Gran Alacant Advertiser April 2024

Gran Alacant Advertiser continues to bring you all the local NEWS including information from the local Town Hall representative. Working for the local community since May 2005.

If you have any QUESTIONS or PROBLEMS you would like us to discuss, please email on info@granalacantadvertiser.com

ASK OUR GA COUNCILLORS

Q: Health Care Service

Hola Lou, I am writing about the current health service at the medical centre. My husband and I have lived here for 13 years. The first 10 years we had no complaints, there was a good patient/ doctor relationship and Doctors were always helpful and tolerant towards us as my husband has difficulty hearing and does not speak Spanish.

However, over last 3 years the service has deteriorated considerably. We have experienced different doctors who appear to be less willing of supporting patients whose first language is English and I have felt a negative change from the some of the reception staff.

I am committed to learning and improving my Spanish, as it is very important part of my life here. However, I strongly feel that as a resident of Spain, and an ex pat we surely are entitled to receive Health Services that are free and without language barriers. Gran Alacant is a multi-cultural community and therefore there has to be a service that is inclusive for all.

Not everyone can afford to take a translator with them, and there are always new families and individuals coming here to live that need to access the service. It would be helpful, as has been suggested, if there was an appointed person who could support patients and offer a translation service for a nominal fee.

Recently many people have felt unwelcome and judged when trying to get an appointment. This is not good for the emotional health and wellbeing of patients. In addition to this, we have longer waiting times for appointments, sometimes up to a month. This now feels very worrying.

I note that there are plans to improve current health provision in Gran Alacant. However, future provision needs to include support to ensure everyone feels included, welcomed and valued irrespective of our language, diversity and culture.

Please pass this onto Councillor Borja Merino as a matter of urgency.

Gracias Linda

A: GA Advertiser

Dear Linda, thank you very much for your email. We have passed it on to Borja Merino who is in charge of healthcare. We hope to see improvements soon.

Q: Zebra Crossing Required on Avda.

Noruega

My name is Jesús and I live on Calle Belgica. I am contacting you to inform you of the need for a pedestrian crossing that allows you to cross the street from the Norwegian Avenue 1 Park (which has an exit to the avenue as you can see in the attached photo).

It is a park busy with parents and younger children and that intersection is increasingly busy with people since it goes towards the

Oscar Valenzuela Councillor of Gran Alacant & Education

Borja Merino Councillor of Gran Alacant Tourism, Health & Animal Welfare

Aldi supermarket. I have witnessed several cases of possible accidents involving pedestrians who need to cross the street and vehicles coming at high speed. It is curious that there is an exit from the park as you can see but there is no possibility of crossing the street with the risk that this entails, for both drivers and pedestrians.

Finally, would you consider placing rubbish bins at the park exit? Within the Monte y Mar urbanisation there is none (I understand that this is due to the privacy of the complex). The one you see in the background of this photo is the closest that we have, also making recycling impossible. The recycling containers are at the beginning of the urbanisation approx. 900 meters walk from my home.

I hope not to bother you with my message since my only interest is to let you know the reality of what is happening today and that with a small change it would help many neighbours.

Thank you for your attention.

Jesus

A: Borja Merino

Thank you very much for your contribution. We will get to work on it and see possibilities of solution and management with other councillors involved.

Q: Cigarette Butts

Good morning, Do you think it would be possible for the Town Hall to create a way to deposit cigarette butts safely and thus be pioneers for the rest of the country?

I see so many cigarette butts discarded on the ground. There is the obvious fear of throwing butts in rubbish bin however, there are many ideas online to place airtight containers, with soil, that are fireproof and can be placed on lampposts or similar.

Please, look at some options. It is very sad to be at the entrance to the Medical Centre with the neighbouring children’s playground littered with cigarette butts.

I hope measures are taken to improving our wonderful home in Gran Alacant.

Thanks in advance. David

A: Borja Merino

Thank you for your interesting email David We appreciate it and we will consider it.

Q: Tourist Train

Hi Lou, Just wondering if the Tourist train is going to start up again.

Thanks, James & Kathleen

A: Oscar Valenzuela:

The current company that was providing the service has ended the contract and the city council is already preparing another contract with department of tourism to resume the tourist train service as soon as possible.

Q: What's On in Santa Pola/Gran Alacant

What is the easiest way for people of Gran Alacant to keep updated on What’s On in the Santa Pola/Gran Alacant area?

There was a spectacular aerial show display in February, which I would have loved to see but did not see it advertised (see photo).

There seems to be many things going on. Where do people keep informed about these events?

Kind Regards, Lynne

A: Borja Merino

Please check out the NEW Santa Pola tourism advert in the GA Advertiser. Scan the QR code to see all the latest updates for events in your area.

YOUR LATEST LOCAL GRAN ALACANT NEWS

NEW RUBBISH BINS

The City Council will install almost a thousand new containers with greater capacity and robustness. The first units are expected in less than a month and they will be installed progressively throughout the area. A new model for organic waste will also be included.

There will be four types of container made of high-density linear polyethylene by rotomolding, 100% recyclable and with a modern design. They comply with accessibility regulations and the user disposes of waste into the container through the loading lid for selective and organic waste, and in the rest container, they can choose to lift the lid manually or operate the pedal.

YELLOW

The yellow container is intended for packaging and in it you can place plastic bags and bottles, tetrabriks, drink cans or aluminum foil. The novelty is the lid that opens inwards and anyone pushes it with the bag and lets it fall without any contact with the container. It is an innovative and unique system in the entire area that also allows you to avoid the leaks that occur in the old containers.

BLUE

The blue container will collect paper and cardboard: newspaper and magazines, sheets of paper, clean cardboard or paper bags. It has the same mouth system with a narrower, folding lid, which prevents large boxes from being deposited without folding, because when they are placed whole it takes up a lot of space and capacity is lost.

NEW BROWN

NEW ORGANIC bin only to be used for food scraps which is why it is somewhat smaller than the others.

GREY

Collect everything that does not fit into the rest of the selective containers, except for belongings, pruning or appliances, which go to the ecopark. This one is different from the rest because it incorporates a pedal and a lid that can be raised manually, although much smaller than the current ones. It is a more reliable pedal than the current ones, more robust and will generate many fewer incidents due to breakage.

Implementation Schedule

Once the City Council chose between the different proposals, the factory ordered almost a thousand containers to cover the entire municipality and it is expected to have the first units at the end of March or the beginning of April. Delivery will be gradual and they will be distributed by areas and replacing the old ones, with the aim of having practically all of them before the summer. In addition, stock will be available to quickly replace any that may spoil.

TRAFFIC CONTROL CAMERAS

The Local Police's intelligent traffic control cameras detect more than 4,000 violations in just 3 weeks.

The pilot test that the Santa Pola City Council has started in Gran Alacant, with the aim of expanding it to the rest of the municipality, has led to the arrest of 3 people, the recovery of 2 stolen vehicles and the intervention of another 35 vehicles.

In February during the inauguration of the new Santa Pola Local Police checkpoint in Gran Alacant, the launch of the intelligent traffic control cameras installed at the entrances to the residential area was announced.

This is a pilot project that, as explained by the Councilor for Citizen Security, Ana Blasco, “we have started a first test in Gran Alacant, with the intention of extending it to other areas to improve road safety for all residents and visitors.”

The data from these first three weeks of operation of the traffic control cameras could not be more significant. During this period the cameras have read a total of 477,500 license plates and among them more than 4,000 administrative infractions have been detected, mostly related to not having passed the ITV, driving without the required mandatory insurance or even using deregistered vehicles.

Thanks to this, the Local Police have arrested 3 people and recovered 2 stolen vehicles. Police actions have involved a total of 35 vehicles that have been deposited in the municipal warehouse until the administrative deficiencies are corrected.

ALICANTE-ELCHE AIRPORT: BEST IN EUROPE

Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport has proven itself for the fourth time by winning the title of the best airport in Europe in its category.

The Airports Council International (ACI) awards this honour, which shows the airport’s commitment to providing excellent services and facilities. The airport’s success is measured through the Airport Service

Quality (ASQ) programme, which carefully evaluates various aspects of the passenger experience, including accessibility, facilities, staff friendliness, security, and wait times.

The ASQ programme relies on feedback from travellers, which gives a clear picture of their satisfaction with the airport’s services. Laura Navarro, the director of the airport, is proud of this achievement and she highlights the airport’s dedication to prioritising passengers’ needs and mentions the ongoing efforts to improve facilities and services to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for every traveller.

ARENALES SOCIAL CENTRE TO OPEN IN SUMMER

Construction of the new facilities is almost complete. The ground floor will be used for medical offices and other municipal public services, while on the first floor there will be meeting rooms, activity rooms and offices for different entities. Elche City Council assures that it is one more way to demonstrate its commitment to the area.

ELCHE HOSPITAL: BREAST CANCER

Innovative technique to treat left breast cancer

The General University Hospital of Elche has implemented an innovative technique to treat left breast cancer, allowing the affected area to be irradiated without affecting the heart.

This technique, called 'Sustained Deep Inspiration', significantly improves the treatment of breast cancer with radiotherapy, minimizing the impact on the heart. Dr. Natividad Bascón, head of the Radiation Oncology service, highlights that this innovation reduces toxicity and side effects on the heart, which is beneficial for patients.

It is estimated that more than 200 women will benefit annually from this technique, especially those who have previously received cardio toxic chemotherapy.

The operation of the technique involves performing a CT scan on all patients to design the treatment with precision. During the CT scan, the patient's breathing rate is recorded using the 'RespiratoryGating'; system. With this record, a personalized treatment is designed that is carried out in the linear accelerator.

In the linear accelerator, specific equipment is used for the technique, where the patient takes deep inspirations and maintains breathing, allowing the radiation beam to hit at the right time, thus preventing the heart from being affected.

This technique is performed in one of the service's two linear accelerators and each patient needs approximately 15 sessions. The Radiation Oncology service is equipped with cutting- edge technology and is intended for the treatment of various types of cancer.

In addition, it has a specialized nursing consultation that provides comprehensive support to patients throughout their treatment. Multidisciplinary collaboration between doctors, nurses, technicians and administrative staff ensures a comprehensive approach to patient care.

Spotted in GA

Hello Lou, I would like to highlight the work and volunteerism of two people, a woman and a man, I would say almost with complete certainty, obviously not Spanish, for cleaning the area around the old market and adjacent to the sports center, the forest area, which is very, very dirty. To say that I have seen them since 9am and they are still going, it is 12pm, filling several bags and using their black collection stickers.

Thank you for your work and I wish more people would do the same. Me the first.

Good day

Ruben

GA Advertiser on Travels!

Thank you Lilian for sending your photos from Sydney!

TRIMAX CUSTOMER REVIEW

If you would like to supply news or info for our next edition, or have a question for our Gran Alacant Councillors, please email: info@granalacantadvertiser.com

Harris and Maria from Trimax are exemplary in everything they do. They provide quality work in a professional, conscientious and trustworthy manner and I would highly recommend them.

- John Richards

ASPETGA SPRING FAIR RESULTS

Well the weather didn't dampen our community spirit. We managed a couple of hours at The Spring Fair before getting rained off but we raised a fantastic €463.22 for our animal charity ASPETGA Santa Pola Gran Alacant.

A huge thank you to all the stalls and all the supporters that turned up today including our Councillor Oscar Valenzuela and his son. Special thanks to Gals Pals ladies, Gran Alacant Properties, GA Advertiser, Moreland Estates, GA Homefinders, Cuenca Santa Pola and Skipper Bar to name a few of our wonderful friends who donated raffle prizes.

We are already working on our Summer Fair which will be in Masa Square on Saturday 22nd June with lots of stalls and entertainment so please save the date and we'll see you there in the sunshine!

Thank you everyone for your support

Jackie x

Next meeting:

Thursday 11th April at 10am

GLOVES & BAGS PROVIDED!

BEACH CLEAN-UP GRAN

ALACANT

(Weather permitting)

Meeting Point

Correos on Avenida Escandinavia

Last month, François, one of our GA Advertiser readers, organised a community cleanup on Carabassi beach in an effort to combat littering and preserve the beauty of Gran Alacant. There was a fantastic turnout with many bags of rubbish collected thanks to all of our enthusiastic volunteers.

Following on from the success of this event, Jan (one of our volunteers), will be organising the next Gran Alacant Cleanup. Inspired by last month's Reader Spotlight on Ants and Kees for their remarkable efforts, Jan hopes to continue the litter collection events on a regular basis to maintain and preserve our local environment.

Next meetup will be after Easter on Thursday 11th April - meeting at the Correos on Avenida Escandinavia at 10am. All are welcome to join and gloves and bags will be provided on the day.

Special thanks to François, Jan and all of our volunteers including the GA-Homefinders team for their time and support.

MONTEMAR BOWLS & SOCIAL CLUB

Sponsored by The Pub, Gran Alacant Insurances, Dialprix, The Belfry, La Piedra, Skippers, Santara Resort, The Reiki Room

SUPER SEVEN COMPETITION

Seven teams of pairs took part in the Super Seven Competition, everyone who took part thoroughly enjoyed the different format. The winners were Colin Bedford, Cindy Bedford, Keith Young, runners up Des Freeman, Paul Dodd, Barry Watson. After the presentation we enjoyed lunch at Skippers. Thank you Diane Horsington and John Hunt for organising a very enjoyable competition.

RACE AFTERNOON

On Thursday twenty second of February we held a race afternoon at the Alonai restaurant on the Santara Resort. After enjoying lovely tapas the fun began!!!! Thank you Kevin and Anthony for a great afternoon and for your kind donation to the club.

CHICKEN RUN

Sunday 25th February

Another successful chicken run which as usual was well supported. The chickens were won by Gina Hindle with twenty one shots and Chris Harding with thirty shots. Des Freeman and Steve Freeman won the eggs. Thank you Lesley and Graham Smythe who donated the chickens and Julia and Ian Hamilton and of course the hens for donating the eggs.

Thanks as always to Joan, Sue and Howie whoorganised the chicken run. The football card was won by Steve Freeman with Arsnel.

FUN DAY

Saturday 9th March

Although the weather wasn’t good the fun day was well supported. There were six different challenges in each round which everyone enjoyed. The winner with eleven points was Chris Merry. Thank you to all who attended we raised 110 euros for the club.

MOTHERS DAY

For Mothering Sunday the social committee organised a trip to La Cova restaurant.

MATADORS

The Friday and Monday leagues are now finished we did well in both leagues. Monday SA Discovery League we finished fourth, Friday SL Division we finished top. Well done everyone!

CLUB COMPETITIONS FINALS DAY

Saturday 2nd March

The ladies' and men’s singles finals were well supported, Joan Harding v Lynne Armitage and Graham Smythe v Phil Goble. After two excellent games Joan won the ladies and Graham won the mens, well done to both winners. After the matches the presentation was held in the Belfry followed by a very enjoyable buffet.

WINNERS

Ladies Singles: Joan Harding

Men’s Singles: Graham Smythe

Ladies Pairs: Diane Horsington and Cindy Bedford

Mens Pairs: David Eades and Phil Goble

Mixed Pairs: Rita Towle and Phil Goble

Drawn Mixed pairs: Diane Horsington and John Hunt

Ladies Trips: Sheila Roberts, Gina Hindle skip Joan Harding

Men’s Trips: Keith Young, Paul Dodd skip Barry Watson

Mixed trips: Colin Bedford, Cindy Bedford skip Neil Crawford

Mixed Rinks: Lynne Armitage, Rita Towle, Keith Young skip Neil Crawford

RUNNERS UP

Ladies Singles: Lynne Armitage

Men’s Singles: Phil Goble

Ladies Pairs: Sheila Roberts and Joan Harding

Men’s Pairs: Colin Bedford and John Hunt

Mixed Pairs: Diane Horsington and John Hunt

Drawn Mixed Pairs: Joan Harding and Neil Crawford

Ladies Trips: Des Freeman, Diane Horsington skip Cindy Bedford

Mixed Trips: Jan Soars, Diane Horsington skip John Hunt

Mixed Rinks: Julia Hamilton, Les Bounds, Ian Hamilton skip Graham Smythe

For further information about Monte Mar Bowls and Social Club check out our website www.montemarbowls.com or email us at info@montemarbowls.com We are also on Facebook

MASA SQUARE

MASA SQUARE

Book of the month by Beth

If you enjoy a thriller then this book is for you My Recommended Book of the Month The Mother

By T.M. Logan

You wake up. Your husband is dead and you are the prime suspect. Your children have been taken away, your life sent into freefall – and yet you can barely remember anything about the night you lost everything.

10 years later you are released from prison. What do you do? Do you accept your fate, your conviction and leave your children to be raised by someone else?

Or do you stop at nothing to find out the truth about what really happened that night – and to get your family back.

This is the first novel I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He is British and this is his 7th novel. I can recommend it and am looking forward to reading more of his books.

Beth worked as a Qualified Librarian in Aberdeen for 20 years. She loves reading and delights in finding exciting new authors as well as reverting back to favourite writers of all genres. Beth has lived in Gran Alacant for the last 15 years.

JOIN OUR CLUB

Next Book Club Meeting is Wednesday 24th April at 2pm, Skipper Bar - MASA Square. We meet up once a month, discuss the books we are reading now and suggest new ones.

Anyone interested in joining us or looking for more information please contact

Beth on Whatsapp +44 7853 363060

CLASSIC ITALIAN APERITIVO

15€ P.P. INCL 1 DRINK AVAILABLE EVERY THURSDAY AT 17:30

Served with Aperol Spritz, Martini, Bellini, Chianti, Pinot Grigio or Beer

WITH LIVE MUSIC WITH JAIME NORAMBUENA

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Breakfast from 9:30

Lunch from 13:00

MASA SQUARE

MASA SQUARE

GRANDE FIESTA

- BRISA DEL MAR -

A WEEKEND OF LIVE MUSIC WITH 10 FAMOUS MUSICIANS FROM POLAND

DON’T MISS IT!

4 & 5 MAY

INCLUDING : WOJCIECH PILICHOWSKI, JERZY STYCZYNSKI , ŁUKASZ DRAPALA, ANDRZEJ EMOLL KOWALCZYK, EWA & SHANDY, KAROLINA RUMARCZYK, VICTOR DIABLITO, HERMANOS LEGOVICH

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Sunday 14:00 - 24:00

MASA Square, Calle

Holanda 9, Gran Alacant

T: 611 369 454

+34 687 994 170

info@ga-homefinders.com

ga-homefinders.com

COMMERCIAL CENTRE AVDA. FINLANDIA 19 BL. 2. LOCAL 05 03130

GRAN ALACANT

GA-HOMEFINDERS

API Registered Estate Agents since 2007. Bound by a strict set of rules and regulations designed to protect YOU our client!

EXPERTISE

Property selling specialists in and around Gran Alacant, Alicante, Spain since 2000.

ADVERTISE WITH US

If you are a business owner and would like to be interviewed, contact us on: info@granalacantadvertiser.com

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

ABOUT GA-HOMEFINDERS

Founded in 2000 by two British ladies Karen Webster and Julia Pollitt, GA-Homefinders was initially located at the top of Gran Alacant upstairs from what is now known as La Piedra. GA-Homefinders has been operating from the heart of GA in the Commercial Centre since 2010.

Philippe joined the partnership in 2006. A few years later, Julia left to run a business with her husband in GA .

Sadly, Karen was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2012 and in 2017 at only 51 years old; she lost her brave fight with the disease. Philippe has been successfully running the office since 2015 and calls it Karen’s “baby” in her memory.

MEET THE TEAM

Philippe Manager and Owner from Bourgogne in France joined 2006, speaks French, Spanish & English.

Ingrid Sales Negotiator from Rotterdam in Holland, joined 2010 speaks Dutch, German, Spanish & English.

Louise Sales Negotiator from London in the UK, joined 2016 speaks Spanish & English.

Rebeca Administrator from Tolosa (Basque Country) in Spain, joined 2022 speaks Spanish and English.

“We are not a family business however I can honestly say we have become like family. Each team member was hired for their strengths, skills and personal attributes. My team bring joy to my working day; they are smart, honest hardworking and witty. Real treasures who make my time in the office a pleasure. I am proud of our GA-Homefinders team, we all live and work in GA and consider ourselves specialists in this area.”

PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT

In 2007 Philippe became the first API registered Estate Agent in GA. ‘Agente Colegiado de la Propedad Inmobiliaria’ is a registered national public body that includes regulations, qualifications and an extensive ethical code for Estate Agents. The association provides technical and legal help to all trained and registered professionals to establish transparency and good practice across all property sales and rentals.

MEET THE TEAM

Louise - Sales Negotiator

Ingrid - Sales Negotiator

Philippe - Manager

Rebeca - Administrator

“Since 2021, I am proud to be on the board of the Official Property Agent Body in Alicante. One of the most successful objectives has been the regulation of the market in 2023. After a few years of negotiations, the board and the Valencian Authorities asked that all estate agents be affiliated to the Official Estate Agent Register in Valencia (RAICV).

Being registered as well as being a member of the API gives guarantees to our clients about our experience and qualifications. In a market as extensive and complex as real estate, it is vitally important to protect consumers in this industry. To me it is simply a Symbol of Confidence”.

BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB

“I enjoy the interaction with people, both sellers and buyers. Helping people find their dream home in GA is great experience. Many clients become friends I am often stopped in the streets by our customers. It is a great feeling to have been part of their Spanish dream.

Our reputation is important to us, we want our customers to keep coming back to us if they need our help selling or upgrading their properties. In fact, we have one property that we have sold 4 times already so we must be doing a good job.”

SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY

The GA-Homefinders team are keen to support their local community. The team

can be seen in their branded black and yellow uniforms supporting the Norwegian Club and Skippers pub quiz donating prizes to their raffles and also getting involved in the fun. They were also involved with the recent beach clean up.

GA-Homefinders have a stall at the weekly GA market where anyone is welcome to ask for advice and support on buying and selling their home.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME

“I am divorced with 2 daughters under 18 years living partly at home with me so my spare time is usually with them. We enjoy different activities like basketball, hiking and quick getaways. I enjoy motor biking and belong to a club. The Alicante weather is perfect to enjoy great areas inland with sunny days 10 months per year.

I have many unforgettable memories of my years living in Paris and Madrid but GA is my home now. Living here is simply fantastic!”

Karen Webster - Co-Founder

BRIGITTE COMPLETES THE TRANSILICITANA 100KM RACE

The Transilicitana is an annual 100km race that has been running for 13 years. It is more than a competition, it is a passion, it is to go beyond what each person believes bearable, to take the body beyond its limits.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DO THIS RACE?

In 2020 my friends and I did the Benidorm ½ marathon, I mentioned that I had also completed the 100km walk in Berlin and my friend told me about this race. When I saw it advertised I registered.

WHAT WAS YOUR TIME?

I finished in 19 hours, 14 minutes and 50 seconds.

DID YOU HAVE REGULAR BREAKS?

The race was very well organised, there were many stops with drinks and snacks along the way. I stopped at each of them to drink and eat a little. I like to drink coffee, ISO and water.

THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE RACE?

The most challenging part was at night in the darkness and small trails in the mountains. I made sure I walked very slowly and stayed safe. There were also 55 steps to climb after the race to get over the finish line, which was not funny!

THERE WERE YELLOW WEATHER WARNINGS. HOW DID THAT AFFECT YOU?

The race was hard because of the wind. In the evening, it was so cold.

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FINISHED?

To complete the hardest 100k in Spain is a great feeling. The pain is only temporary but the sense of achievement will stay with me forever.

WILL YOU DO IT AGAIN?

I think once is enough. I am 64 years old. Too old for the surprises I encountered at night!

THE NORWEGIAN CLUB - GRAN ALACANT

TRIP TO GRANADA

Photos Inger Guslå and Reny Eigildatter

DAY 1: Early departure from GA and a stop at Puerto Lumbreras, where we met up with our guide from Viajes Mercurio. To our surprise, Juan invited us to wine, empanadas and cake, produced locally.

On our arrival in Granada, we went straight to lunch

Then some sightseeing in and around the Medina

Then back to the hotel for some rest and wine before dinner

DAY 2: Early Birds for breakfast at 07am and entering the bus for destination Las Alujarras. Reaching our goal Soportujar, at 952 moh, a town known for its Keltic inheritance of witchcraft.

For lunch we went to Canar and had a typical apujarran dish with ham, sausage,egg and potatoes.

After lunch we went back down the winding roads, towards Granada. The evening was wonderful, with a fiery flamenco show in a cave house in Sacramento and a night trip to Albaicin where we had a wonderful view of Alhambra.

We had a lovely time in the fairytail like city, and were so lucky with the weather. We left Granada at 15.00 in the afternoon, with many impressions, good food and drinks.

The bus ride home was long, but absolutely worth the ride. Again our excellent guide surprised us with ham and toast and win/water on our stop halfway home.

BACKGROUND

The Norwegian Club is located in the Sierra Mar Urbanisation of Gran Alacant and operates from September through to May. The club was established in 1999. We (our members) bought the property in Sierra Mar in 2001. We are a voluntary organisation with no employees.

TODAY

Today we have around 500 members. Most of our members are Norwegians with a few Swedish members. Here you can meet old friends and make new ones.

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

The club runs many social activities.

Spanish Classes

Spanish classes started in October and runs 4 times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10-11.45am.

Wine Lottery

Every Thursday from 12-3pm, we organise an extremely popular wine lottery. We recently had a record number of 165 members to turn up for this event.

Funds raised from the wine lottery goes towards building maintenance and other charitable activities.

Friday Activities

We are open on Friday from 12-2pm for coffee and then again from 8-11pm for social gatherings.

Other activities include; bridge club, painting club, day coach trips, walking tours and evening parties.

HELPING OUR MEMBERS

We aim to help our members as much as we can. If anyone gets sick or needs help translating in Spanish, we are there for them. We also hire out children’s equipment over the summer months for our members.

For more information, please check out our website and Facebook page.

DenNorskeKlubbenAlacant

DAY 3: Some of us visited Alhambra; a beautiful Moorish/christian site.

L a m b N i g h t

A v a i l a b l e e v e r y T u e s d a y & T h u r s d a y

P a b l o a n d V i t t o r i o

w e l c o m e y o u t o t h e i r n e w l y o p e n e d r e s t a u r a n t ( p r e v i o u s l y k n o w n a s L a P a l e t t a )

I l P o r k o R o s s o

C a l l e R í o E b r o 3 3 , U r b S i e r r a M a r , G r a n A l a c a n t

O p e n i n g h o u r s : M o n d a y t o S a t u r d a y | 1 7 : 3 0 - 2 3 : 0 0

S u n d a y | C l o s e d p e r 2 p e o p l e t o s h a r e 4 0 €

EL PALMERAL

If there is one thing that our area can claim as unique in Europe it is the intensive cultivation of date palm trees. Palms of various types grow in other parts of Europe; one thinks of the famous palms of the glamorous French Riviera or even those of the more prosaic “English Riviera” of Torbay. However, only southern Alicante province can truly be said to have placed palms at the centre of local life and culture, with the queen of the palms being the city of Elche and its Palmeral

Palms have existed for around 80 million years and whilst some of the over 2,600 species have tree-like characteristics there is debate as to whether it is even strictly correct to call them trees; the only native Iberian palm, ‘palmito or dwarf palm’, is in fact more of a shrub in size and appearance. However, it is of course the majestic and distinctly arboreal date palms that are the signature plant of our region.

Humans have cultivated date palms since ancient times with the Mesopotamians of what is now Iraq being the earliest recorded

Home Turf

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date palm farmers. Indeed, the cultivation of dates seems to have existed as long as settled human life. Palm dates fed the people in the cradle of human civilization and there are multiple references to palms and their products in both the Bible and Quran. When we look at date palms we are greeting a plant whose history has been intimately entwined with our own for the entirety of recorded human life.

So how did this beautiful and useful yet somewhat enigmatic plant come to flourish in our region and particularly in Elche? The date palm is native to the Middle East and North Africa and it is believed that the date palm was first brought to the Elche region by the Phoenicians. The Romans later brought water management to provide reliable irrigation by constructing a dam on the Rio Vinalopó and feeding the river waters into a system of irrigation channels. This greatly increased the agriculture of the area including the date palms. However, the foundations of the current date palm Palmeral of Elche were laid during the early years of muslim rule under the Caliphate of Cordoba. The muslim rulers greatly expanded the irrigation system and created an artificial oasis and palm forest in the otherwise naturally arid land around what is now Elche.

The characteristic grid pattern of the date palm plantations of Elche is a product of this period. The date palms were not solely or even primarily planted and cultivated for their fruit; in fact the date palms' most important function was to create stable environments within which other crops including corn and fruits could be cultivated.

The muslim farmers and gardeners grew the date palms around the edges of their fields to create what we would nowadays call microclimates. The dense lines of palms would provide shade and moisture for the other more delicate crop plants grown within the fields they bordered. Large growths of plants also reduce land surface temperature and make both plant and human life easier in the height of the southern iberian summer; (something that our local council might learn from…).

The Palmeral of Elche is therefore not simply a date tree plantation; it quite literally is the bedrock upon which the history and prosperity of the city of Elche rests. The palms allowed cultivation and life to thrive in the city and its surrounding region. The combination of irrigation and cultivation within palm and wall enclosed fields and gardens has continued in various forms up to the present day with the later christian kings further developing the irrigation and cultivation of the city.

The special place that date palms have in the life of Elche is most famously reflected in the use of local white palm fronds at Easter: Palm Sunday is celebrated nowhere quite like Elche!

All of us are surely well acquainted with Elche and its palms, hardly giving any thought to it all as we rush through the city in busy daily life. However, we urge you to stop next time you are in the city and allow yourselves to appreciate just how special Elche and its

Palmeral are. Have a little wander around the city, visit the wonderful hotel Huerto del Cura and enjoy a drink surrounded by palms of incredible shapes and sizes or even follow the well signed 10km walk through the city’s main huertos and parks. The Elche Palmeral is a huge and wonderful artificial oasis created over the centuries by working with nature to build an entire ecosystem.

The Palmeral of Elche, with almost 300.000 thousand palms, is a UNESCO world heritage site but perhaps equally special it has this month had a BBC programme devoted to it by Monty Don - surely there can be no greater tribute to our wonderful, unique and magical palm forest…

AVDA.ESCANDINAVIA

Welcome to Can Mimosa, a Mediterranean inspired res taurant and bar, that offers a contemporary menu full of flavours an d fresh products

LUNCH | TAPAS | APERITIFS | SNACKS

Enjoy a selection of wines, beers, cocktails and aperitifs on the sunny terrace with beautiful views and sunsets

VERMUTEO | WINE | GIN | SPRITZ | BAR

CAN MIMOSA TERRAZA | RESTAURANTE (PREVIOUSLY KNOWNN AS DUNBARS RESTAURANT)

AVENIDA ESCANDINAVIA 72. LOCAL 14/15 | GRAN ALACANT

UNLIMITED

TEQUILA

RESORT

We are a social group who formed over coffee and share a love of singing and music but are not a choir.

We meet every Wednesday at 17.30 in the library at Santara Life Resort to practice and learn many different genres of songs. We do several local performances a year in Gran Alacant raising money for local charities.

The cost is €10 per month which covers the buying of the music and the printing of the lyrics. Enthusiasm is more important than ability so either pop along to see us or join our FB group:

Gran Alacant SIngers

SANTA POLA

CLINICA VETERINARIA

GRAN ALACANT EXOTICS

Calle Holanda 9, MASA Square I T: 966 698 569

Monday - Friday 10:00 -13:00 & 17:00 - 20:00 Saturday 10:00 -13:00

Liliana Aldeguer Cerdán 793 English translation by Sergio Reina Esteban col 747

A LUCKY MOTHER CAT

On 02-03-2024, a client brought to our practice a street female cat she had been feeding for several months. The reason of the visit was she noticed the cat was getting fatter and fatter, so a pregnancy was suspected. First of all, we noted she was not chipped, and then, the ultrasound scanner evidenced a 5-6 weeks pregnancy. The cat, which was named Candy by our client’s son, appeared to be in perfect condition and was a nice calm cat. Our client decided to take care of the cat till she has her kittens, and then to find a new home for both mother cat and kittens.

If anybody lives a similar situation, the procedure in this cases is:

• Have the cat scanned in a vet practice just in case it’s been chipped

• If it has no chip, you have to contact CER, the organization which takes care and control street cats (CER Santa Pola in Facebook or cergatossantapola@ gmail.com). CER means “capturar, esterilizar, retornar” (capture, neuter, release). CER cats have a distinctive mark at the ear which identifies them as neutered cats. But there are also CER cats which haven’t been neutered yet. For this reason we have to contact CER before adopting a street cat.

In case of Candy, CER authorised our client to look after her, and also to chip her, test her for viruses, and have her neutered.

In order to face these expenses, a fundraising was done, and in less than 2 weeks, Gran Alacant neighbours and organizations put enough money to do everything.

Probably, when this article is published, Candy will be a happy mother with her kittens, and in time, good homes for both mother and kittens will be found.

We would like to thank our clients, and everybody at ASPETGA and GALs (Gran Alacant Ladies) for their support.

Today Jane Pugh and I have been to the Clinica Veterinaria in Masa Square to donate €50 on behalf of Gals Pals to help towards the treatment and sterilisation costs for this local poor mummy to be cat "Candy".

Thank you ladies for making this possible!

LA MARINA

LA MARINA

LA MARINA

Gran Alacant’s ELCHE CF SUPPORTERS GROUP

A group of football fans in Gran Alacant have their own Elche CF supporters club to attend home games at the stadium and watch away games in local bars.

Home games see the group move around different bars in Gran Alacant as their meeting place, with the usual bars used being Happy’s at the GA Centre while Tommy’s is the regular spot up the hill. From there, the group, primarily made up of 19 season ticket holders who sit together, arranges carsharing to get to the ground in time for some pre-match beers and food before returning to Gran Alacant afterwards.

Travel to the ground is problematic with no easy public transport links. With the group sharing driving duties, they have managed to shift larger groups of fans to games.

Tickets are always easy to come by this season with the club being in the second division. They can be purchased via the club website at www.elchecf.es and there is also the occasional spare ticket available through the group as well.

Jornadas in Spain have games all spread out with each match being televised. It is normal for the actual date and time of the match to not be announced until 2 to 5 weeks beforehand.

The home league games in April are against Real Oviedo on Friday 5 at 20:30, then Sporting de Gijón on the weekend of 21 April, and Espanyol on the weekend of 28 April - date and time to be confirmed for those two games.

With Elche challenging right at the top of the table, these games against other promotion hopefuls could help decide if the season will end in a successful return to La Liga and the big boys of Spanish football. Find the group on Facebook at ‘Peña Elche CF de Gran Alacant’ ¡Mucho Elche!

GRAN ALACANT GOLF SOCIETY

GAGS are now back to playing twice a week, Tuesday and Friday at 8am. We are looking forward to meeting up with our regular players and welcoming new members whether they be residents or visitors.

SOCIETY DETAILS ARE AS FOLLOWS: Where: El Plantio Golf Resort. The official address is A-79, Km3, 03114, Alicante.

When: the formal Society Day is Tuesdays weekly when all golfers are most welcome. In addition we have an informal get together every Friday which has always been a Gentleman’s Day.

Time: on both days normally 8am so please be there by 7.40am. Occasionally the Starter may request we change the time so unless you are a regular golfer it would be best to check with us beforehand.

Cost: usually €50 per round at peak times to include a buggy plus €1.50 mandatory insurance charge. It can sometimes be cheaper during less busy, off peak seasons. In addition the Society requires €5 sweep money which is all paid out at the end of the round.

We look forward to seeing you.

For more information please contact:

Michael (966 698 925) Tony (966 183 004)

GA MEN’S WALKING FOOTBALLL

With the holiday season approaching it will be great to see some ‘old’ faces back at the walking football in Gran Alacant. If you are visiting the area, or have recently moved here, why not give it a go? It would be just as great to see some ‘new’ faces. Everyone is welcome. Contact details are below if you want to find out more...or just turn up.

For anyone who wishes to join us at GAWF, we meet every Wednesday on the outdoor astroturf at the Polideportivo (Sports Centre) in Gran Alacant. Kick off is at 12.15pm but please arrive at 12 noon to allow for teams to be picked and a prompt

start. Entrance to the facility is via the gate from the car park where the market used to be held.

We remind you that we will continue to share the facility with the school and appreciate your consideration of staff and pupils from the school. Also, we can only use changing room number 3, on the left hand side as you enter the indoor centre.

For members, please keep an eye on the Whatsapp group for upcoming social events. Also, any constructive suggestions are welcome as we move forward.

Remember that there is walking football available every weekday between Gran Alacant and Santa Pola.

For more info please visit our Facebook page Gran Alacant’s Walking Football Community or contact Steve on +34 642 01 05 15

GA WOMEN’S WALKING FOOTBALL

“WORLDWIDE WOMEN” - WALKING FOOTBALLERS

Womens Walking Football is kicking off in Gran Alacant with numbers of participants rising steadily as the year progresses.

Organiser Julie Broderick says, “We are proud of how the women are progressing and grateful for the support of the Men’s Walking Football Team. We have members from many countries including the UK, Argentina, Germany, Australia and Belgium. We enjoy learning a new skill, meeting new people and most importantly - having fun. Many of our members have never played football before but have given it a go and fallen in love with it”.

The group is currently looking for a Bar/ Business to sponsor them and as they are about to be featured on an episode of Bargain Loving Brits, this could prove to be a great opportunity for a sponsor.

Sessions take place at the Gran Alacant Sports Centre every Thursday at 11.30hrs. 2 Euros per session – first session free.

For more info please visit our Facebook page Gran Alacant’s Walking Football Community or contact Julie on +44 792 618 7469

GALS (Gran Alacant Ladies)

APRIL UPDATE

Our February lunch was held at Il Sapore, which proved so popular we had to squeeze in a few extras! 36 Ladies eventually enjoyed a fantastic Italian lunch, with the most spectacular views. Our hosts very kindly donated a free lunch, the raffle of which raised of €100. This will be donated to Elche Children’s Care Home.

We were also very kindly donated an original watercolour by artist James Fraser (the husband of member Kath Fraser). Sales for this auction has raised €150, and the lucky winner was our very own Selina Bruce, who now has 2 paintings by this wonderful artist and is hoping to start a “collection”.

Our monthly lunches continue to be very popular with guest lists filling up quickly, we often have a waiting list for our events. We aim to use local restaurants, and spread our events across Gran Alacant. If any restaurants would like to collaborate with us on an event, please get in touch.

Initially the group was set up as a social network, for ladies to find local friends and

Cookie

This is the gorgeous Cookie, who is a 6 year old Mastin x. She loves her walks and is good on the lead, likes being made a fuss of, lots of cuddles and is very playful.

Can anyone give Cookie her forever home?

activities. Over the past few years since its inception it’s grown to a group of over 600 members, and activities range from monthly coffees and lunches, weekly walks, and charity fund raising events such as craft afternoons.

Gals has representation from 10 counties, with ages from 20 to 65+. We are all based or connected to Gran Alacant or its immediate surrounding area. The group forms part of a vital network of friendship and support, new members are very welcome. Any ladies wanting to join can visit our Facebook page (GALs - Gran Alacant Ladies) for more information. If any local businesses would like to donate a prize to help us raise money for the Elche Children’s Care Home please get in touch.

Beautiful Beethoven looking for his forever home. He gets a little stressed in the kennel environment, and would love a home to call his own with a garden.

He is good with other female dogs, and loves to go on long walks.

He is a 7 year old Mastin who deserves a new start.

If you would like more information or to meet this bundle of fun please contact us!

If you are interested in adoption or would like more info please contact us on:

180

180

League Table Season 2023 / 2024

Most 180’s

Luis (Taberna B) x 3 Peter (Pub A) x 1 Rafa (Tommy´s) x 1

Robert (Taberna B) x 2 Alex (Taberna A) x 1 Helge (Pub A) x 1

Ray (Pub A) x 2 Miguel (Taberna A) x 1

Neil (Pub A) x 2 Brett (Turpins B) x 1

Chris (Mileys) x 2 Rafa (Taberna A) x 1

Beni (Redz) x 1 David (Redz) x 1

GA SOCIAL CYCLISTS

Clemen (Taberna A) x 1 Sergio (Mileys) x 1

There is a vibrant group of social cyclists in Gran Alacant who meet up outside of Molly Malones most days of the week at around 10:00am.

We ride hybrid and off road bikes, are of varying ages, fitness levels and both sexes and usually cycle the rural roads and paths around Gran Alacant, Santa Pola and Elche which means 12 – 25 miles per ride.

Fitter, stronger cyclists can opt to take different routes but, we always meet up at a designated stop for a coffee, and importantly, a natter. Sometimes the group is just two cyclists, whilst other times it can be as many as 10-12 and as a testament to the group, in the years we have been meeting, many strong friendships have been formed.

As we don’t all live in Gran Alacant we communicate via a Whatsapp Group so it is best to check on the Whatsapp group who is around and who is going out on any particular day.

If you want to join us please contact us on Whatsapp

00353 / 87 991 6020

SCAN THE QR CODES TO SEE GA BUS SERVICES

URBANO BUS - GA GA - ELCHE AIRPORT BUS

SANTA POLA - ALICANTE

GEOFF'S Quiz Quiz SUDOKU

Hi, my name is Geoff and I have been asked by Lou to challenge you every month with a few teasers. I hope you enjoy them.

I first came to GA in 2001 and bought my house in 2002 where I have been a regular visitor ever since. You will see me at the quizzes, or out and about, running or cycling. If you see me come and say hi, or, just give me a cheery hello. I am also a big lover of live music and try to see as many live acts as I can.

1. Which group of letters is the odd one out? (ABCDEGPTV), (IY), (FOQL), (AJK)

2. What is the name of the point on earth that is furthest away from land?

3. Add two letters to complete this 10 letter word: _ L _ _ V _ L _ _ _

4. Name the Coffee Shop in the sitcom Friends

5. How many human players are there on each team in a Polo Match?

6. From what grain is the Japanese drink Sake made?

7. Who wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

8. When was the Movie Titanic released?

9. From which US state do the band The Killers originate?

10. Which Tennis Grand Slam is played on a clay surface?

Vegas, 10. French Open (Roland Garros)

Perk, 5. Four, 6. Rice, 7. Ian Fleming, 8. 1997, 9. Las

Southern Ocean, 3. SE = SLEEVELESS, 4. Central

contain rhyming letters, 2. Point Nemo in the

Answers: 1. FOQL. The other three groups all

To solve the puzzle each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain all the numbers 1 to 9. For hints and information visit www.sudoku.org.uk

Difficulty Rating: EASY