunapark Casino.
Along the main high street, as well as the Casino there's a couple of car dealers (Opel, Citroen), Retaurants - Meson Barbaco, Shang Hai Sushi, Kebab Manola, Pizza Ovi, Venecia, Ameoiremio Pizza, San Remo, Los Candiles and a dance bar - Shao (on facebook apparantly). Bars - Hnos Aguilar, Manola, Sanchez, Happy Days, Avenida, Anjada, CJ's sports bar, Casa Raquel, Landons, Ebano disco pub
as well as Panderia (bread), Peluqueria (hair), Opticians, elecrical goods, dia supermarket, small consum, tyre shop, farmacia, estate agents, hardware shop, heladeria (ice cream), cake shop, Banks - Caja Murcia, La Caixa and Rural Central, Carniceria (butchers), tile shop, Lion Heart Tattoo and body piercing, car repair and servicing.
A petrol station and big Muebles (furniture shop) restaurant Mayman and school completed the end of the main street. There's also lots of industrial units - many of them empty and for rent. One that caught my eye was the biker bar/custom garage www.customgaragebikers.com
Heading back on the right takes you to the town hall and Iglesia Santos Juares (church), along here there's cafe el Jardin, Cafe mary, Dome restaurant, solicitor, Akrum Kebab, carniceria, pet shop, post offce (correos), estanco (cigs), pescaderia (fish), BBVA and CAM banks and the local office for the PP Partido Popular political party.
The church is known as Iglesia Parroquial de los Santos Juanes - saint john the baptist and Saint john the evangelist parish church.
It was a primitive Christian temple erected over the remains of a mosque. After several alterations undertaken throughout the 18th century it was finished in 1802.
It needed to be restored after most of its art pieces were lost in a fire that took place during the civil war in 1936. A new alter was added in 1945.
In the church square itself are the Belmontes cafe and Merida cafe along with an estate agents www.spanish-property-rentals.info
If you're heading out town at this point you come to a very english looking cafe/bar called the Village Inn, walking down this road - Calle Manuel Flores brings you back to where the one way system started - at the Lunapark Casino and Aveinda de la constitution.
What starts off as a bit confusing does actually work well - it's really like having a village with 2 separate high streets, here you have also bar Manoli y Jose, bar sanchez, vino turia, panaderia, peugeot dealer, cafe adela, public library, bombay indian restaurant and Costellos English bar along Manuel Flores street.
Out of the villages where the houses are and a few streets back from the high street are a couple of parks and the Polideportivo - sports centre with outdoor swimming pool.
What's here ?
Catral is one of the most inland villages of all the villages of the Vega Baja and is located close to El Hondo reservoir - protected nature reserve. Not doing that today as the visitor centre is closed on Mondays (as are a number of shops and bars i've noticed over the past few weeks) - El Hondo is one for another day.
The main Catral village square is a great place to sit and have a coffee whilst admiring the large domed church that sits proudly in the square as it protects the village 9,200 inhabitants.
How'd it get here ?
The village existed back in Moorish times when it was known as Al-Quatrullat. From 1296 Catral went to the Crown of Aragon and then gained its independence in 1741.
Today
I've done this route before on the bike so to save time it's back in the Flintsones Jonny Cab so straight up the AP7 towards Alicante for just one junction, off at 737 and take the CV905 Dolores road, through Dolores and carry on to Catral which is the next village.
Catral is the only village i've been to so far which has a one way system in place - coming into the centre the traffic it diverted left away from the town on Calle Manuel Flores.
I'll cover that street later but for now I parked up and walked along the high street - Aveinda de la Constitution. At the start of the road is a small (from the outside, i didnt go in) Casino called Lunapark Casino.
Along the main high street, as well as the Casino there's a couple of car dealers (Opel, Citroen), Retaurants - Meson Barbaco, Shang Hai Sushi, Kebab Manola, Pizza Ovi, Venecia, Ameoiremio Pizza, San Remo, Los Candiles and a dance bar - Shao (on facebook apparantly). Bars - Hnos Aguilar, Manola, Sanchez, Happy Days, Avenida, Anjada, CJ's sports bar, Casa Raquel, Landons, Ebano disco pub
as well as Panderia (bread), Peluqueria (hair), Opticians, elecrical goods, dia supermarket, small consum, tyre shop, farmacia, estate agents, hardware shop, heladeria (ice cream), cake shop, Banks - Caja Murcia, La Caixa and Rural Central, Carniceria (butchers), tile shop, Lion Heart Tattoo and body piercing, car repair and servicing.
A petrol station and big Muebles (furniture shop) restaurant Mayman and school completed the end of the main street. There's also lots of industrial units - many of them empty and for rent. One that caught my eye was the biker bar/custom garage www.customgaragebikers.com
Heading back on the right takes you to the town hall and Iglesia Santos Juares (church), along here there's cafe el Jardin, Cafe mary, Dome restaurant, solicitor, Akrum Kebab, carniceria, pet shop, post offce (correos), estanco (cigs), pescaderia (fish), BBVA and CAM banks and the local office for the PP Partido Popular political party.
The church is known as Iglesia Parroquial de los Santos Juanes - saint john the baptist and Saint john the evangelist parish church.
It was a primitive Christian temple erected over the remains of a mosque. After several alterations undertaken throughout the 18th century it was finished in 1802.
It needed to be restored after most of its art pieces were lost in a fire that took place during the civil war in 1936. A new alter was added in 1945.
In the church square itself are the Belmontes cafe and Merida cafe along with an estate agents www.spanish-property-rentals.info
If you're heading out town at this point you come to a very english looking cafe/bar called the Village Inn, walking down this road - Calle Manuel Flores brings you back to where the one way system started - at the Lunapark Casino and Aveinda de la constitution.
What starts off as a bit confusing does actually work well - it's really like having a village with 2 separate high streets, here you have also bar Manoli y Jose, bar sanchez, vino turia, panaderia, peugeot dealer, cafe adela, public library, bombay indian restaurant and Costellos English bar along Manuel Flores street.
Out of the villages where the houses are and a few streets back from the high street are a couple of parks and the Polideportivo - sports centre with outdoor swimming pool.
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