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Welcome to the March edition of T.I.M. Covering the Costa Blanca, inland and coastal
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DISCLAIMER TIM is an independently published magazine and cannot accept any responsibility for claims or advice given in articles or advertisements and reserves the right to withdraw or alter material without notice. It is advisable for the reader to check information prior to acting on it. RENUNCIA La revista T.I.M no se hace responsable de los errores cometidos o de las ideas u opiniones expresadas por los colaboradores o anunciantes. Mientras tengamos un cuidado razonable, los publicistas no tendremos culpa ninguna por insatisfactoria que resulte cualquier transacciรณn realizada atravez de la revista.
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TIM Magazine™
Gadget Page
IBM has released its list of “5 in 5” – the 5 most important technological advances it thinks will be mainstream in the next 5 years. Personally, I think the timing of some is a little “wishful thinking”, but still, here is the list of things to look forwards to:
1) AI (Artificial intelligence)
It’s going to take longer than 5 years to get above what is considered to be “dumb AI” – the ability for a computer to beat you at Chess, for example, to “Smart AI”, where we will be monitored for things like speech patterns, giving medical advice through changing speech, and being undetectable as a robot/computer in things like conversations, as well as understanding human emotion and behaviour (good luck with that one, I don’t even understand my own behaviour!!).
2) Superhero vision (Yes, you read that right!!)
In the next 5 years, IBM predict that we will be able to have eyesight implants that allow for better vision, for example, whilst driving in fog – and our eyes would be able to see in different lighting conditions. Fog for example is invisible to certain wavelengths, so out “superhero eyes” will adjust to a different wavelength in order to see through.
5) Smart Sensors
We already have these tiny devices which check for multiple things, ranging from gas leaks to temperature changes, but these have always been “dumb sensors” – requiring a human to correct the issue. New sensors would be internet connected, and as such would be able to use AI (from number 1!) to correct the issue themselves, or, at least for now, inform their human more clearly. If you are unsure of the accuracy of these, http://www.research.ibm. com/5-in-5/past-predictions/ is IBMs past predictions, and they are scarily accurate. Have a look at their website, which will give you more about their past predictions, as well as more detailed information on the 5 predictions above. My personal predictions are that these will all come, but to a degree. The superhero vision I feel will be more of a consumer gadget, or an add-on in a car, for example (dark nights, badly lit roads, fog etc, giving alerts of a second screen on your dashboard). The lab on a chip will be more for specific cases for a long time (which, again, we already have with heart monitors etc). Macroscopes will still be fraught with international rights issues and data protection laws, but I do believe IBMs predictions WILL come true at some stage, to some degree, if their prediction history is anything to go by. Until next month, hopefully we can all be outside enjoying the sun (written on a cold February morning!!)
3) Macroscopes
No, not some weird little thing, this is macro, so a large scale. IBM predict that in 2022, all the satellite feeds and sensors on the planet will be interconnected, allowing for the first time for data crunching on a global scale. This will allow for better knowledge of weather patterns, and the higher ability to predict global climate change etc.
4) Labs on a Chip
Another one to benefit our medical conditions, this technology they feel will be more commonplace. At the moment, the best we have is the “fitbit” type device that tracks our heart rate, etc. It’s predicted that in the next 5 years, there will be a device that can be strapped to our wrists (or implanted) that will constantly monitor our health, and even alert your local GP in case of a medical emergency.
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Words by John Bishop https://johnbishopauthor.wordpress.com
BishBash Almost Spring and what exciting times we face. Well, yes, for those of you whose idea of excitement is shark-wrestling off Torrevieja. The Gunfight at the OK Corral, aka the Brexit negotiations, starts soon and already looks to have screwed our chances in the Eurovision Song Contest for the thirty-seventh year in succession and all eternity. (This could, in fact, be the one Brexit bonus, since winning only means you have to pay for the following year’s do and with the decline in the pound all those euro expenses would ruin the BBC) Unknown numbers of people are expected to die of boredom since the main alternative to live streaming of the negotiations on all TV channels will be a Nigel Farage phone-in on Amazon. If this isn’t sufficiently rousing, there are elections later in the year in France, Germany and Holland to make you really lose the will to live as the local mini-Trumps boast of building walls, protectionism and coal for a cleaner climate. What’s to be done? Is there a way of raising our spirits? Seeing a brighter future? Offering hope instead of the creeping sense of everything going to the dogs? Somebody proposed at the New Year that what we need are some Big Ideas. Bold, stirring concepts to lift our tired gaze above the mundane, to re-invigorate our sense of direction. However, I have doubts about this suggestion.Big Ideas are all very well for puffing out the chest (mind you, a couple of bottles of Rioja probably work better) but once you start to think about them they have a tendency to dissolve. Remember Dave’s ‘Big Society’? Or George Bush’s War on Terror? That latterexample reminds us that putting Big Ideas into practice also often leads to disaster. Invasion of Iraq? EU Referendum? Or, let’s invade Russia. Not exactly Napoleon’s - or Hitler’s –brightestscams. So I’m laying aside my Big – Make Spain Great – Idea. The logistics of building an Armada to land a bowls team in Plymouth are too daunting: the ships would need to be sourced from China anyway. As for conquering South America, it’s easier just to sign their footballers. What I’m going for is the Little Idea. Our lives are actually so surrounded by the results of little ideas that we take them for granted nowadays. And the gains are often out of 4
all proportion to their origin. Traffic roundabouts? Cats’ eyes? And who’d have thought that investigating the effect of cow pox on milkmaids could lead to penicillin. In the developing world such little ideas are more obviously lifechanging. Bill Gates may be donating billions to combat malaria but the simple digging of village wells can bring equally beneficial health benefits. In Bangladesh a couple of other little ideas have had similar effects. In one, someone, noting the devastation caused by regular monsoon flooding in which crops were ruined and families left destitute, realised that by planting pumpkin seeds in the sandbars left behind, a quick and nutritious source of food could be produced by the people themselves to aid recovery. In another, women suffering from cultural taboos against, and a lack of, female sanitary products set up their own production, creating both an income and a sense of empowerment. None of this is new. But what happened to ‘Small is Beautiful’?We seem to have forgotten it in the rush to Celebrity/Globalisation. Biggest is Best rules again. What became, for instance, of the small car revolution? (Not enough profit) I was about toattach the ‘My other car is a Sherman tank’ sticker to my new car when I realised the new one looked like a Sherman tank. But hang on. I’m wrong again. (OK, rub it in) Little ideas are sneaking in all over the place. Cars may have been getting fatter but many products have been growing imperceptibly smaller over the past few years and as Brexit pushes up the cost of UK imports this trend will grow. You’ll no longer be able to buy a pack of funsize chocolate bars or snacks – the fun size will be the actual one! It gets worse. The Brexit Big Idea could lead to Britain shrinking. Or worse. Goodbye EU. So long Scotland?Northern Ireland? Special relationship with the US of T, as his hamster? Help! We’re all doomed. Someone find me an answer. An idea. Any idea, nothing too small refused. What? You’ve no idea…? Corporal Jones, we are doomed. Agh…!
Due to last month’s production error. To win a signed John Bishop (writer) book, please see our competition entry form on page 31
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Written by Ignacio Pellicer Mollá (Abogado - Solicitor - Barrister) of Pellicer & Heredia Abogados
Would you and your heirs like to know how much inheritance tax they will need to pay – when the time comes? From the experience gained by working for more than 15 years in the legal and real estate sector, we have identified the needs of our European customers, and for that reason Pellicer & Heredia lawyers have generated an online inheritance tax calculator, so that you and your heirs can now know and plan in advance,the inheritance tax payable by your beneficiaries when they inherit. With this information and our recommendations,our customers can always plan in advance, in order to avoid any undesirable events. With greater involvement in cross-border cases where the application of European regulations and national laws have different results, we always recommend proper international tax planning especially in inheritance matters.
! n a c u o y w o n Well
You canuse our online service, by filling in the form on our website http://www.pellicerheredia.com/en/calculation-Inheritance-Tax Once we have received the necessasry information, we will be able to organise a personal appointment to discuss your situation. PELLICER & HEREDIA Lawyers have a department specializing in Estate Planning. Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding this or any other legal inquiry. Email us at info@pellicerheredia.com or call (+34) 965 48 07 37.
The inheritance tax service has the following as its main objectives: 1. To inform YOU the customer and your heirs of the inheritance tax that would need to be paid, so that you can plan for future economic scenarios. 2. Review and recommend proper estate planning, appropriate to your needs and wishes. 3. Review existing wills in Spain and abroad, and study their compatibility and validity, according to today’s laws. 4. Tax planning in the field of inheritance tax and gift tax in Spain both for Spanish residents and non-tax residents.
“Peace of mind independent international lawyers”
We also have offices in: Hondon de las Nieves, Ciudad Quesada, Petrer, Moraira & Alicante
965 480 737 | 606 056 282 | info@pellicerheredia.com | www.pellicerheredia.com 6
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Aspe – Hondon de las Nieves – Pinoso
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Hyundai I10, I20, I30 Automatic cars available Full airport service Child seats & booster seats available Ex hire cars available for purchase with FSH www.hondonrentacar.com – hondonrentacar@gmail.com Tel: 620 900 690 – 966 195 205 E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
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TIM Magazine™
Bikers
Well it’s Spring (I think) and I’m sure you’ll be pleased to see the back of that cold weather and rain. Like most Brits I’ve always ridden in the rain, even commuted on my bike 12 months a year in the north east, but not any more. I’m totally Espanglish now. As Eric and Ernie used to say “Give me sunshine……for my bike”or something like that. So what is going on in March to tempt you out? Well not a huge amount but first up, on Sunday 5th, is one of my favourites. Los Perrancos down in Roldan, Murcia have their annual bash from 10 a.m. Usually loads going on, I try and make it every year. http://www.tumotoweb.com/evento/xxv-almuerzo-motero-villa-deroldan-2017/ Saturday 11th there’s music at the Indian Bar, Alicante from 1 p.m.. This is attached to Intruder on Carretera Ocaña. Quite a few things going on there, check the website out . Sunday 12th there’s a swap meet run by Hierros biker club at Restaurante Casamar, Alicante. It’s km. 1 on the Cta. Agost. Early warning for another great event, the Murcia Hot rally, held again in Santiago de La Ribera, just next to Murcia airport. I’ve booked a hotel for the Saturday, that’s how good I think it is. By the time we’ve gone to press World Superbikes will have started again down inPhillip Island. I can’t wait and I’m sure the first 2 races will have answered lot of questions. As I’ve said before the biggest for me being how the Kawasaki team deal with the seemingly unstoppable Chaz Davies. MotoGP testing resumed there with some interesting results. Maverick Viñales fastest again showing what he can do on a top bike. Marquez next up followed by team mate Dani Pedrosa, Cal Crutchlow in P5 feeling happy with his new bike. Fingers crossed eh? Charging Chaz Davies. Can they stop him?
Nice little vid of some of the action on this link http://www.motogp. com/en/video_update/2017/02/17/austest-rewind-recapping-3days-of-action-down-under/219710 Keep the feedback coming and have a great month. Remember if you have any comments or want to advertise your club, group or an event, I can be contacted via email at timbikers@gmail.com or on Facebook at Tim Bikers where you will also find details of events where I have got less notice. Spanish word of the month – primavera, Spring. Let’s hope it’s a biking special one. Make sure you’ve checked your tyres etc. Stay safe moteros and all the Biking Best, 8
Jack
Cal Crutchlow. Hoping for more consistency this year.
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Across
Down
1 Asian country (10) 7 Temple to all the gods (8) 8 Obligation — charge (4) 9 Preliminary round in a contest (4) 10 Impervious to all persuasion (7) 12 Lit up (11) 14 Ghost (7) 16 Card game, like poker (4) 19 Colour (of fifty shades?) (4) 20 On the wagon (8) 21 Palace built by Louis XIV (10)
1 Annoyingly self-assertive (5) 2 Seven-a-side game (7) 3 Green and white vegetable (4) 4 Fierce argument (4-4) 5 Tempest (5) 6 Changed direction (6) 11 Abu Dhabi and Dubai, say (8) 12 To some extent but not entirely (2,4) 13 State of great disturbance (7) 15 Glasgow’s river (5) 17 Small insects (5) 18 ___ Hatcher, US actress, star in Desperate Housewives (4)
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Sterling v Euro update - Bored now!
GBrexit…. Article 50 …. Sterling…. Euro…. rates! It’s all getting a bit dull really and the rate is just not going anywhere fast! With the exception of a two-day slump to 1.135, the GBP/EUR has continued to wobble along since the beginning of January between 1.1550 and 1.185, depending what the latest news and sentiment throws out and is currently at 1.175. Investors remain nervous of Sterling with the on and on and on-going Parliament debates over the Article 50 legislation although it now seems certain to clear all its parliamentary stages and be triggered by end of March. This means Theresa May will be able to start a two-year process that should lead to the UK being out of the EU before April 2019….. or will it? Where this will send the rate is anybody’s guess and if you’re not keen on gambling, anyone wanting to exchange Sterling for Euro in the future may want to start considering options. One way to minimise risk is to purchase your currency up front using a forward contract. Allowing you to freeze a rate now and pay later. This option is rarely offered by UK banks and is one of many advantages of using the brokerage such as Currencies4You. Contact me for more information on this option. Although everything points towards Sterling losing ground, I’m just not convinced! My inverted ‘Head and Shoulder’ technical pattern continues on, although it needs to make up its mind fairly soon if we are going to have another shoulder or if it’s going to prove me wrong and stick his arm above his head! This common pattern can be seen outlined on the chart and is
generally indicative of a significant move upward, as borne out on the recent hourly chart (black) over the last couple of days. However, the longer term chart is a little more complex. So, all in all, still very much up in the air! If you need to buy or sell currency involving the GBP we are happy to have a chat about market movements, what is likely to happen and offer you guidance regards the timing of your plans. Even if you deal with another currency broker it’s often useful to get a second opinion,& shop around to get the most for your money! Call us or come and have a chat for free advice. There’s no charges or fees at alland our rates are transparent and competitive. We can save you around 5% compared to transferring through the banks. We will beat any written quote from any other companies. We can also help you set up a Spanish bank account so you can benefit from the banking agreements offered to all Currencies4You clients. Our local Pinoso office also offers many other services for ExPats, keeping everything under on roof! Safety of your funds is paramount, we only use protected escrow accounts authorised and regulated by the FCA. If you are interested in any of the other services in we offer in ‘The Foreign Exchange office’ in Pinoso call us or pop in for more details:- Vehicle Change of ownership & Vehicle re-registration, Car sales and sourcing, NIEs, Residencias, SIP Cards, UK Passport renewals, Car, House, Pet & Health Insurance and mailbox rental.
By Janet Lees Operations Director - Spain 965 070 584 / 635 015 818 E. janet.spain@currencies4you.com
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Let’s face it, insurance in Spain has a bad name. Some Spanish insurers abuse their position of responsibility with a poor track record in Claims Handling and appalling history of Customer Care. Some even use an outdated and unfair Law to ensure the client cannot cancel an insurance policy at any given time. That’s why Key Insurance in Spain was created. To provide a new approach to arranging your Insurance in Spain. Key Insurance Solutions Spain are a team of dedicated insurance consultants and associates with the expert knowledge of helping to provide the best Expat insurance products and services to suit the needs of the client, here in Spain. We have a strong reputation for not compromising on customer care and for transparency. Ensuring the client has a clear choice and the opportunity of knowing, in advance, the type of insurance policy that is being purchased.
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TIM Magazine™ So while getting a short term job in Players, the famous Nottingham fag factory to earn some necessary short-term money while I changed career, I mentioned my quandary at the Job Centre and was invited along to this interview. My young Scottish interviewer, Fiona certainly came over as knowing her stuff. There was a mass of written questions, all with four possible answers: like ‘Do you get on with your parents/ authority’, ‘Do you like to work on your own’, or ‘Do you like working with your hands’ etc. For some nosey reason I picked up the heavy document several pages thick and could see that it opened up. Having a naughty peek I noticed there were graphs behind where some dots I had made linked up, and some did not. Hmm… Fiona came in with a welcome cup of tea and took my answer sheet away. After thirty minutes she came back and we started to talk. She asked me to describe the type of work I had been doing in the Air Force: if I had liked it, what aspects did I dislike etc, and then she turned to the future, asking if I had any ideas. When I told her about my becoming a Probation Officer she frowned and explained:
By John McGregor ‘So, John. You’re about to change direction in your life and career?
While discussing the other options available I mentioned becoming a company salesman, and Fiona brightened up.
‘Yes, Fiona. I’ve just left the Royal Air Force and I’m looking for a fresh challenge.’
‘How strange you should say that, John’. I told her about my father, and she nodded enthusiastically. ‘You see your profile shows you that that would be an ideal position given your abilities and temperament. Your personality would seem ideal and that is actually one of this system’s recommendations for you’.
‘OK. Well, actually here at the Job Centre we’re pioneering a new way of trying to help people re-settle in their lives. We want you to take some tests, but our way might surprise you. I am going to give you a booklet and – a pin! Not a pen, but a pin. If you work through steadily, with your initial thoughts only please, don’t dwell over the four multiple choice answers. Just put a pin prick in the box next to the answer that suits you best. Then you can have a break and a cup of tea while I have a look at your answers – OK, John?’
And that’s how I came to be interviewed in the Nottingham Job Centre back in 1972, aged 23. I had just finished a frisky, funny, five years as an aircraft radio mechanic, seen a fair bit of the world, made some great mates and had a ball. But all good things must come to an end and I had decided that long term the Air Force and its quirky way of life, so different to civilian life was not for me. The RAF, bless ‘em had tried to advise me to go into ‘safe’ jobs: banking, teaching, the Civil Service, indeed I had been offered a teacher’s training course, but I declined it. Both my sisters were teachers and it just didn’t appeal, and neither did the others. Lately I had seen that the Probation Office were looking for people to train, that certainly seemed more interesting. Oh, and dear old Dad was an Area Sales Manager for the East Midlands for a toiletries and medicines manufacturer. He had told me his company would shortly be looking for new young inexperienced people to train up.
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‘John, that worries me. Your ‘black box changing’ aircraft work is straightforward. But being a Probation Officer involves working with problematical people who have disobeyed the law. People have an awfully nasty habit of going back to their old ways, often when you and others think they are getting better, and the job can be very frustrating. I’m not sure from the answers you have given that the Probation Service may be the right move for you, John. What other interests have you?’
And do you know what? The following week I answered an advertisement for ‘Fledgling Marketeers’ in the Daily Telegraph for my Dad’s company, and soon after joined five other young men fresh from college on a two-week training course at the company’s head office at Slough in Berkshire. I started as a junior salesman, immediately adored the job, and relished the challenges along the way. After several successful years ‘on the road’ I started to steadily climb the greasy pole of sales management, before eventually leaving eleven years later to join another company. I worked for four different companies over the next 25 years, staying happily in that profession until taking a well-deserved early retirement and coming to live in Spain in 1998, aged 49. Then what? Retirement can be boring while still so young. Well, I started writing, firstly in newspapers and magazines, published a book or two and achieved my degree in English at the Open University in 2013. But during this lively period a sort-of sales opportunity came up, and today I’m still at it, this time selling advertising space in a monthly magazine – this one, actually. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it – actually, I still love it, and it comes naturally. So looking back forty-five years, the couple of hours I spent at the Nottingham Job Centre in 1972 was time exceedingly well spent – why don’t they do that now? It certainly set me on the right path for a decent career in life which I’m still enjoying. Cheers Fiona, lassie - you got it bang on!
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Costa Blanca Whether it’s due to the language barrier or lack of knowledge about the Spanish banking system, many expats won’t realise that they’re been duped out of money every year by their “friendly” bank. Read our tips to make sure that the euros stay where they should: in your pocket! Check Your Direct Debits Using direct debits for your utilities, phone and other bills is easy and the service is normally free. But what happens when there’s an amount charged to your account that you don’t agree with? For those direct debits that you set up but you don’t agree with the amount, by law you have 8 weeks to return the charge. But check twice: if it is correct and the direct debit has to go through again then the company concerned will charge you (normally up to 10€). If you see a charge on your account that you haven’t authorised then you have 13 months to return the charge. Don’t forget to let your bank know not to accept any further charges from the company concerned. Remember never to use this service just to protest at what you’re charged. Not paying your bills month after month could lead to a lot more problems than having a subscription / phone line cut off as you may end up on a debtor’s list. Commission Rates Are Negotiable If your bank doesn’t offer free credit cards or commission-free banking, don’t accept the commission rates at face value. Long-term and “good” customers can negotiate the commission charged. As there are plenty of commission-free accounts available (normally online banking), if you don’t get what you want then let your bank know you’ll take your money elsewhere. Watch Out With Free Gifts Gone are the days that banks would try and attract new clients with offers of kitchen cookware or bathroom towels (yes, really, these were attractive freebies for new bank clients in Spain!). Nowadays you’ll be offered iPads, HD TVs, smartphones and similar gadgets. But it’s just a big con. The money has to come from somewhere (banks never lose) so watch out for higher commission, lower savings rates or poor service. Plus taxpayers in Spain will have to declare the gift on their tax return. Believe it or not, the bank must provide you with a statement showing the value of the gift, most will be subject to a 21% tax rate. So your freebie isn’t that free really. How Safe Is Your Money? Up to 100,000€ per account holder per bank is guaranteed by the Spanish Deposit Guarantee Fund. However just because a bank branch is present in Spain doesn’t mean that it’s included in this scheme. Other EU banks are normally covered by their respective country, for example ING Direct is covered for the same 100,000€ per person by the Dutch Central Bank. For other non-Spanish banks make sure you check before putting any money in. The Bank Manager Isn’t Your Friend! Scandals apart, remember that anyone who works in your local bank branch does not have your best interests at heart.
They’ll normally be working on commission to get you to sign up for products sold by their own banking group. It’s always best to compare with other banks or insurance companies before signing up. How About Claiming Back Mortgage Charges? A new law means that banks have to inform clients of how much they overpaid on their mortgage due to the floor clause. However this doesn’t mean that all banks will go ahead and refund their clients directly without a fight. Your first step is to contact the bank via a template form that they will provide you with. When they answer watch out for the following: • Your bank must give you a calculation of what was overpaid. Don’t just accept the figure, double check. • As a different interest rate should have been paid, you’ll need to receive a new repayments table. Remember if you’re a taxpayer in Spain and the amount refunded would have affected your tax return over the last five years, you’ll have to redo each one. Additionally several courts in Spain have sentenced that clients taking out a mortgage should only have been charged for the purchase (compraventa) and not for the arrangement fees (gastos de hipoteca). The latter are the charges that can be reclaimed. Some judicial sentences have concluded that banks have to return 100% of the arrangement fees, others have decided that the fees should be paid 50/50 by the bank and the mortgage holder. Of course, banks are not volunteering to return any money. This leaves consumers with no choice but to take the case to court. For a 150,000€ mortgage the arrangement fee amounts to around 3000€, so it’s worth claiming. How Do I Make A Claim? If your case ends up going to court and it’s over 2000€ you cannot represent yourself. This means that for the majority of people they’ll need to use a lawyer. Both of the major consumer organisations in Spain, OCU and FACUA, offer a service to claim for the mortgage floor clause and/or the arrangement fees. Of course it’s not free, but at least there’s a certain peace of mind that comes with using an official organisation. Watch out for ambulance chaser type lawyers – they will help you with your claim but often for a hefty fee. There have even been cases of people not receiving a cent as lawyers had included a contract clause stating that for amounts below a certain threshold nothing would be reimbursed. The best idea is to get information from 3 or 4 different companies, compare and choose one. And don’t forget to read the small print! What About The Bank of Spain’s Official Claims Service? Basically, forget it! The number of claims that goes through the Bank of Spain’s Official claims service is considerable. Many consumers receive a favourable reply and then, nothing. It turns out that the Bank of Spain can only advise but not impose its decision. Only around one third of claims are acted upon by banks. Don’t forget to sign up to the weekly MoneySaverSpain.com newsletter on the website for more great tips and savings ideas.
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TIM Magazine™
Was Expat Life Better 100 years ago? Words By Rob Innis
Life without television, cars, telephones, internet, supermarkets barely thinkable now but one early Expat lived happily without any of these modern day conveniences. Gerald Brenan was born in Malta in 1894 but, after fighting in World War 1 and being awarded the Military Cross, he decided to spend some post-war years in Spain. One of his main reasons being his limited income would last longer. He rented a house (after some ‘trickery’ by the landlord) in Yegen in the Alpujarras – the mountainous region of Granada. Later, in the 1950s, publishing several books including South from Granada recounting his memoirs of life during the 1920s in this remote mountain village. The book paints a fascinating picture of Spanish life during that austere period. An existence without the benefits of any modern facilities. Yet local people, including Brenan, were happy. The village rejected the option of a public telephone – who was there to call? - Everyone they knew lived in the village. He learnt Spanish ‘after the style of the village’ and was accepted without question by the Yegen locals. However they were intrigued by the bachelor ‘El Ingles’ cleaning his new residence, this was not work for males. He finally employed Maria to be his housekeeper who asked him for one peseta a day as pay. He maintained his connections with the cultural set in London known as ‘Bloomsbury’ a group of artists and writers who were the trendsetters of their day. Many of this circle of friends visited him in the Alpujarras. Their journey was arduous as the only transport into the village was by mule. Some visitors, including Virginia Woolf, appeared to cope with this far better than others. Not only was the journey but also the food, terrain and locals not to every guests taste. (Remind you of some of your visitors?)
Brenan was initially amazed at the parochial attitude of his fellow villagers. Their interest and knowledge of the next village was minimal. Yegen was self sufficient in all matters. The only product bought into the village was fish. Everything else was produced locally or simply not required. Interestingly many locals had already abandoned any serious compliance to religion with some missing mass or paying scant regard to religious matters. However many fiestas were regularly enjoyed by all which, of course, had their origins in religious events. The village complied with the law by having a school. However, attendance was mixed because children had to help with the cultivation of the land and care for the animals. What good was education if they starved? Most only achieved limited learning. Which was seldom or never put to use – they had nothing to read and more important knowledge, how to survive, was taught by the family. Whilst reading this delightful book “No other book describes with such vivid sympathy the essence of a remote rural area before the Civil War” (book’s cover notes) I began to wonder if perhaps he had a better Expat experience than many of his modern day counterparts. Not for him the problems of bureaucracy, illegal building, brexit or traffic regulations. He walked many miles exploring his region and making new acquaintenances. Admittedly, he does relate he took caution, alone out in the remote mountain areas. Robberies were not unknown but most of his experiences were pleasurable. He left Spain at the start of the Spanish civil war and returned in 1953, after serving as a homeguard in WW2. He settled in Malaga with his American wife and began writing. Times had of course changed in the then Franco run Spain. He died in Spain in 1987, after being awarded the CBE in 1982. Brenan admitted in his autobiography, Gerald Brenan’s Personal Record covering 1920/1972 that his fiction books were ‘not much good’ but he was widely acclaimed for his ‘The Spanish Labyrinth’ an account of the social and political background of the Spanish Civil War. A film of his life was made in 2002 by Fernando Colomo (Spanish film producer, screenwriter and film director) named after the book. Whilst the books on Spain by Hemingway and Orwell may be better known Brenan’s South from Granada is a gem “A brilliant interpreter of Spain to the rest of the world” – The Times. I found it fascinating and thought provoking, a rich account of Spain’s vanished past. A sad loss? Available from good bookshops or online from amazon and other book sellers.
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Costa Blanca
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El Raso Guardamar
TIM Magazine™
El Raso Guardamar
Onil 24
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Onil
Costa Blanca
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Mike, Don and Sancho
TIM Magazine™
By Chris Thompson When I was a boy there was a book called Don Quixote which, from the picture on the cover, seemed to be about fighting windmills. The name was pronounced as Don Quick Soat – to rhyme with boat. Nowadays Britons seem to pronounce the title with a Spanish lilt - Donkey Oaty. Spaniards call the same book El Quijote. I was a bit disappointed when I found out the key character is not really called Don and goes by the name of Alonso Quixano. Don is a bit like esquire in English; it poshens up a name without really meaning anything. Telephone sales reps often call me Don Cristofer. El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha is, according to people who know, one of the greatest fiction books ever written. Estimates also suggest that it’s the best selling book of all time with 500 million copies sold which is way ahead of the number two book, A Tale of Two Cities, at 200 million. El Quijote was written, and published, in two parts in 1605 and 1615. The book pokes fun at the chivalrous romantic novels which were popular at the time. The hero is a scatter brained fellow who lives in a dream world and thinks he is a gallant knight of noble birth. He wanders the countryside, especially the plains of Castilla la Mancha, on his bony horse, Rocinante, wearing an old suit of armour, armed with a lance and shield and dreaming of his lady love, Dulcinea, He gets into scrape after scrape accompanied by his trusty servant Sancho Panza riding his plodding donkey. Sancho is quite different to his master. He’s as fat as his master is skinny and whilst he may be from a simple and humble background he’s also a practical sort of bloke with a nimble mind – the perfect counterpoint to his boss. Miguel de Cervantes wrote el Quijote. He was born in 1547, the fourth of seven children, to a poor travelling medical man. He had any number of brushes with authority, often because he was in debt, and had to do several moonlight flits. At 21 Cervantes was in Italy, then part of the 26
Spanish Empire, working as a servant to a Cardinal. A couple of years later he’d signed up as a soldier with the Christian forces ranged against the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Cervantes was at the battle of Lepanto in 1571 where a Christian fleet, largely bankrolled by the Spanish, defeated an Ottoman fleet. It was the last major naval battle fought between rowing vessels. Cervantes was shot three times at Lepanto losing most of the mobility in his left hand as a result. He continued his military career until, in 1575, he was captured, by Ottoman pirates, and imprisoned in Algeria. Over the five years of his imprisonment he tried to escape several times but it was ransom money, sent from Spain, that eventually got him home and stopped him being sold into slavery. By 1587 Cervantes was in Seville where he worked as a purchasing agent for the Spanish Navy as it prepared the Armada to sail against England. He ended up in prison, once again, when he invested crown funds with a bank that went bust. He got into more trouble in his next job too when he worked as a tax collector because the amount he collected and the amount he handed over didn’t quite add up! Cervantes could only write in his spare time. It is thought that he started to write El Quijote when he was in jail. He’d already written one book and several plays, with very little success, so he was 57 by the time his best seller was published. Even as El Quijote was rolling off the presses, an almost instant success, Cervantes was still trying to find that elusive well paid government job. He may well have already known the truth that he would never see any royalties from the book sales. Scholars think that he was working as a banker or accountant by this time because, somewhere along the way, he picked up a pension from the Count of Lemos which allowed him to dedicate the last few years of his life to full time writing. He died of type II diabetes in 1616.
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
CYCLOGICAL Riding on your own can be great fun, you can go where you want, when you want and stop whenever you want and it also gives you time to think etc, however riding in or with a group can be very enjoyable. You can make new friends, learn some cracking new routes, learn new skills and techniques, work harder, cycle further, improve your stamina and generally have more fun and post ride socialising.It’s also a great way to improve your stamina whilst discovering the local scenery. There are many cycling groups and clubs in the local area to suit everyone.Their are Ladies groups, Gents groups, Couples groups, Mountain-bike groups, Electric- bike groups, Road -bike groups, Training- groups and so on .We have many groups operating from our shop and know about most of the other groups in the area so check out our website or call in and just ask us for details. Safety in numbers. When you’re riding in a group with others and where the road conditions allow, aim to cycle two abreast, ideally alongside a partner you can match the pace with comfortably. You are all responsible for your own safety and the safety of others. If you are at the front take care not to ride too close to the gutter, you’re the eyes and ears for the group, it’s up to you to seethe potholes, parked cars,joggers, other cyclists etc,and to tell the rest of the members by hand signals. No matter where you are in the group you must pass on all information to the person behind you without making any unpredictable movements. If you suddenly slow down or swerve, you’re putting yourself and the others in danger. Drafting. Use the wind to your advantage. Effective wind is the combination of air resistance, always from directly ahead, and the real wind which can be from any direction. This determines the position of the slipstream of the rider in front, which is where you want to be to benefit. Ride as close as you can – you’re only too close when you touch them- but do not overlap their wheel. By Drafting in a group you can keep going faster by taking it in turns to recover. Remember to take your turn at the front and to lead for as long as you can. Also maintain an even pace when riding two abreast. For groups of six or more it is legal to cycle two abreast in close formation but only when safe to do so ie: The road is wide enough and is not a single track road. For groups of five or less the fastest formation is single file with the front rider periodically moving to the side and then dropping back. Larger groups should use two lines and rotate positions so as everyone takes a turn at the front and all have a chance of recovery.
Lynn’s Ladies Hybr
id group : Meet every Monday at 1pm and cover ap prox 40kms Wednesday at 11am and cover approx 80 kms Gents Hybrid Grou p : Meet every Mond ay at 9.30am and cover ap prox 40kms Wednesdays at 9.30a m and cover approx 80kms Mixed Hybrid Grou p: Meet every Saturd ay at 2pm and cover approx 80 kms Road Bike Training Group: Meet every Tu esday at 5.30 covering approx 65-75 kms Thursdays at 5.30pm covering 85kms and Sundays at 8am cove ring 100-120kms
www.cyclogicalcostablanca.com
The Weather. Cycling on roads in wind and rain is always a challenge but in a group you need to take on a few other considerations. Any deviation from the line caused by strong gusts or slippery roads will have a knock on effect for others. Be aware of exposed areas of road or bridges where strong winds could throw you off course. Give more room to those ahead of you in the wet too. 28
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Costa Blanca
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TIM Magazine™
HONDON VALLEY GOLF SOCIETY MCGUINESS WINS ON HOME COURSE The Captain John Sercombe welcomed the
Winners
HCP
Category
Pts
members and their guests to ideal conditions
STEVE McGUINESS
14
Gold Winner
35
at Alenda Golf. The course was in very good
ALAN RIXSON
17
Gold Runner Up
33
JOHN AINSCOUGH
9
Gold Third Place
32
MEL BARNARD
22
Silver Winner
37
a two tee start of the 1st and 10th tees. The Vice
BOB BERRIMAN
20
Silver Runner Up (LOWER HCP)
31
Captain Geoff Rabey turned up for the event but
PAUL EVANS
22
Silver Third Place
31
had forgotten to notify the Captain that he was
MARIUS DAMEN
28
Bronze Winner
33
playing
ANDREW DOHERTY
32
Bronze Runner Up
32
ROGER SINGLETON
36
Bronze Third Place
30
GRAHAM KING
20
Guest Winner
34
condition, although there was work going on the course to extend the buggy paths but this did not affect play in anyway. There were 37 players with
But after a bit of juggling he went out in a two ball. The greens were very slick and fast and most members had difficulties on them, but the
Hole
players who were also Alenda members showed
TOM DEFTY
Nearest the Pin
3
their worth by taking 50% of the Gold and Silver
JOHN SERCOMBE
Nearest the Pin
5
Categories and the Guest prize. Special mention
STEVE COLLIN
Nearest the Pin
13
must go to Mel Barnard who had an outstanding
STEVE LEE
Nearest the Pin
16
round and came in with 37 points. Also special
JAMIE SMITH
Nearest the Pin IN TWO SHOTS
4
JOHN FORRESTER
Nearest the Pin IN THREE SHOTS
12
STEVE COLLIN
Two on the card
well done. Although the course was very busy
PAUL EVANS
Two on the card
and numerous members went out just before
STEVE INGERSON
Captain’s Pick
our tee times walking, the average round took
GRAHAM PALMER
Captain’s Pick
4 hours 15 minutes which was very good. At the
RICHARD BELL
Captain’s Pick
Presentation after the completion of the rounds,
ROGER SINGLETON
FOOTBALL SCRATCHCARD
TOM DEFTY & STEVE INGERSON
GREEN FEE REFUND
mention must go to Roger Singleton who is a stalwart of the society and came third in the Bronze Category, his first win for some time,
the Captain thanked all members and guests and thanked Alenda Golf for putting on a good event. Unfortunately owing to work commitments the Gold Winner Steve McGuiness had to leave and therefore did not receive his prize or accolades, but I am sure he has received them since. The draw for the match play knockout competition has been made and the Captain will publish it in the near future. I would like to remind members that we have a face book page which all the photographs taken on the course and at the presentation will be posted by Trevor Batchelor, please use this facility as it was asked for at the last Annual General Meeting, there also will be on the site in the near future all the T.I.M. magazine articles. Finally I would like to thank Ken Cooke who has been writing these articles for the last 18 months
Forthcoming Fixtures & Social Events THE JUDY DALTON MEMORIAL CHARITY GOLF DAY FRIDAY 3rd MARCH FONT DEL LLOP MEETING IN CLUBHOUSE 0800 TUESDAY 14TH MARCH –ALTORREAL MEET IN THE CLUBHOUSE AT 0900 TUESDAY 11TH APRIL – FONT DEL LLOP MEET IN THE CLUBHOUSE 0845 BOB WATSON MEMORIAL TROPHY TUESDAY 25TH APRIL- BONALBA MEET IN CLUBHOUSE 0900
but has now stepped down.
For information on how to join HVGS contact the Secretary,Ken Knight, on 638 190 567 or email him at kjknight1954@gmail.com. To reserve your place on the list for the Society Golf Days contact the Captain, John Sercombe, on 693 734 462 or email him at v.sercombe@sky.com 30
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Costa Blanca
The Judy Dalton Memorial Charity Golf Day EVENING PRESENTATION BUFFET AND ENTERTAINMENT AT THE IRISH BAR HONDON DE LAS FRAILLES
To win a signed John Bishop (writer) book Simply answer the question below and fill in your details, cut out the coupon and send to T.I.M. Apartado de Correos 285 • 03630 SAX (Alicante) Question: On which island is John’s second book set HINT: See the interview with John Bishop, which can be found on page 10 of last month’s TIM (February edition) Answer.................................................................................. Name..................................................................................... Email Address......................................................................... Address.......................................................................... ....................................................................................... Your Contact Tel number.......................................................... Closing Date for entries is the18th of the month TIM’s decision is final
Hondon De Los Frailes, December 2016 Dear Sponsor, THE JUDY DALTON CHARITY GOLF DAY – 3RD MARCH 2017 Judy Averil Dalton was a wife to Clive for 53 years, a mother to her son and daughter and a grandmother to her two grandchildren. She was always more than willing to give help and support to anyone but especially her family. All was going well here in Spain until the ‘silent killer’ came along – Pancreatic Cancer. Judy went into hospital with a DVT and, after a scan, we were informed she had cancer and would live for six to nine months. Five weeks later we held Judy’s funeral. There is nothing to show that you have this awful disease until you have a scan and by then it is too late! We are holding this Charity Golf Day in Judy’s memory to raise money towards Pancreatic Cancer Research. We have learned that early warning is the only chance to survive this form of cancer and, at the moment, there is no warning at all, hence the need for continuing research and funding. The day starts at 08.30 am when 60 golfers tee off at Font Del Llop. Refreshments for golfers will be available at El Valle (The Irish Bar) in Frailes from 14.00 pm and throughout the afternoon. The Golf Prizes Presentation will take place at approx 18.00 pm. This will be followed by an Auction with many excellent lots to bid for. A finger buffet will be available from 19.30 pm to accompany the live entertainment provided by Susy G. We thank you sincerely for supporting this event. Please rest assured, all your contributions however large or small will be gratefully received. All monies raised will go towards Pancreatic Cancer Research. Clive Dalton Event Manager Mob 636 309 626 Graham Palmer Event Secretary Mob 685 816 518
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TIM Magazine™
JAGUARS visit Pinosso for The Presidents Choice Written by Eric Arnold The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club in Spain got together again on Saturday 28th January 2017 for a rather special event. The Presidents Choice, this event was conceived to provide something different, and a bit more up market than our regular meetings. A cruise through the country side then an 8 course culinary extravaganza in a Michelin recommended restaurant. The restaurant, El Raco de Pere I Pepa is located in Pinosso and is my favourite restaurant in the Costa Blanca. It’s mid winter, yet we had blue skies, beautiful sunshine but it was a touch chilly in the stiff breeze, however, not enough to spoil our day. Many of us started in Sax and drove in convoy through the country side to Pinosso where we had parking reserved outside the restaurant aptly managed by the local police. 25 beautiful examples of Jaguars automotive engineering and 59 people for lunch. May I take this opportunity to thank all those that attended especially the people that have never been before. To see a line up of fabulous Jaguars always moves my heart, it is just a beautiful thing to see. Of course, they are all beautiful, the pride and joy of their owners so I’m not going to highlight any particular car this time just take it from me, the line up was fabulous. I knew from previous experience that this dining experience was going to be good, we were not disappointed. I am not going to detail every dish, as I have limited space for this article, but just to give you an idea what was included here is just a small selection of the dishes we experienced. A shaved Foie Gras Pate with an onion jam. A sizzling dish of huge king prawns centred with a lightly fried egg. A lightly seared scallop on a cauliflower puree with a red vermouth reduction. A fabulous fillet steak with a escalope of fresh Foie in a port sauce. Or maybe a Papadelle of pasta with lobster will tempt your taste buds. Beautiful red and white wines complimented the menu. Chocolate heaven for dessert, then a coffee or a last drink, then head for home, a fabulous afternoon. This menu extraordinaire can be experienced for just 40.00 Euros. Our next meeting is on Sunday the 5th March 2017, at The Club House, La Marquesa Golf Course, Rojales / Quesada. See the website www.jec-spain.com for more details. Following that in April, The Big One 2017, an event that is proving to be very popular, we already have 197 people registered and 101 cars. Briefly the event consists of a cruise to Leon in Northern Spain, a two night stay at the fabulous Parador de Leon. A gala ball with a masked pre dinner reception in the cloisters. Then a cruise into the mountains on the Sunday. I still have room if you would like to join us. See the web site for more details. The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club is the largest of the worlds Jaguar Clubs, apart from joining in the fun at the meetings, full members also benefit from a glossy 140 page A4 monthly magazine, Jaguar spares department and a technical advice service second to none. If you live in Spain and own a Jaguar you should be a member of The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club. The JEC in Spain is organised by Eric Arnold and Ian McMenemy. Eric can be contacted by email at jaguarspain@outlook.com or by phone on 609931647 or alternatively check out the JEC Spain website www.jec-spain.com Our Events Director, Ian McMenemy can be contacted at McMenemy@JEC-events.com. Come along and join us. 32
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Costa Blanca
BOXED TRADE ADVERTS
BUYING A NEW CAR/ MOTORBIKE? Want to check out your Car/Bikes History “HPI Check In Spain” All we need is your nie and car/bike registration. 35 euros per vehicle Email us at belen@assintem.com
WHEN USING ANY OF THE ADVERTISERS SERVICES IN THE TIM MAGAZINE BE SURE TO MENTION WHERE YOU FOUND THEM
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TIM Magazine™
Classifieds
EMAIL your small ads to bargainads@yahoo.es or TEXT your FREE small ads up to €1.000 to 680 976 823
ADVERTISE YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS UP TO THE VALUE OF 1,000 EUROS Adverts classed as business adverts or adverts that are above the value of 1,000, are charged at 20 cents per word.
Sell it Fast Sell it For FREE! You can now place your unwanted items in our Classifieds section FREE of charge up to the value of 1.000 euros. Simply text your unwanted items too 680 976 823 or email them to bargainads@ yahoo.es remember, no more than 25 words per item and no more than 3 items per household, and please always include what area you live in, we do not take FREE classifieds over the phone. Last day for Free ads is the 18th of the month. When sending through your items by email, please only send in normal size text. GENERAL TECHNICS.KN 2000 Electronic Keyboard, complete with stand, stool, user manual. Plus large selection of assorted music.( 250 euros) 966 194 169 ( San Miguel area) Decathalon adult push scooter, unwanted gift new, folds up, as new cost 99 euros will sell for 74 euros Tel 627 726 369 after 2 pm San Pedro Double garage up and over door, surplus to requirements. Door measures 10’ 3” (3124mm) x 7’ 2” (2182mm) without frame. Frame adds about 2” (50mm) to building opening. In good condition, colour white. Buyer collects. Located near Sax. Offers around €300. Please ring 965 474 419 evenings. Cordless kettle 1.7 liter brand new in box 10 euros Tel or text 663 664 051 Hondon Motorbility scooter with ramp and battery 400 euros Tel 694 442 9330 Caudete Large motorcycle or quad top box for sale,, good condition with base attachments 48 euros San Pedro 627 726 369 after 2 pm EPSOM STYLUS SX130 Scanner, Printer, Copier, Including full set of new inks, 30 euros. Tel: 965 482 144 ( Hondon ) Sliding security grille, lift gate type. Will fit opening approx. 6’ 6” (1981mm) wide x 7’ 4” (2229mm) high. Used but serviceable, needs tidying. Buyer collects (very heavy). Located near Sax. Offers around €75. Please ring 965 474 419 evenings.
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Fitness Machine Motion Crosstrainer X9.8. €30, Castalla 663 564 364 Double duvet cover and pillowcase set, brand new and unpacked Hondon Tel 663 664 051 WHEELCHAIR / COMODE Brand new, never been used, 175 euros, o.n.o. Tel: 966 717 050 ( Quesada) Cepsa gas bottles , stainless type (butane). I have several for sale at just €9 each. Would swop some for propane ones (grey). Near Sax. Please ring 965 474 419 evenings. Dining room table with Ext. leaf & 6 chairs 99 euros. Buyer collects Rattan Table 3 foot x 2. 40 Euros. Settee converts into divan bed. Buyer collects 50 Euros 619 634 859. Near Hondon-De -Los Frailes A box of assorted cookery books, including 2 Delhia Smith ‘Winter Collection’ and ‘How to Cook’ Good condition, €15 Tel. 965 488 288 Albatera Twin lnb universal, brand new in the box 20 euros Hondon Tel 663 664 051 Panasonic Portable Soft Cool Air Conditioner (50 euros) San Miguel Area (966 194 169) Single Bed New Mattress (30 euros) (966 194 169) San Miguel area) Solar Collector 5,1 m2, 1,22 – 4,22 m Electronic Control Unit SC3, which controls 220V, pump and 24V motor valve Pipes Must be dismounted. 500 euros Fortuna Murcia 0047 932 411 15 rune@ inspirasjon.no Satellite finder tv signal strength
If you have an item for sale over 1.000 euros or if you have a commercial advert and would like them listed in the Classifieds section of the magazine, then call 606 891 644. Closing date for Classifieds in the magazine is the 19th of the month. Advertise Your Classifieds For FREE No Value Restrictions. Sell anything fast at www.timspain.com classifieds, its totally FREE. Sell you House/car/boat or what you have at www.timspain.com
meter brand new in box 25 euros Hondon 663 664 051 SERVICES
Peak Transport, Vince Webster Large Van UkSpain-Uk, Monthly runs, competitive quotes, reliable, friendly service. Telephone 690 818 090 and Uk mobile 0750 492 7034 email: spain2ukpeaktrans @yahoo.co.uk
IS YOUR GARDEN TOO
WANTED
MUCH TO COPE WITH? I can weed/ Dig Over/ Plant and prune your trees or exterior painting of garden walls etc for 7 euros an hour Sax - Salinas- Elda -Petrer areas. I am also fluent in Spanish for help with translations. Call Callum on 634 309 459
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Wanted A 1980/90’s sewing machine, eg Bernina, Jones, Brother etc. Must be in good condition with Instr. manual and all accessories. also cement mixer for 50Euros ono. Hondon de las Nieves 639564242. SQUASH PLAYERS WANTED ALL LEVELS. In areas close to Villena, Caudete, Biar, Sax, Yecla, Pinoso. For monthly league. Tel. 689162480
Costa Blanca DO YOU HAVE PETS? NEED TO RENT? 2 Bed wooden cabin in 1,300sm of secure fenced garden, mains water & electric. 1 km to village of La Murada, Orihuela. Available from mid January 2017. Telephone 649 280 204 HOUSES FOR SALE
NEW PROPERTIES Spanish lady wants to meet once a week to converse in English/ Spanish. “Come and meet me for a coffee and a chat, I will teach you Spanish and I can learn English Pinoso area Tel 626 695928
URGENTLY REQUIRED IN THE SAX/SALINAS/ PINOSO/VILLENA AREAS. FABFINCAS IS A FULLY LEGAL &
VEHICLES 2nd hand cars bought and sold Tel 691 260 502 CHARITIES Castalla charity caritas. calle toribio selles number 5 near the church. Open mondays 4 pm---8pm. accept clothes and food and any decent items for more info, Phone,651 943 037. The Samaritans cover the whole of Spain and operate 24/7. We also have a drop off centre and charity shop at Punta Prima off N332 24 hour Helpline 900 525 100 or email pat@samaritansinspain.com
INDEPENDENT AGENCY. NO SALE - NO FEE. Contact Steve or Claire on 965 474 314 / 675 218 436 fabfincas@gmail.com Website: www.fabfincas.com
EVENTS PARTY YOURSELF INTO SHAPE FOR THE SPRING Ditch the Workout, Join the Party!! Zumba Fitness Classes with Licensed Zumba Instructor in Pinoso, Fortuna, the Hondons. For details contact Donna 966 195 876 / 699 408 773 www.zumbaiberia. com
EMPLOYMENT
CLUBS/MEETINGS SILVERWINGS AVIATION LUNCHEON CLUB, Costa Blanca Silverwings is for retired, and operational, civil aviators and support crews of all nationalities. We will meet at a venue near to Alicante Airport and major routes. If you are interested, please contact Sue & Sarah at: silverwingsspain@hotmail.com PROPERTY RENTALS House to rent, center of Salinas, 3 beds, furnished, small outside space, short term or long term, 200 euros per month ex bills. Tel 0044 1924 865 668 or 0044 7583 100 143 email petermcshane@ymail.com
Advertising with Tim is now Cheaper than ever before!! Call Nicki on 606 891 644 for great new Advertising price deals.
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TIM Magazine™
Aries Studying with a teacher will make you excited about the future. Instead of being intimidated by an unfamiliar situation, you’ll be eager to enter it. Listen more than you speak. You’ll learn a great deal and make a good impression. In the past, you were eager to demonstrate your experience and grasp of the facts. Now you’re willing to adopt a laid back and relaxed attitude. This will pave the way for strong friendships that help you in every area of life.
Leo If you’re looking for love, you’ll find it easily. Attending a sporting event or debate will cause you to cross paths with someone who turns your head. The attraction will be mutual. Playing hard to get will whet your admirer’s appetite. Are you happy being unattached? Pour your energy into a creative project. Exercising your imagination will be a welcome change from the daily grind. Take a trip to the shops and splash out on art supplies. You’ll enjoy experimenting with colours and tactile materials.
Sagittarius As a rule, you’re not self-conscious. Recently, you’ve decided to improve your appearance. Projecting a polished image will open doors for you. Adopting a different look could include anything from changing your image to undergoing a fitness program to adding fashionable items to your wardrobe. It isn’t necessary to follow the latest fads. Choose a path that resonates with your spirit. Being comfortable in your own skin will attract love, money and creative opportunities.
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Taurus Money, resources and property that are jointly owned will increase. This improves your financial security. Now that you have this cushion, it’s time to think about the future. Taking out an insurance policy, making out a will or investing in a retirement fund is strongly advised. If you’re not sure which direction to take, take an economic management course. Being able to make informed decisions will increase your confidence. Rather than relying on experts, you can trust your own judgement.
Virgo
Gemini
Cancer
Focus on a close partnership. Your best friend, romantic partner or business ally needs moral support. No matter how upsetting the situation, you’re always able to make your loved one laugh. Do your best to lift their spirits. Positive energy expands awareness of opportunity. What seems like a dead end situation is actually full of potential. Invite your friend to change direction instead of staying mired in a rut. If you’re single and looking for love, you could find it with someone special now.
Libra
Scorpio
You can no longer postpone a home repair job. The sooner you fix a broken appliance, some faulty wiring or leaky plumbing, the more money you will save. Ask friends via social media for recommendations on repair professionals. It’s important to work with someone who has a good reputation. If you’ve been looking for a new place to live, you’ll discover a location that meets every item on your wish list. Don’t waste time deliberating over whether to take this place; make a deposit.
Improving your verbal and written skills will help you in virtually every area of life. You’re already an effective communicator. Strengthening your natural skills will make you even more effective. You might decide to take a job as an instructor, blogger or public relations specialist. Knowing how to catch the public’s attention while avoiding controversy will make you a hot commodity. Create material that is designed to uplift people, rather than turn them against each other.
Capricorn
Aquarius
Obey the impulse to hibernate. You’re very ambitious. While your hard work is impressive, it can also lead to burnout. Give yourself time to rest, relax and recharge your batteries. Withdrawing from public life will be difficult, since you’re enjoying so much success there. By retreating to a quiet hideaway, you’ll be able to reassess your priorities. Spending more time on your personal life will strike a welcome balance you haven’t felt in a long time. There are more important things than work.
Being part of a club or team has its benefits. Take advantage of discounted tickets or quick access to powerful people. Despite your love of people, you’re an independent person who likes marching to the beat of your own drum. That doesn’t mean you should turn down membership benefits. Stop setting yourself apart from the crowd. By entering into the festivities, you’ll make some new friends. At times, you appear aloof and intimidating. This is your chance to change that impression.
E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
The best way to increase productivity is to establish a daily routine. When faced with an unstructured day, you feel discouraged. That’s why it helps to create a schedule. Instead of wasting valuable time and energy on wondering what to do next, you’ll have a fall-back plan ready to put into action. Don’t forget to earmark times for breaks. Occasionally stepping away from work will replenish your energy. At the end of each day, give yourself a reward for reaching your goals.
A financial shortage will prompt you to find ways to improve your income. Whether this means finding a job that pays better or putting yourself on a strict budget doesn’t matter. The important thing is to be more mindful of the way you earn and spend. You’re a naturally resourceful person. By working harder to maximise your earnings, you’ll have more opportunities to rest, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. When you buy something expensive, research the best brands.
Pisces You take great pride in your work. Accepting more professional responsibilities will be a great learning experience. When in doubt, ask a seasoned expert for their advice. You’ll learn a lot about how to handle sensitive situations from this respected professional. These lessons will bolster your reputation as a savvy diplomat. You’ve always been flexible. Learning how to forge compromises that satisfy all parties will improve your career prospects. Getting a new position is highly likely now.
Costa Blanca
FAB FINCAS FAB Pr oper ti es • FA B P rice s • FA B S e rv ic e
Tel: 965 474 314 • Mob: 675 218 436 www.fabfincas.com • fabfincas@gmail.com Apartado de Correos 3, 03630. Sax. Alicante
Onil - Ref: ff0676 Renovated town house in Great location. Price only 30,000 euros. This 3 storey property is in a quiet location, yet only a 2 minute walk from the lovely inland town of Onil. It has 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a new kitchen/diner with electric oven, double glazing, has been re-wired and the outside has been monocapped. Just a small amount of finishing off to do. Many lovely original features. Parking close by.
FAB PROPERTIES, FAB PRICES, FAB SERVICE FULLY LEGAL ESTATE AGENCY THE LONGEST ESTABLISHED, ESTABLISHED 10 YEARS. INDEPENDENT, FULLY TESTIMONIALS LEGAL INLAND GENUINE CUSTOMER UNRIVALED CUSTOMERINSERVICE. PROPERTY SPECIALISTS THE AREA Tel: 0034 965 474 314 / 0034 675 218 436 www.fabfincas.com Email: fabfincas@gmail.com
Sell your property with Fabfincas - very competitive rates - new properties urgently needed.
Caudete - Ref: ff0831
Castalla - Ref: ff0821
Salinas - Ref: ff0802
Sax - Ref: ff0829
Tastefully restored country house 4 beds, 2 baths Gorgeous kitchen diner. Incredible views.
Very well presented villa 3 beds, 1 bath Conservatory/sun room. Detached garage.
Spacious villa with guest accommodation. 4 beds, 3 baths Swimming pool. Beautiful gardens
Bargain town house 3 beds, 1 bath. Fitted separate kitchen Roof terrace.
Only 149,995 euros
Now only 120,000 euros
Reduced to 185,000 euros
Only 31,000 euros
E-mail: editor@timspain.com • Web site: www.timspain.com
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