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After

Elviria

Before

costa culture

6 Drinking, Eating, Reproducingand Retreating...by Eric the Cockroach

costa getaways

12 Hollywood IconsMamma Mia - Meryl Streepby Harvey Mann

18 ElviriaHistory and Culture

24 LustyA ‘‘Military Cruise’’

costa companies

28 Local Business Spotlight

costa lifestyle

42 Mens StuffPlan your day...

44 What Men Want

45 What Women Want

46 Beauty TipsSteps to great skin...

48 Health article Alcohol and weightloss - Can you haveboth?

50 Health newsDrink, eat and becancer free...

costa homes

56 InteriorsThe fascinating worldof colours

60 Handy Home Tips

62 Step by step guide tobuying a property inSpain

64 Summer Survival -Pool or Beach?by Simon Hill

66 The House DoctorSpanish property crisisor opportunity

costa stuff

68 The Iberian Lynx

by Peter Harrison

70 Costa Cuisine

72 Spiritual Thought

74 Bytes & Pieces

76 Showbiz Whispers /

Movie Review

78 Strange But True & Challenge

co

nte

nts

issue

41

Cover story

12

Cover story

24

6864

Cover story

Cover story

FFoorr IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn oonn ddiissttrriibbuuttiioonn ppooiinnttss,,

ssaalleess oorr aannyy ootthheerr eennqquuiirriieess ccaallll

995522 449922 225500**,, 660000 771133 002288 oorr

eemmaaiill:: iinnffoo@@ccoossttaalliiffeemmaaggaazziinnee..ccoomm

oorr vviissiitt oouurr wweebbssiittee

wwwwww..ccoossttaalliiffeemmaaggaazziinnee..ccoomm**nneeww ccoonnttaacctt nnuummbbeerr

to issue 41 of Costa Life Magazine and already we are coming to the end of the summer. For the

tourists it has been wonderful weather and I have to say that this year was exceptionally warm

though July and August with some areas of the coast reaching over 42 degrees. I usually deal

with the heat quite well but found it quite difficult this year, particularly through August. I always

seem to say this, but the year has flown on the coast and we are now looking forward to

Christmas time! I know. It’s crazy isn’t it? The fact the year has flown is probably not a bad thing

bearing in mind the economic problems of the last twelve months so at least nearly one year of

recession is behind us. Who knows what the autumn and winter will bring but we will all just have

to keep our heads down and keep working away. Having the double issue over July and August

worked well for us and our clients and we will be doing the same as last year and having a double

issue for November/December. It´s been a great year for Spanish Sport with a hat trick of

victories in Euro 2008, Wimbledon and the Tour de France and as I am writing this the British

team are doing well in the Olympics.

For us, we have a brand new website which is receiving more and more hits as more people go

online to read the magazine from abroad and also local readers who get a sneak preview before

it hits the streets. We are working hard on www.guidetothecosta.com which we are going to be

pushing forward over the next twelve months. The site has been online for 5 years now and we

have to make use of its potential now that so many people use the internet now for all kinds of

things.

Harvey Mann was back last month with a great piece on Gloria Estefan and you will be pleased

to see he is back writing for us again. This time,however we have talked him into writing about

his life as a photo journalist. Harvey has been in the business for 40 years and has interviewed

some of the biggest names in Hollywood. This month we start with Mamma Mia star Meryl Streep

and you can look forward to some great pieces in the next few months including, Gregory Peck,

Marilyn Monroe and Steve Mcqueen to name just a few.

Our annual get together is just around the corner and if you are reading this before the 13th

September and fancy a great night out then book yourself tickets for the ‘change a life ball’ at the

Tamisa Golf Hotel. All are welcome and it will give you ladies a chance to get dressed up to the

nines and for the guys to get the Tuxedos out of the wardrobe. It’s not often we get a chance to

roll out the carpet and get dressed up here on the coast and our two previous events have been

great fun. Money raised will go to Cudeca and Age Care Association.

For more information see our ad on page 6.

That’s it from me, I hope you have had as good a summer as we have seeing family and enjoying

the weather and now for us it’s a big push towards 2009!!!

See you in October.

Editor

Sharon Holdsworth

Consulting Editor

Harvey Mann

Design and Production

David Philliskirk

Advertising Sales

Ronan Holdsworth

IT Advisor

Dave Howard of Alphashare

Web Master

Mike Wilkinson

ContributorsLinda ChristiePeter Harrison

Annika JonssonHarvey Mann

Jan MorleyNumero Uno Estates

Cruella ParsonsAnnette RiggallRussell VaughnMike Wilkinson

Company Director

Ronan Holdsworth

Partner

Barrie Shearman

Images courtesy of

Costa del Sol Tourist Board

PR Shots

Cover photo by kind permission of

Sara Gómez Dubois

http://black--pearl.deviantart.com/

Deposito Legal MA-0054-2004

Produced by and part of the

HOLDSWORTH SHEARMANMEDIAGROUP

Reproduction of this magazine in whole orpart without the written permission of thepublishers is strictly prohibited. The viewsexpressed by contributors and advertisersare not necessarily those of the publishers.Although every care is taken to ensure the

accuracy of the information and theadvertisements contained within this

magazine, the publishers can accept noliability.

952 492 250

info@costalifemagazine.com

Hello and welcome...

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A really delightful property in a great part of the country, close to bothAlhaurin, coin towns and the Marbella road.

MACP-479 Alhaurin de la Torre 380,000 EurosBuild: 141m2 Plot: 1439m2 Beds: 4 Baths 3A beautiful property which has lots of old features. The house is on a goodsize flat plot, with a lovely garden; there are security lights fitted, irrigationsystem and automatic gates. The views are stunning facing the mountainsand valley, easy access to airport and beach.

MACP-482 Alhaurin el Grande 699,000 EurosBuild: 255m2 Plot: 7,000m2 Bedrooms: 5, plus a study Baths: 3bathrooms (1 is en-suite) and one WCA Large spacious property perfect for a family home or individuals who likespace. The property has double glazing throughout, mosquito nets on allthe windows, high beamed ceiling and two log burners and a open fireplace. Other features: stain glass window, security grills on all windows,alarm, fish pond and many fruit.An immense property with lots more potential.

MAPC-475 ALHAURIN EL GRANDE 699,000 EurosBuild: 350, Plot: 800m2, Beds: 4, 3 in the main and 1 in the casita, could be 6, Baths: 5A great opportunity to purchase the only villa which is for sale on this new exciting urbanisation, which is in the countrybut walking distance to Alhaurin el Grande town. The villa is 3 years old very light and spacious with and althoughthere is 4 bedrooms and present there is the possibility of using the lovely converted attics or the full-size games roomfor more accommodation if desired. Separate self contained little house on one level with 40m2 beautiful studio.Thelocation of this property is fantastic; being next to the town and close to all amenities is a great bonus. Also being anew urbanization and having no others like this around the area, we feel that this is a sought after property. The townhall has great plans for this urbanization leaving plenty of areas for gardens with pretty landscaping, so theurbanization already today is already delightful which will only improves as the months go on.

MAAP-420 ALHAURIN EL GRANDE 65,000 EurosNew Luxury studios apartments and offices for sale located in the best part of Alhaurin town next to all amenities. The studios/offices haveall been finished to a very high standard, with marble floors, solid oak doors, beautiful tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms. Some have smallcharming court yards with water features. Varied opportunities to use as small business centre, individual offices, or separate studioapartments.

’’vvee bbeeeenn ccaalllleedd ssoommee tthhiinnggss iinn mmyy ttiimmee,, lleett mmee tteellll yyoouu.. ‘‘‘‘YYoouu ddiirrttyy,,

uuggllyy,, ssmmeellllyy,, sslliimmyy,, ccrreeeeppyy,, ddiisseeaassee--rriiddddeenn lliittttllee bblleeeeddeerr’’’’ ppeeooppllee

wwoouulldd sshhoouutt aatt mmee aass tthheeyy cchhaasseedd mmee aaccrroossss tthhee kkiittcchheenn fflloooorr wwiitthh

ssoommeetthhiinngg hhaarrdd aanndd hheeaavvyy hheelldd aalloofftt wwiitthh iinntteenntt.. ((TThheeyy nneevveerr ccaauugghhtt mmee,,

mmiinndd,, ’’ccaauussee II’’mm pprreettttyy nniiffttyy iinn tthhee NNiikkeess,, iiff yyoouu kknnooww wwhhaatt II mmeeaann..)) FFaaiirr

ddoo’’ss…… II mmiigghhtt bbee uuggllyy ((iitt’’ss oonnllyy aa ppeerrssoonnaall ppeerrcceeppttiioonn tthhiinngg aannyywwaayy)) aanndd

ssmmaalllleerr tthhaann ssoommee,, bbuutt II ccaann aassssuurree yyoouu tthhaatt II aamm mmoosstt cceerrttaaiinnllyy nnoott aannyy

ooff tthhoossee ootthheerr ddeerrooggaattoorryy aaddjjeeccttiivveess yyoouu cchhoooossee ttoo uussee,, aanndd II’’mm hheerree nnooww

ttoo eexxppllaaiinn ttoo yyoouu wwhhyy nnoott,, aanndd ttoo sseett tthhee rreeccoorrdd ssttrraaiigghhtt oonn bbeehhaallff ooff aallll

tthhee ccoocckkrrooaacchheess iinn tthhee wwoorrlldd…… aanndd tthheerree’’ss aa bblleeeeddiinn’’ lloott ooff uuss!!

First of all, let me explain, I’ve not always been a cockroach. No, I used

to be of the human variety, once upon a time. Now, I don’t mean that one

moment I was a human being and then I suddenly ceased being human

and began being a cockroach for no apparent reason at all, like I was that

Samsa geezer in Kafka’s Metamorphosis or something. Whilst I admit

that I have metamorphosised a couple of times in my life, that was strictly

as a cockroach. No, before that I was reincarnated. And before you start

thinking that I must have done something really, really bad in my last life

to be sent back down as a cockroach, you’re wrong. I chose to be a

cockroach, and a jolly good choice it’s turned out to be. C’mon, who

wouldn’t want to spend all their lives doing nothing but eating, drinking

and procreating? Let me tell you, I was first in the queue. Admittedly, it’s

only for a couple of years but then, as a cockroach, I have no concept of

time anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. But what I’m trying to say is that,

as I was once one of you, I know how you lot think and all about your

prejudices and hatred towards us, but you don’t have a clue about us,

really. And that’s why I’ve come along today to educate you all. Let the

class begin.

Right then, we’ll begin with the insults mentioned in the first paragraph,

the ones that are most commonly barked at us most every day. I’ve

already semi-admitted the ‘ugly’ bit and I can’t deny that we’re not little…

but dirty? You’re well off base there, my friends. Cockroaches are

fastidiously clean creatures. We clean ourselves scrupulously, as do most

insects, in order that our sensory bristles on our body walls and limbs are

ready to sense any hint of water, food, a mate or an enemy. Thirst,

hunger, sex and saving your ass are the only rules of cockroach life. A

cockroach with a dirty exterior is not a ‘lean mean machine’. Besides, we

don’t want to be catching something nasty from all that rotting kitchen

debris under your oven and your fridge that we have to crawl though every

night, do we? Admittedly, we do defecate all over the place, but they’re

only tiny stools that are perfectly harmless unless you ingest them (and

what would you be licking that dirty floor for, anyway?) and any bad bugs

that may be in them are bugs that we’ve picked up at your gaff.

Personally, I am a paragon of cleanliness and spend hours at the end of

my nightly rummage with my sticky feet in my legpits and all my other

joints, cleaning out the grot. No, we’re not the dirty ones… it’s your dirt

6 costalife

Written By:

Eric the Cockroach

IIII

costalife 7

we’re cleaning up. If there were no food around for us we wouldn’t be

there in the first place, would we?

Next one… ‘‘smelly’’. Wrong again (although the girls do secrete a

pheromone that drives us crazy when we smell it ’cause we know she

wants some action). We don’t smell, but the places we choose to eat in

often do. That’s because we are omnivores; we’ll eat anything organic -

animal or vegetable - so long as it doesn’t fight back… and that often

equates to ‘dead’. And dead, decaying organic matter smells. And yet

again it is a result of your dealings. We haven’t been around for 320

million years (compared to the mere 200,000 years that you’ve been on

the planet, by the way) without learning how to adapt to our

surroundings. Ice ages, acid rains and mega meteorites that wiped out

the dinosaurs, but not us, were all taken in their stride. There are

350,000 different species of cockroach alone (compared to just

450,000 species of all known mammals) and the reason for that is

because, as we’ve made our way around the globe, we have been able to

adapt quickly to our new environments due to the fact that we do a lot of

procreating, and hence we don’t so much have a ‘gene pool’ as a ‘gene

whirl-pool’. (I did tell you it was a good life.) But out of all those different

species of us, there’s only ten that are considered household pests by

you humans. The other 349,990 are having a blinder of a wild life as

part of the wildlife in

tropical forests and

suchlike, recycling

decaying forest

vegetation into

fertilizer for a new

generation of

vegetation on a

massive scale - a life of

eating, drinking, doing

it and running away

occasionally. We

’roaches are a major

part of a worldwide

eco-system. You, on

the other hand, just

keep on upsetting it.

And, whilst we are on

the subject of species,

my particular strain is

commonly known as

the ‘German

Cockroach’ by the

English, although I live

in Spain and I actually

originate from South

East Asia (from

whence most of us

came). In Germany we

are referred to as

‘Russische Schabe’ or

the ‘Russian

Cockroach’. The

Russians call us the

‘Polish Cockroach’ and

the Americans the ‘Croton Bug’. Can you not see a pattern here? Why is

it that certain communities choose to name us after something they

inherently despise? I find this practice a sad reflection of how far

prejudice has driven your common language.

Onto the next one... ‘‘slimy’’. C’mon… I have an exoskeleton, for

goodness’ sake. It’s like being a crab or a lobster (which is sometimes

known as the ‘cockroach of the sea’, coincidentally). I’ve got a solid

cuticle; a shell (which is why we *crunch* under a smooth, patent

leather sole, incidentally, an ideal way of dealing with us) that’s maybe

shiny (from lots of cleaning) but never slimy.

Okay… ‘‘creepy’’. Creatures that creep are predators, slowly stalking

down their prey (although I may be guilty of a little ‘selective walking’ in

a previous life, but that’s not the same thing). We are not predators -

we’re scavengers. Creeping is too slow for us. We have only three speeds

- stopped, walking and running away fast. As a ’roach, I am a coward. I

have millions of tiny, ultra-sensitive hairs all over that can sense the

change in air pressure when something’s coming towards me. I don’t

even need to think about it - I’m genetically wired to just run away with all

haste. That’s how you survive for 320 million years, you know, by keeping

your head down and staying out of trouble.

Disease-ridden? ¡Mal de nuevo! As I said earlier, any bad bugs that may

be in us are bugs that we’ve picked up at your gaff. True, our droppings

can irritate childhood asthma, but only irritate it, not cause it. Your

children have already been overly disinfected and protected from the

germs that could only have made their immune system all the stronger.

Instead, they are more susceptible than ever to natures’ tiniest of turns.

‘‘Let 'em eat worms!’’ I say… I do! (If they’re not moving.)

And the final slight was ‘bleeding’, as I recall. Bleeding requires blood,

and under pressure no less. Although we do have blood of sorts, it is

nothing like you humans inasmuch as we don’t use it to carry oxygen

around our body because we have our own little system of tube-openings

all over ourselves that channel gaseous O2 directly to where it’s needed

through a kind of tree-like structure. In fact you could cut off our heads

and we still wouldn’t bleed to death. We could carry on for maybe

another month. We can go without water for a month and food for three

and, because everything we do is genetically instinctive - it’s basically all

hard wired and there’s no need for a brain to think about running away -

we just do it. A decapitated ’roach will die of thirst before anything else

(unless you stomp on him after decapitating him, that is). We certainly

wouldn’t bleed to death.

Us ’roaches have been here a while. When your human race is finally ran

and you go and blast this earth to total nuclear destruction, we’ll be

sitting up on the hill afterwards, looking down at what you’ve done to this

beautiful planet… listening to the Rolling Stones… playing

LIVE!

Some of you humans have longevity after all.

Blinding!

8 costalife

>> WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO DO

WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO DO >>

costalife 9

10 costalife

>> WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO DO

LLaa CCoorrttiijjeerraa,, LLaa CCaallaa ddee MMiijjaass

FFoooodd DDaaiillyy 1100aamm –– 11ppmm aanndd 77ppmm –– 1100ppmm

33 CCoouurrssee SSuunnddaayy LLuunncchh 1111..5500 eeuurroo sseerrvveedd 11ppmm –– 77ppmm

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WWeeddnneessddaayy nniigghhtt –– QQuuiizz NNiigghhtt

FFrriiddaayy nniigghhtt ––DDaarrttss

SSaattuurrddaayy nniigghhtt –– KKaarraaookkee

SSuusssseexx GGoollff SSoocciieettyy CCaallll 662277 004411 333355 ffoorr mmoorree iinnffoo

J B BurkesIrish Bar - Fuengirola

Warm friendly welcomeAll sky sports shown

Live music Thur, Fri, SatBar snacks - draught beers -

Guinness - Heineken - Murphys

Open 10 am till late 7 daysCalle Antonio Sodeno

near Dunnes Stores, Las Rampas

952 479 804

Pepper’s

Pueblo Lucia,opp Cudeca,Avda JesusSantos Rein, Fuengirola

Nicola invites you to come and

enjoy Peppers tranquil setting

Scones,Toasts and

Jams, selection of

Cakes, fresh

Sandwiches and

Paninis

Coffees and Teas

Beers,Wines and

Spirits

Warm Welcome

Open Tues - Sun 10am till late

952 473 572

FFiillmm ddiirreeccttoorr AAnntthhoonnyy MMiinngghheellllaa,, wwhhoo ddiieedd rreecceennttllyy,, oonnccee ssmmiilliinnggllyy

ttoolldd mmee,, ‘‘‘‘TThhee bbeesstt aaccttrreessss iinn tthhee wwoorrlldd uunnffoorrttuunnaatteellyy hhaass aa

ddeevviiaatteedd sseeppttuumm ((ccrrooookkeedd nnoossee))..’’’’ ‘‘‘‘TThhee nnoossee yyoouu aarree ttaallkkiinngg

aabboouutt,,’’’’ II rreepplliieedd,, ‘‘‘‘iiss tthhee nnoossee tthhaatt wwaass oonnccee pprreesssseedd aaggaaiinnsstt mmyy cchheeeekk

aass sshhee kkiisssseedd mmee..’’’’

The proboscis in question belongs to actress Meryl Streep, a director’s

dream, charismatic and a supremely professional Hollywood icon. I was

fortunate enough to first meet Meryl while she was working on the film A

French Lieutenant’s Woman in 1981. I was asked by the film director

Karel Reisz to go down to Lyme Regis in Dorset to photograph Streep for

the Daily Mail; now retired I was, as well as being a professional

photographer, the Assistant Entertainments Editor of the newspaper.

The film is from the novel written by John Fowles, set in 19th century

England; a slightly complicated story but told very cleverly by the screen

writer Harold Pinter, about Sarah Woodruff, a social outcast after her

affair with a French officer, who sees Charles Henry Smithson, a scientist

out walking in Lyme Regis with his fiancé Ernestina. They fall in love and,

suffering from melancholy, Sarah leaves Charles after a short passionate

affair. Meryl played actress Anna who plays Sarah, who falls in love

during the making of the film with actor Mike, played by Jeremy Irons who

is playing Charles: it is a duel role for both actors and switches backwards

and forwards between the actors playing their modern and 19th century

roles.

Meryl Steep’s latest film Mamma Mia has opened to mixed reviews:

whilst critics say it is a naïvely written story filmed on a Greek Island to

the backing of the songs and music of Abba, the public's comments have

been very favourable. What has surprised the critics and people that

have seen the film is Meryl’s singing ability that proves to be the best

feature of the film. Meryl Louise Streep was born on the 22nd of June

1949 in Summit New Jersey and, at the age of 12, took serious singing

lessons with the intention of becoming an opera singer. Recently turned

59, she has been nominated during her career for the Academy Award

(the Oscar) an astonishing 14 times, winning twice, and is the most

nominated actress in Academy Awards history.

Meryl is a graduate with a BA in Drama from Vassar College and was

educated at Yale University alongside Sigourney Weaver, where she

studied Drama and received a Masters, having been a cheerleader and

homecoming queen at Bernards High School. Meryl’s family background

is as diverse as her acting ability: her Mother has a Swiss, Irish and

English ancestry, her Father’s family descent is Dutch with distant

Sephardic Jewish ancestors from Spain, although she was raised as a

Presbyterian.

Meryl’s first feature film part was in Julia in 1977 with Vanessa Redgrave

and Jane Fonda, and this role launched her into Hollywood stardom. Her

next part was as Linda in The Deer Hunter that got her a Best Supporting

Actress award, followed quickly by her role as Joanna Kramer in Kramer

vs Kramer in 1979 alongside Dustin Hoffman. Meryl recently revealed,

‘‘Dustin Hoffman slapped me very hard off screen just before we

filmed the husband and wife splitting up scene. This made me very

angry with him and, thinking back, I suppose it got the right result for

the scene: as well as being angry with him as an actor for the scene, I

was also angry with him as a person.’’

Other great films followed such as Sophie’s Choice in 1982 that was to

bring her further awards. In the film Meryl uses her wonderful ability

to use accents, and maintained a difficult Polish accent during the

film. This was followed quickly by Silkwood and a host of other great

films, since when producers and directors have bombarded her with

scripts and offers of large fees. For her role as Miranda Priestly, the

very tough and aggressive magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada

made in 2006, she is reported to have received $5 million. Recently

Written by:

Harvey Mann

FFFF

Meryl Streep as Sarah Woodruff and Jeremy Irons as Charles

she said, ‘‘I based the character of Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada on

some men that I know, ie Clint Eastwood with whom I worked with in The

Bridges of Madison County in 1995, and director Mike Nicholls in

Heartburn in 1986 and Postcards from the Edge in 1990.’’

One of my favourite films is Out of Africa, 1985, using a faultless Danish

accent as Karen Blixen, for which she was paid $3 million. ‘‘The bonus

for me was working with the very handsome Robert Redford,’’ she says.

And what of working with the notorious womaniser Jack Nicholson in

Heartbeat in 1986? Did he make a pass at her? ‘‘Yes, but he didn’t have

a prayer. All we did was laugh a lot - he really is wickedly funny.’’

Meryl’s own private life is sacrosanct to her. She married Don Gummer,

a sculptor, in 1978 and they have four children. Over the years Meryl has

been quite outspoken on several issues, like her marriage and being a

mother, ‘‘I think I was wired for family. Some people are wired for

religion, or wired for this or that: I always knew what I would like to do, if

I could find the right person; have a family. I can’t imagine being single.

I don’t know what I would do without my husband; I’d be dead,

emotionally at least, if I hadn’t met him: he’s the greatest. As for my

children, there’s no road map on how to raise a family; it’s always an

enormous negotiation. But I have a holistic need to work and to have

huge ties of love in my life. I can’t imagine eschewing one for the other.’’

On smoking she says, ‘‘I had it, it stinks.’’ Then, on film nudity, ‘‘I’m

looking forward to big parts, but I’m not doing soft-core scripts, where the

character emerges in half light, half dressed.’’ Then her down to earth

attitude, ‘‘You can’t get spoiled if you do your own ironing.’’ Her view on

Madonna who beat her to the role of Eva Peron for the film, ‘‘I can sing

better than she can. If Madonna gets it, I’ll rip her throat out.’’ And her

view on her acting ability, ‘‘There are some days when even I think I’m

overrated. Early on in my career one of the nicest letters I ever got was

from Bette Davis, who wrote that she felt that I was her successor as the

premiere American movie actress ever.’’ However, another great actress,

Katherine Hepburn, said that Streep was her least favourite actress,

saying that ‘‘You could hear the click, click, click,’’ referring to the wheels

turning in Streep’s head as she delivers her lines.

In 1981 she arrived, along with the rest of the film crew, in the quaint and

atmospheric seaside town of Lyme Regis in Dorset known for the

picturesque Cobb Harbour.

The French Lieutenant’s Women story is about two people who fall in

love, the outcast Sarah Woodruff and the scientist Charles Henry

Smithson, who is engaged to another woman. The film’s main image is

of Meryl Streep, who plays actress Anna, dressed in a black cape and

hood, playing the 19th century woman Sarah Woodruff, walking on the

sea wall of Cobb Harbour with a stormy sea sending up a spray behind

Meryl. The mood that day was electric. Meryl was her normal upbeat

self, smiling and being kind to all the film crew. However, as she

prepared for the close-up where she looks back over her shoulder at

Jeremy Irons in his character as Charles the scientist,

Meryl/Anna/Sarah's eyes become deep pools of emotion. The film’s

publicity suggested, ‘‘She was lost the moment she saw him,’’ and her

expression is momentarily frozen in her past anxiety and remorse.

Meryl’s ability to put her stamp on a particular scene is a sign of a truly

great actress who is able to relay, even talk to a cinema audience, just

with an expression.

Later off duty, as we sipped

champagne, Meryl continued to

be engaging, ‘‘I’ve always enjoyed

comedy; it’s a great chance for

me to be funny.’’ As more bubbly

was poured she showed how

funny she can be, along with her

very infectious laugh, telling

anecdotes from her other films

and talking about how she misses

her family.

Working very long hours, having

to do take after take until the

director is satisfied with what the

camera has delivered, can drive

any normal person to the edge of

weakness and disbelief. Many

actors have crumpled under the

strain and stress, or even

boredom of filming. However, it is

Meryl’s cool, calm demeanour

and sense of humour that carries

her through those difficult times.

For me, after my close encounter

with Meryl, she is a truly

wonderful person and actress…

and Streep’s ahead of any other

actors.

‘‘‘‘II ttooookk mmyy kkiiddss ttoo tthhee

ssttaaggee sshhooww,, aanndd II wwaass

uupp iinn tthhee aaiissllee,,

ddaanncciinngg ssccrreeaammiinngg

aanndd yyeelllliinngg,, iitt wwaass aann

iinnffuussiioonn ooff jjooyy,, II jjuusstt

ffeellll iinn lloovvee wwiitthh iitt’’’’ --

MMeerryyll SSttrreeeepp

‘‘‘‘MMyy aaggeenntt ccaalllleedd aanndd

ssaaiidd,, MMeerryyll SSttrreeeepp,,

MMaammaa MMiiaa!!,,GGrreeeeccee,,

aanndd II ssaaiidd qquuiicckkllyy II’’mm

iinn,, IIff MMeerryyll SSttrreeeepp

ssaaiidd yyeess ttoo iitt,, iitt mmuusstt

bbee ggoooodd’’’’ -- PPiieerrccee

BBrroossnnaannMeryl in hood on the sea wall in Cobb

Harbour

Showbusiness photographer

Starting out at 16

Meryl Streep as Sarah Woodruff and Jeremy Irons as Charles the 19th

century lovers

Me with Meryl Streep

14 costalife

>> WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO DO

BUSINESSES IN ELVIRIA >>

costalife 15

Specializing in

Apartment,Penthouse and

villa sales

Apartment andvilla rentals

PropertyManagement

PropertyMaintenance

Tel: 952 838 620

Email:

info@exclusive-marbella.com

Web:

www.exclusive-marbella.com

SALESVilla 126: Beautiful 3 bed 3 bath villa with excellent sea views.

This villa was built in 2001 and has large living area, 100m2

basement, garage for 2 cars and a roof solarium with great views

of the coast. Newly fitted kitchen equipped with all appliances.

The property has its own 630m2 plot with private swimming pool.

Price: 799,000 euros

Villa 025: This absolutely stunning beachside villa in Las

Chapas Playa comes with 5 bedrooms 5 bathrooms and

has the most amazing panoramic sea views. The villa is

on a plot of 1,000m2 and is 518m2 built. The private

garage is large enough for 4 cars.

Price: 1,850,000 euros

EMA10016: Superb apartments for sale in Hacienda

Playa. 2/3 bed apartments available from 500,000

euros. Excellent beachside location and close to all

amenities. Excellent qualities including marble floors,

air conditioning and under floor heating in bathrooms.

RENTALSP1010483 rental in Los Monteros

Beachside apartments for short and long term let. 2

and 3 beds. Price from 630 euros per week.

We also provide an excellent Management and

Maintenance service.

For more information contact Esther at Exclusive

Marbella.

The CompleteProperty Service

Package

Tel:952 832 656 Fax:952 832 717www.casacare.cominfo@casacare.com

Edificio Framire, Calle Alcornoque,Elviria, Marbella 29604

16 costalife

>> BUSINESSES IN ELVIRIA

Urbanizacion Elviria, Avda. Las Cumbres, Marbella Business Centre office 309Tel 952 835 695 mob 651 857 147 & 649 295 654

www.cselviria.com e-mail info@ladehesaproperties.com

REF. 1234 ELVIRIA 2.995.000 €PLOT : 2.000 M2 BUILT : 750 M2

TERRACES : 150 M2

BEDROOMS : 6 BATHROOMS : 6Fantastic Luxury villa, modern design, internal glazedpatio, sea views from most of the rooms, south westorientation, marble floors throughout.

REF. 1235 ELVIRIA 2.700.000 €PLOT : 2.000 m2 BUILT : 900 m2

TERRACES : 150 m2

BEDROOMS : 5 BATHROOMS : 6Fantastic Elegant Villa, close to commercial centre and 10minutes walk to the beach. Large rooms throughout. Whitemarble. South east orientation. Mountains and sea views.

LLuuxxuurryy VViillllaass

REF. 0629 ELVIRIA 925.000 €PLOT : 1.075 m2 BUILT : 279 m2

TERRACES : 98 m2

BEDROOMS : 4 BATHROOMS : 3Very nice Andalusian villa with panoramic sea views. Southorientation. Downstairs modern apartment and double carportparking and garage. Heated pool. A.A. Barbacue area.

WILL PART EXCHANGE FOR APARTMENT

REF. 1203 ELVIRIA 650.000 €PRICE DROPPED FROM 850.000 €TO 650.000 €PLOT : 680 m2 BUILT : 200 m2 TERRACES : 40 m2

BEDROOMS : 4 BATHROOMS : 3Nice Andalusian villa located close to commercialcentre and 10 minutes to the beach. Communal pooland private garden. Large living area and separatedining room. East orientation.

REF. 1238 ELVIRIA 890.000 €PRICE DROPPED FROM 1.250.000 €TO 890.000 €PLOT : 1.000 m2 BUILT : 250 m2

TERRACES : 50 m2

BEDOOMS : 4 BATHROOMS : 3Elegant Andalusian villa with internal open patio. Verynice sea views. South orientation. Marble floorsthroughout. Located in a quiet residential area.

SSppeecciiaall OOffffeerrss

REF. 1262 ELVIRIA 435.000 €

PLOT : 179 M2 BUILT : 136 M2

BEDROOMS : 3 BATHROOMS : 3TERRACES : 130 m2

Delightful 2 storey townhouse, with roof patio, quietarea, large communal pool & barbacue area. Whitemarble floors throughout. Fantastic sea and mountainsviews. South orientation.

REF. 1343 ELVIRIA 325.000 €BUILT : 79 M2 TERRACES : 25 M2

BEDROOMS : 2 BATHROOMS : 2Nice groundfloor apartment located in the lovely communityof GOLDEN BEACH, beachside of Elviria. Spaciousmature gardens, 2 swimming pools, gated complex. Whitemarble floors throughtout. West orientation.

REF : 1349 ELVIRIA 395.000 €BUILT : 145 M2 TERRACES : 55 m2

BATHROOMS : 2Very nice Penthouse located at the UrbanisationFRAMIRE RESIDENCIAL, Elviria, mature gardens,communal pool. Close to shops and restaurants, 10minutes walk to the beach. White marble floorsthroughtout. South orientation. Sea wiews.

TToowwnnhhoouusseess // AAppaarrttmmeennttss

REF. 1265 ELVIRIA 1.995.000 €PLOT : 3.442 M2 BUILT 588 M2

BEDROOMS : 5 BATHROOMS : 5Luxury villa located in a residential area of Elviria.Beautiful sea and mountains views from all rooms.Large lounge and dining room areas. South westorientation. A.A. Large parking & garage area. Fullyequipped kitchen. Alarm system.

hhiiss mmoonntthh’’ss llooccaattiioonn rreevviieeww iiss EEllvviirriiaa.. EEllvviirriiaa ssiittss wwiitthhiinn tthhee

aarreeaa ooff LLaass CChhaappaass aanndd ffaallllss wwiitthhiinn tthhee MMaarrbbeellllaa ddiissttrriicctt..

LLiivviinngg hheerree mmeeaannss yyoouu hhaavvee aa MMaarrbbeellllaa ppoossttccooddee!! LLeessss tthhaann

1100 kkmm ffrroomm MMaarrbbeellllaa aanndd 4400 kkmm ffrroomm tthhee AAiirrppoorrtt,, EEllvviirriiaa iiss

iiddeeaallllyy llooccaatteedd oonn tthhee ccooaasstt,, aanndd aass mmaannyy ccooaassttaall ppllaacceess,, yyoouu

ccaann ggeett pprreettttyy mmuucchh aannyywwhheerree iinn ggoooodd ttiimmee.. WWhheenn yyoouu ccoommee ooffff tthhee

NN334400 iinnttoo EEllvviirriiaa yyoouu wwoouulldd bbee ffoorrggiivveenn ffoorr tthhiinnkkiinngg tthhaatt iitt iiss qquuiittee aa

ssmmaallll uurrbbaanniissaattiioonn bbuutt,, oonnccee yyoouu ssttaarrtt ttoo ttaakkee aa ddrriivvee aarroouunndd,, yyoouu bbeeggiinn

ttoo rreeaalliissee jjuusstt hhooww bbiigg iitt iiss aanndd tthhaatt iitt iiss nnoott aann uurrbbaanniissaattiioonn bbuutt aa

ccoommmmuunniittyy..

There are dozens of developments on both sides of the Carretera and, if

you take a ride up to La Mareina past Santa Maria golf, you will find

more developments up in the mountains, overlooking the coast and

offering spectacular views. (Julio Iglesias has a house here.) Wooded

with attractive cork oak and pine trees, La Mareina is a peaceful

residential estate set in mountainous Andalucian countryside just above

Elviria. Established in 1996, the owners have committed to develop only

5% of the surface area of the land, ensuring wide open green zones and

protection of the natural environment. Due to its hillside location, the

plots at La Mareina each command impressive views down to the

coastline and across the Mediterranean to Gibraltar and North Africa.

La Mareina itself has its own selection of on-site facilities. It boasts a

clubhouse with a gymnasium and tennis courts with the Hofsäss tennis

academy run by the former German Davis Cup coach. Two international

schools: Colegio Aleman Juan Hoffman, a German school; and Colegio

Ecos known for its sporting excellence; both have chosen La Mareina as

their home.

TTTT

Looking toward coast shows only greenery 1990

Similar to La Cala last month. finding information about the history of

Elviria proved a challenge and, like many places on the Costa del Sol.

recent history is more readily available.

Elviria is more or less completely self contained and offers a choice of

four major supermarkets, a choice of banks, various types of

accommodation including hotels, rental properties and resort hotels like

the Marriot resort; and two main commercial centres: CC Elviria and CC

Pino Golf, which offer a number and variety of shops, bars and

restaurants. Any other needs can be met by Marbella which is 10

minutes away or head towards Fuengirola and visit the Myramar shopping

centre. The Costa del Sol Hospital is five minutes away, and one of the

best known international schools on the coast is the English International

College (EIC), situated in the Ricmar urbanisation in Elviria. Those who

are interested in high quality Spanish schooling for their children can

enrol girls and boys respectively in Ecos and Las Chapas, a private

Catholic schools run by the Grupo Atendis, both located in El Rosario, and

they offer a high quality Spanish education. State-funded schooling is

available in Elviria.

Santa Maria Golf is situated in Elviria, and is regarded as one of the best

and most attractive golf courses and golf developments on the coast. It

was originally a nine hole course designed by Antonio García Garrido and,

when these holes opened, the club became very popular with members.

The second nine, designed by the club’s technical staff, opened in 1996

and the course has now matured into one of the finest along the coast.

Amenities include the 19th century clubhouse and restaurant with

terrace, bars, lounges and snooker room. There are also tennis courts, a

swimming pool and a lawn bowls club on the club's grounds. There are

many other courses close to hand including Santa Clara and Rio Real to

name just two.

By all accounts Elviria is and always has been extremely green; there are

trees and flora everywhere. It’s not until you take a drive around that you

realise just how beautiful it is. Thanks to its versatility, it’s becoming an

increasingly popular destination with holidaymakers and foreign

residents from all over Europe, including the UK. The area is perfect for

families and has become increasingly popular for second homes and for

those relocating to the Coast. Part of the area’s attraction is its careful

development, thanks to an ongoing cork tree protection programme and

similar programmes for the pine trees of nearby Las Chapas and the sand

dunes at Cabopino beach. Reputedly once nicknamed and known as

Broccoli because of its appearance as a sea of Broccoli from the hills

above, Elviria abuts and is surrounded by a UNESCO biosphere reserve,

called La Sierra de Las Nieves. The Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park is

located behind Elviria, Marbella and to the east of the road to Ronda. The

park centres on La Torrecilla (1,919 metres) and covers an area of 202

km². This mountainous area has seen little human influence or activity,

even historically, and has a rich variety of flora and fauna. As the name

suggests, it can be snow covered in the winter. The area was studied in

the 19th century by Swiss botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier and in 1933

by Luis Ceballos. In 1970, the park was declared a National Hunting

Reserve and in 1995 a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

There are a considerable number of large caves in the park, several

taking the traditional form of horizontal caverns. Three are of particular

interest: Hoyos del Pilar, Hoyos de Lifa, Cuevas del Moro. The area is

perhaps more famous for its potholes, or ‘simas’ in Spanish. One of

these, GESM, is one of the deepest in Europe. GESM stands for Grupo de

Exploraciones Subterráneas de Málaga and was clearly named after the

group that mounted an exploration in September 1978. It has still not

been fully explored. The entrance to the pothole is located at 1.670

metres and it descends 1.098 metres with a few large drops. The Gran

Pozo drops 115 metres and the Pozo Paco de la Torre has a vertical fall

of 194 metres. At a depth of 900 metres there are some interesting rock

formations in the Sala de Maravillas, and Lake Ere is located almost at

the bottom.

Elviria is close to the beach, so getting down to the shore is not a problem

and, when you do, you can enjoy some of the best

beaches on the coast with plenty of chiringuitos,

beach bars and restaurants to keep you happy.

For those who need a bit more action than

crashing by the Med and enjoying a sangria or two,

country life 21

>>

Monumento a la Paz before development Monumento de La Paz today surrounded by developments

Santa Maria Club House once the Coto del los Dolores Santa Maria Golf

>> BUSINESSES IN ELVIRIA

Tapas - SnacksSandwiches

Beers - Cocktails - WinesSpirits

Always a FriendlyWelcome

Open Every Day 9am - lateC.C. Elviria, Marbella

YOU!can advertise

Herefor as little as €120

20 costalife

BUSINESSES IN ELVIRIA >>

costalife 21

Internet Café and Bar

Breakfasts

Lunches

Snacks - Drinks

Finest Coffees

English Teas

Shakes

Daily specials

takeaway service

Office services include

Internet -WIFI - Fax

Photocopying

Open Mon - Fri 9am till 7.30 pm

Sat 10am - 2pm

Tel 952 850 052 fax 952 834 715

Marbella Business Centre

Just off N340 at KM 191 Avda de Las Cumbres

EUINSURANCE DIRECTAAllll iinnssuurraannccee aanndd ffiinnaanncciiaall nneeeeddss iinn ppllaaiinn EEnngglliisshh

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there is plenty to do activity wise, and you can enjoy jet skiing, wind and

kite surfing, kayaking, volleyball and snorkelling, as well as scuba diving.

Historically, we have discovered the following: the main property owner

and developer of Elviria was Salvador Guerrero, whose family owned

most of the area. The clubhouse at Santa Maria was the family home

and the land that became the golf course also belonged to the family. It

is clear from the development of Elviria that Don Salvador was as much

concerned about the quality and care of the development as the

development itself, and his work has clearly left a positive mark on the

area. Its lush green heritage has been retained and the developments

themselves are some of the most attractive on the coast. In 2006, a

dinner was held at the Don Carlos Hotel in Don Salvador’s honour, to

mark the contribution he made to the area. The name Elviria is believed

to have come from his wife’s name Elvira.

In 1960, tenders were invited from architects for their ideas on how the

new urbanisation should look. A French guy won it but, interestingly, one

of the other architects who tendered a design was John Utson, the

famous architect responsible for none other than the Sydney Opera

House. It’s true, I jest not. He was turned down, although some of his

ideas were used in the eventual plans.

Although the Palacio de Las Chapas Hotel is the oldest hotel in the area,

the Don Carlos is the most prominent landmark. Opened in the sixties,

this five star hotel has overlooked the growth of the area for nearly forty

years. As you can see from some of the pictures here, it stood all alone

for quite some time. It has not always been called the Don Carlos either;

in its first days it was called the Marbella Hilton. Yes indeed, a Hilton

hotel in Elviria! We have also been told that the bullring of the area was

sited in the grounds of the Palacio de Las Chapas Hotel.

Historical buildings of interest in the area are few and far between but we

found a couple. The Ladrones tower is one of the first Almenara towers

to be found within the Municipality of Marbella. Coming from the Malaga

direction it is situated close to the port of Cabopino and the projections

or machicolations are known in Spanish as ‘ladroneras’ and therefore the

name is the same. The tower was most probably built in the Muslim

period, due to the shape, the materials used and the way in which the

AERIAL VIEWS OF LA CALA 1962-1964

C.C. PinoGolf

Sixties postcard of the then Marbella Hilton, now the Don Carlos Hotel Don Carlos after name changeDevelopers Brochure from 70s shows a

Carlos from the iron monument on the

Don Carlos today

beams have been laid. The

building is a cone shape,

some 3.65 metres in width

and 14.60 metres high,

distributed inside in three

rooms and a terrace.

The Lance de Las Cañas

Turret is situated in the area

of Las Chapas (Marbesa

Urbanisation) and has a

warlike aspect. It is a

considerable size for a turret,

standing 10.85 metres high

and 53.53 metres wide, and

in the shape of a ((hive?)) due

to the central floor in the

shape of an elongated circle,

with two slanted buttresses at

the back. The turret dates

back to the second half of the

16th century and the

materials used are rubble

masonry with adornments and brick corners. The interior

is divided into two storeys and an attic where the artillery

was stored; the entrance is situated on the right hand

buttress at some six metres from the ground.

With large parts of Elviria still free from building works

there is plenty of scope for the area to continue to grow

and that isn’t a bad thing as long as its continued growth

is nurtured and cared for as it has been so far. It really is

a beautiful area and although it is a hive of activity both

day and night, there is a remarkable peace about Elviria

which you will find hard to match anywhere else on the

coast.

It continues to develop, with the

new Estrella del Mar Hotel on the

shore side opposite Mercadona

opening in September. It’s no

wonder the area is referred to as

the ‘‘Jewel of the Costa del Sol’’

or the ‘‘Malibu of the coast’’ and,

like most jewels, Elviria needs a

bit of digging out to discover it

properly but, when you do have a

good look around this area, it is

quite simply delicious and well

worth the search.

Santa Maria completed in 1991 with virtually no development around

Similar photo to developers brochure but as the Hilton

with nothing around photo late 70s

a clear sight of the Don

shoreside roundaboutElviria

lviria

24 costalife

LUSTLUSTYY,,A ‘‘MILITA ‘‘MILITARYARY

CRUISE’’CRUISE’’oorr tthhoossee ooff yyoouu

wwhhoo kknnooww uuss

aanndd rreeaadd CCoossttaa

LLiiffee rreegguullaarrllyy,, yyoouu wwiillll

kknnooww tthhaatt oouurr ssoonn DDaavviidd

jjooiinneedd tthhee NNaavvyy eeaarrllyy llaasstt

yyeeaarr aass aa mmaarriinnee eennggiinneeeerr..

SSoo ffaarr hhee hhaass bbeeeenn ttoo tthhee

MMiiddddllee EEaasstt,, IInnddiiaa,, MMaallttaa,,

tthhrroouugghh tthhee SSuueezz CCaannaall aanndd ttoo

aa nnuummbbeerr ooff ootthheerr ppllaacceess.. HHee iiss

bbaasseedd oonn HHMMSS IIlllluussttrriioouuss wwhhiicchh

iiss oonnee ooff oouurr AAiirrccrraafftt CCaarrrriieerrss,, tthhee

ssaammee aass tthhee AArrkk RRooyyaall.. IIff yyoouu wwaattcchheedd tthhee TTVV

pprrooggrraammmmee WWaarrsshhiipp oonn CChhaannnneell FFiivvee,, tthhee sshhiipp

ffeeaattuurreedd wwaass HHMMSS IIlllluussttrriioouuss oorr ‘‘LLuussttyy’’ aass sshhee iiss

kknnoowwnn wwiitthhiinn tthhee NNaavvyy.. OOuurr ssoonn DDaavviidd SSmmiitthh wwaass oonnee

ooff tthhee ccrreeww ffeeaattuurreedd iinn tthhee pprrooggrraammmmee wwiitthh hhiiss ggiirrllffrriieenndd,,

SStteewwaarrdd,, RRaacchheell.. TThheeiirr ssttoorryy wwaass tthhee ‘‘lloovvee aannggllee’’ ooff tthhee

sseerriieess!!

FF

In March, we were offered the opportunity to partake in a new initiative

by the Navy called PACAS (Parents and Children at Sea). The idea is to

give family and relatives the chance to see what it is like to live and work

on one of Her Majesty’s vessels. The invitation was to join the ship at

Gibraltar and sail back to Portsmouth over five days (at full speed the

ship can actually get back to the UK from Gib in about one and a half

days). We would live, eat and sleep just like the Navy crew and ‘enjoy’ the

experience of life at sea. Call it, if you like, a military cruise!

We were to get to Gib on 25th May, meet our son and then get on board

ready to sail early on Monday morning. Clothes-wise we were told to bring

hard wearing items, jeans, trainers etc, as we would be more comfortable

and would be going on tours of the ship.

Sharon packed her best dress in the hope of sitting at the captain’s table

at the evening gala but I had to tell her that it wasn’t that kind of cruise!

Joking apart, we were in for a shock. I have to be honest and say that we

were not sure what to expect but we certainly treated the forthcoming five

days with less respect than we should have. but more about that after

some information on HMS Illustrious.

HMS Illustrious, being an aircraft carrier, is one of our biggest ships and,

when you stand next to her, you realise just how big she is. She is the

second of three Invincible Class Aircraft carriers (Invincible and Ark Royal

the other two) and the fifth ship to bear her proud name. Illustrious was

built at Swan Hunter’s shipbuilding yard on the Tyne and subsequently

commissioned in her base port of Portsmouth in 1982.

In terms of her ‘vital statistics’ Illustrious is an impressive 209 metres

long, with a beam of 36 metres and a displacement of 22,000 tonnes.

She has 1,400 compartments and 15 lifts and is powered by four gas

turbine Olympus engines (a marinised version of Concorde’s) giving her a

top speed in excess of 30 knots. With a Tailored Air Group embarked she

has a full complement of over 1,000 people and can operate with a range

of both rotary and fixed wing aircraft from the Harrier GR9 to troop-

carrying Chinooks. Her roles can vary widely and include everything from

Maritime Strike to Evacuation Operations; all of which she has ably

demonstrated herself to be very much capable of fulfilling.

The Ship’s motto ‘‘Vox Non Incerta’’ comes from a quote in the bible,

specifically Corinthians I, Ch14 v8, which reads: ‘‘For if the trumpet gives

an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?’’ The motto

then, means ‘‘No Uncertain Sound’’ and suits Illustrious extremely well.

The present HMS Illustrious is the fifth ship to bear that name. The first

HMS Illustrious, a 74-gun Third Rate ship of the line, was launched at

Buckler’s Hard in 1789 and saw action against the French off Toulon in

1793 and at Genoa in 1795. She was severely damaged in later action

costaSTUFF >>

and driven ashore by a violent storm while being towed home for repair.

She was set ablaze and abandoned.

Launched in Rotherhithe in 1803, the second HMS Illustrious was also a

74-gun Third Rate ship of the line. She had a long career, winning battle

honours at Basque Roads and Java before becoming a training ship in

1854. She was broken up in Portsmouth in 1868.

The third HMS Illustrious was launched in 1896. A battleship with 12 and

6 inch guns, she was already obsolete by 1914 and spent most of the

Great War as an ammunition store ship. She was scrapped in 1920.

The fourth Illustrious was one of the most distinguished ships of the

Second World War. She was the first of a new class of Aircraft Carrier and

was commissioned in 1940. Her first theatre of action was the

Mediterranean in defence of the Malta convoys and where, on 11th

November 1940, 20 Swordfish aircraft attacked the Italian Naval Base at

Taranto. They inflicted severe damage on the Italian Fleet and helped to

tip the balance of Mediterranean Sea power in favour of the Allies. Early

in 1941 she suffered extensive damage and many casualties in a

relentless attack by Stuka dive-bombers. After emergency repairs, she

managed to escape to the United States where she was refitted and

returned to active service in late 1941. After playing a major role in

operations off Diego Suarez, Salerno and Sumatra, she supported the US

landings at Okinawa. This was to be her final action of the war. After

hostilities had ended, she returned to home waters as a ‘training and

trials’ ship before being laid up in 1954 and finally scrapped in 1957.

The current HMS Illustrious was laid down in Swan Hunter’s shipbuilding

yard on the Tyne on 7th October 1976. On 20th June 1982, after steering

gear trouble, she was finally commissioned at sea and headed directly to

the Falkland Islands to relieve HMS Invincible. HMS Illustrious has

participated in most major UK and NATO campaigns over the last 15

years; the list includes the First Gulf War, the Sierra Leone Evacuations

and the war in Afghanistan in 2001. After this period of hectic activity, in

October 2002 HMS Illustrious undertook a 104 week refit in Rosyth Royal

Dockyard, Scotland, at a total cost of £118 million. The refit now allows

Illustrious to stay in service until 2012, when she is expected to be

replaced by the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. These new

carriers will be three times the width and one and a half times the length

of our current carriers.

So, now you have some history and facts about Lusty, let’s get back to our

five-day mini cruise. When we got on board this huge ship we were

separated into our respective messes. Sharon went to Rachel’s mess

(Dave’s girlfriend) and I joined the lads in his mess. Marine engineers, or

‘Stokers’ as they have been called for centuries, are generally accepted

to be the hardest working and most put upon members of the crew. If

anything goes wrong, breaks down, blows up or whatever, these guys, and

now also girls, are the ones who have to be there to fix whatever needs

fixing, whenever it needs to be fixed. Whether it be a broken fridge in one

of the galleys (kitchens), a busted lock on a loo door or maintaining the

massive engines, these are the people who keep the ship functioning. As

highly sought-after employees if they ever leave the Navy, stokers become

highly trained engineers who can literally turn their hand to anything.

The only problem with this job is the demands placed upon them and the

crazy hours they work. Once I had settled in and been allocated my bunk,

which was the bottom of three bunks, one yard away from another stack

of three, in amongst another 21 bunks in a mess the size of my bathroom,

the full measure of what we had ‘signed up’ for was becoming apparent

and I began to worry! The first thing I noticed, apart from the lack of

space, was how tired I became and how quickly it hit me, and within a few

hours on board we were exhausted. Whether it was something to do with

the rocking of the boat or the air conditioning droning away day and night,

I don’t know, but suffice it to say when Sharon and I met up for the first

time we said in perfect unison, ‘‘What the heck have we done?!!’’

After dinner we all had to be in our messes by 8pm, ie no girls in the lads’

messes and vice versa. The only saving grace was that the lads had a few

beers (they are allocated two beers per day) so we were able to have a

chat and get to know each other. Apart from the multitude of bunk beds

they have a small locker each, a couple of fridges for beers, drinks and

chocolate and a small recreation room with a TV and DVD player. I

promise you though, the whole mess was no bigger than a large lounge

and there were at least 14 lads sharing. The truth is these guys do

nothing but eat, sleep and work, with emphasis on the work, and the

space they have is all they use, because if they are not working they are

sleeping and if they are not sleeping or working they are eating three

square meals a day, 4,000 calories to keep them going, and they need it.

Morale was low amongst the guys because of the hours and the

conditions but also I think because they were at the end of a five month

tour and they all just wanted to get home and get off the ship to see family

or whatever.

Anyway, I persevered through the first evening and went to bed thinking,

‘‘Get me off this ship!’’ Talk about being brought down to earth with a

bump. Throughout the night I was continually being awoken by the lads

coming and going. The thing is, those who aren’t working are sleeping

and those who are working wake you up when they come back off shift so

it’s like Piccadilly Station. They work crazy hours, 8 hours on, 8 hours off,

or 20 on and four off, continually! Dave says that some days your

breakfast is curry and your tea will be eggs and bacon, depending on

where your shift ends. Plus the air-con drones away and you get a slight

rocking as the ship makes its way through the sea. P&O eat your heart

out!!

On the Monday morning, I was awoken (again) at 6:30 am, YES 6:30 am,

and summoned for breakfast. As soon as I woke I knew straight away that

something was wrong and realized that I had caught the dreaded lurgy:

my throat was extremely sore and my head was banging. I am not a

person who gets ill but, when I do stop work for a break, I have in the past

picked something up, defences being down and all that. Anyway, I felt

rotten; in addition to not sleeping and being exhausted I was now ill. It

turned out that the same thing had put half the crew in bed over the

previous few weeks. So there I was, less than 24 hours on board,

traipsing off to the galley to get my breakfast, feeling extremely sorry for

myself. When I got there I was in a queue of about 60 people, all of whom

were in front of me waiting for their brekkie. This was not in the brochure!

Sharon’s face was not showing any signs of happiness and joy when we

met up either. The only thing that was keeping me going was that in four

more days I could get off.

After breakfast we began our tours of the ship and this did alleviate some

of the gloom as we were escorted around the ship

to learn about life on board. Over the next three

days we were shown the hanger which was huge,

the top deck which was the size of three football

DAVE AND SOME OF HIS SHIP MATES AT GIBRALTAR

SOME OF THE LADS IN THE MESS

>>>>

pitches, the captain’s

quarters where the

Queen had been a few

weeks before in

Istanbul, and we even

sat in the main dining

room and enjoyed some

cocktails. We also went

on board the Merlin

helicopters and were

given an aerial display

as they took off and

landed at sea.

We toured the engine

rooms which were

amazing: the size of the

engines is remarkable

and the noise is

unbearable and there

are just thousands and

thousands of metres of piping everywhere! How they keep track of it all

is beyond me but they must do. We were given a fire safety display and

even got to shoot a few rounds off the starboard bow from the mounted

guns. We visited the control tower where the captain works from and we

had tours of the galleys. 100,000 meals a month are served up

throughout the ship and the food wasn’t that bad - in fact it was rather

good. Towards the end of the five days they were rehashing what was left

as they were obviously running out but it still wasn’t bad. The best bit for

me overall was sitting in the mess watching the programme Warship and

actually being there with them as they cheered every time one of them

was seen on TV. It was great fun. The second best thing for me was

going on top deck to watch an RAS which means ‘‘replenishment at sea’’.

This is where a cargo ship will come alongside another ship and, by

means of a massive chain and pulley apparatus, transfer goods from one

ship to another whilst still moving. It’s a very dangerous operation as the

boats come within maybe 50 metres of each other. The waves caused

between the two ships were huge and it was an excellent spectacle.

Despite all our whinging it was a great experience, if for no other reason

than to get an understanding of what these people go through. We didn’t

get into any kind of rhythm and, as the days went past, if we weren’t

touring we went to bed. I have never become so exhausted so quickly

and been unable to sleep at the same time. I laugh now when I look back

on it but at the time it was horrendous. I have to say ‘hats off’ to the Navy

for instigating PACAS because it is a no-holds-barred no-flannel

experience. We saw how these people live, warts and all. I can

remember all the times Dave called home and was having a moan and

his mum and I said, ‘‘Ah get on with it, it’s called hard work,’’ etc, but now

we can’t say a word except encourage him to keep going or just tell him

we know what he means. The average age on HMS Illustrious is 22 and

you can understand why. It’s a young man’s game. I have never been

negative about our forces as some are and can only say that these young

people who have joined the services demand our respect. They are not

the politicians and we need to remember that fact. They are there to

serve and protect our country and also other countries. They don’t make

the decisions on where to invade and who to support, so we should save

that criticism for the politicians and civil servants who do make those

decisions. But these servicemen and women know the risks in today’s

volatile environment and they join up anyway. And I can now assure you,

from personal experience, that conditions are poor in the lower ranks:

you have to have a desire to serve to do this kind of work, and there are

not many who can stick it out. With talk in the media about bringing back

National Service I would have to agree that this would be a good thing.

Both Sharon and I noticed immediately the manners and courtesy shown

by all on board: the discipline and respect are there and it was wonderful

to see. Don’t get me wrong, we all know that these guys know how to

party and have a reputation for letting themselves go, but the discipline

was there, natural and instilled.

It was a fantastic experience but never again. We are both glad we did it

and we couldn’t have possibly refused the opportunity but, I repeat, never

again. We now have a first hand understanding of what our son does

and we are immensely proud. When we arrived at Portsmouth we were

greeted by 2,000 people and a Royal Navy brass band. It was great to

see all the Union Jacks and the families cheering on the quayside as they

waited for their fathers, sons, daughters, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends

to come home from a gruelling five month tour. With all the crew on top

deck in full uniform it made Sharon and I think everybody there proud to

be British and it was a once in a lifetime experience that we will never

forget for many different reasons.

814 SQUADRON MERLIN HELICOPTER DISEMBARKING ON THE 29TH MAY SAILING INTO POMPEY

REFUELING AT SEA

CAPTAINS CHAIR GET THAT WOMAN AWAY FROM THAT GUN! TOP GUN OR WHAT, WELL, MAYBE NOT!

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At Costa Life we dedicate morespace to business editorial than anyother publication on the coast. It isimportant to us to introduce to youinformation about our new clientsand remind you on a regular basisabout existing ones. We are a freemagazine and we only exist becauseof our clients and we therefore feelit right to dedicate a section of themagazine to promoting to you, ourreaders, the people, both new andold, who make Costa Life possible.

If you need to make use of theservices or products promoted inthis section or indeed throughoutthis issue please let our clientsknow that you have seen them inCosta Life Magazine.

Thank You.

NNaattuurree’’ss PPhhiilloossoopphhyyHealth & Beauty Salon

costalife 29

Welcome to Dr. Stefan Demling and his clinic Clinica Dental Idea. As apatient with Clinica Dental Idea you will meet commitment, enthusiasmand expertise, which go hand in hand with wide-ranging experiencecovering everything from simple dental check-ups to advanced specialistcare. At Clinica Dental Idea they diagnose and treat most tooth and softtissue problems from minor cases of caries, enamel damage orsuperficial gum inflammation to serious cases of tooth decay, gumdisease or lost teeth.

Their aim is to retain as much as possible, using reconstruction andreplacement work only where absolutely necessary for various reasons.When treatment is necessary, it must involve the least possibleintervention on the actual tooth, bone or soft tissue. Where there is nodamage, they use preventive dental care to keep things that way.

Looking after your teeth is vital and the old saying ‘‘ignore your teeth andthey will go away’’ is all too common with many people who neglect theirdental care through laziness or fear. Treatments these days can berelative quick and pain free so not getting a check up twice a year isasking for trouble and is only delaying the inevitable, remember,prevention is always better than a cure. Regular check ups will highlightany problems you might have and with the right treatment at the righttime can limit or halt any further problems.

At Clinica Dental Idea they also provide cosmetic dentistry, as a naturalpart of all their treatment. Tooth whitening, discolouration and crookedteeth, which can have a negative effect on the appearance, are allhandled with the latest technique and expert care. Have you ever noticedhow a happy, smiling face makes you want to smile, too? The personsmiling doesn’t have to be beautiful or in the full bloom of youth ...just anattractive smile in itself can be appealing.

Some people who would like to smile broadly when the occasion calls forit, are reluctant to do so. Their smile is guarded, most of their teeth arecovered up because they don’t want them to show. Maybe there are gapscaused by missing teeth, perhaps their teeth are badly discolored orprotrude too much. However, no one has to feel inhibited. With today’sdental techniques, anyone's smile can be improved.

Primarily, you used to visit a dentist to find out if your teeth were introuble. If there was any decay, or if you had infected gums, you wantedthe problem taken care of so you could save your teeth. But there areother reasons for seeing your dentist, and one of them is to help keepyour smile attractive. There’s no need to hide your smile today when

there are so many ways it can beimproved. Visit or call Clinica DentalIdea today to see how they can helpyou, consultations for this kind oftreatment are free. The clinic itselfis spacious with a relaxing andwell presented reception andwaiting area helping to easethe worries of any nervouspatients. They are open Mon,Tues, Thurs, Fri 10am - 5pmand open late Wednesdays10am - 8pm orcall 952 19 7641 or 660 103694 to make anappointment orvisit the Clinic atCentro Idea onthe Carretera deMijas just beforethe toll road.

costaCOMPANIES >>

The Elefante in Benalmadena has long been known as one of the top cabaretvenues on the coast and has been providing both visitors and residents alikewith top class entertainment for over 10 years. In the last few months new Irishowners Garreth and Michelle have completely refurbished the premises to anexceptionally high standard. The bar has been moved and the interior hasbeen gutted and looks like a new building from top to bottom. Even the outsidehas been re built with an extension which has enlarged the venue. You canrelax and enjoy drinks on the new terrace before going in to watch the shows.Inside they now have a seating capacity of nearly 300 plus standing roomwhich makes The Elefante one of the biggest live music venues on the coast.

The Elefante offers a great night out for all the family and the best acts in Spainperform here. The entertainment is wide and varied which means there issomething for everyone, from some of the top Uk, Irish and international actslike The American Drifters, The Grumbleweeds, Chas and Dave andMarmalade to tribute acts like Neil Diamond, Freddie Mercury, Boy George, togreat comedians like the very popular Dave Young.

Resident band Revival are on every night from around 9.30pm playing greatrock and roll classics to get the crowd in the mood and they have a new dancefloor so you can get up and have a boogie if you want to.

They have recently opened a new kitchen and can now offer fantastic pub grubincluding a selection of basket meals such as burger and chips, chicken andchips, scampi and chips and chicken burger and chips plus kebabs, toastiesand panini sandwiches. On Sundays they have an all you can eat carvery andat only 9.95 euros it’s great value. The carvery is served every Sunday from

5pm till 9.30pm, everyother night the kitchen isopen from 8pm till12.30am.

We went on a Sundayevening and enjoyed thecarvery outside on theterrace before going in towatch the resident bandRevival and the FreddieMercury tribute which wasreally good fun. It’s a greatatmosphere inside witheverybody there gettingright into the mood. Musiclovers from 8 to 80 enjoyeda great night out and youcan be assured that whatever night you go you are always guaranteed a nightto remember.

The Elefante can now offer you a full night’s entertainment including great foodand drinks, pool tables, waitress service and of course the best live shows onthe coast.

The Elefante is open 7 days a week till late. For more details on acts andbooking tables call 650 705 345.

Freddie Mercury tribute

We will rock you!The all new Elefante

New cabaret loungenow seats up to 300 peopleMain bar area

>> costaCOMPANIES

32 costalife

Calvin, Julie and Jacqui are highly experienced and qualified to thehighest standards in training, assessing and delivering a qualityservice. Their standards are only excellence and together theyprovide everything you need to make your hair easier andmanageable from cut to cut.

Their aim is not just to provide you with an image that looks greatwhen you walk out of the salon, but to design and create a greathairstyle that you can manage to enjoy until your next visit, alongwith the confidence and uplift that we all need from time to time!Listening!! Delivering!!

The team guarantees satisfaction for all your hair requirementsincluding an increasing clientele for hair relaxing. They offer a widerange of services difficult to be found with the skill and expertisethey are passionate about. Due to success and demand they will beoffering manicures, pedicures, artificial nail design, lash tinting,brow shaping and that all important and ever increasing demand forMale Grooming. Wedding services are also available specializing inhair-up and Bridal make-up.

Using a quality range of products from Wella, L’Oreal and Hempzexclusively supplied from the U.S. Hempz products contain exactlywhat your hair needs living under the sun! Containing nature’snatural Hempseed oil and extract, essential fatty acids (EFA’s), vitalnutrients and proteins, vitamins and antioxidants which are vital fornourishing healthy hair. Suitable for all scalp and hair types. See andfeel the difference by sampling HEMPZ, prior to purchasing from thesalon.

Whilst enjoying your experience at David Glen, you can enjoy acomplimentary head massage, receive free refreshments and orderlight snacks as you chill out in the peaceful atmosphere of thebeautiful gardens that surround you.

They look forward to meeting you as much as you’ll be glad to do!!!!

Recent clients’ comments:

‘‘I felt fantastic when I left the salon. I’ll definitely be back!’’ JennyStaffs, UK / Fuengirola

‘‘Finally, I’ve found someone who understands what I want.’’ Mette,Denmark / La Cala

‘‘I used to coincide my UK visits with a much needed trip to my oldsalon, now I can enjoy having a hairdresser on my doorstep’’ SusieHudds, Mijas

‘‘Brilliant, the best I’ve found in Spain, and I’ve been to a few!’’ Lucy,Benalmadena

‘‘Great, everything! Really enjoyed the experience. Thanks, guys!See you next trip.’’ Steve & Family, Essex, UK

‘‘Love my colour, the cut is great and so easy. See you soon.’’ Teresa,Brighton, UK

Reflecting success of Manchester’s ‘‘David Glen’’ salons, ownerCalvin and his growing enthusiastic team are celebrating their 1stsuccessful year here on the Costa, situated in the delightfulambience of Puebla Lucia (central Fuengirola). Their stylish andbreezy salon is the place to be for finally solving all your hairproblems.

The MBT shoe - your natural painkiller!

Do you walk a lot? Do you have pain in your back, feet, joint or knee?Do you want a more upright posture? Then try a pair of MBT shoes andexplore a new way of walking with less pain and a much more activebody!

The human body is not designed for constant walking on even ground. Indoing so, the steps become unnaturally long and a passive posture iscreated. With conventional shoes the steps fall almost uncontrollably

onto the ground and the whole bodyreceives shocks, leading to poor

posture, blockages, tension and weak muscles. To counteract this effectthe body must be stimulated to balance itself and trough that active thebody’s supporting muscle system, and this is what MBT does.

Due to a unique curved sole, MBT transforms flat, hard surface intonatural, uneven surface, simulating the walking action of our barefootancestors. The curved sole creates a natural instability underfoot, whichstimulates and exercises the body’s supporting muscles system tobalance and keep an upright posture. Balancing means that the musclesare working instead of overloading joints plus encourages activemusculature. Through the action of a tension interchange of the muscles,MBT become shock absorbers for the joints and through this the bodyexperiences release of tension, relaxation and improved circulation.

Wearing MBT physiological footwear is like walking barefoot on springymoss or a sandy beach - very comfortable on the one hand, but also achallenge for the whole body. Because every step is a small workout forthe whole body. An active muscles system holds and helps the skeletmeaning the bones which helps reducing pain in the body.

All in all both when standing and walking, there are several benefits inusing MBT:

Activates neglected muscles Reduces stress on knee and hip jointsHelp with back, hip, leg and foot problems Improves posture and gait Tones and shapes the bodyHelp with joint, muscle ligament & tendon injuries

The first MBT shoe was produced in 1998 and launced in Swizerlandcontinuing to Germany and Austria during 1999. Since then the MBT has

help lots and lots of people to reduce or takeaway pain in especially back, knees and

feet. A very satisfies MBT Client is sohappy about her shoes that she

wrote an email toMBT SHOPCRISTINA saying:‘‘… that I love my

MBT sandals. Thedifference in the tone of

my legs is amazing, and the pain has disappeared from my foot, which iswhy I bought them in the first place, … I can now feel my stomach workingas well as my thighs, great stuff.’’

Here on the Western side of Málaga, people who are curios about theMBTs have a selection of not just 1 but 2 Specialist MBT shops whichboth caries the full range of models and sizes.

In MBT SHOP CRISTINA in Fuengirola and MBT SHOP MARBELLA we lookforward to help you experience the MBTs and explore what MBT can offer

you! For enquiries and directionsplease phone us on 697 265 199

or check out our websitewww.mbtmarbella.com

costaCOMPANIES >>

costalife 33

Nordic Muebles Innovation and styleNordic Muebles is a Danish owned company that specializes in offeringits clients the latest tendencies within garden furniture and kitchens.Launched 3 years ago Nordic Muebles have established themselves asone of the leading providers of all aspects of home improvementsincluding, quality outdoor furniture, kitchens, bathrooms and wardrobesplus a wide selection of accessories.

A good deal with Nordic Muebles does not only mean a good price, butalso serious and correct guidance before and after the sale. Throughwell-trained sales staff and leading manufacturers they offer you apersonal concept that gives you the best experience when dealing withNordic Muebles.

Nordic Muebles offers you:Scandinavian designLeading manufacturersExtensive selectionCompetitive pricesFirst class serviceHighest quality installations

Their goal is to be the biggest supplier of Scandinavian garden furniture,kitchens and accessories on the Costa del Sol. Today they are sellingmore Danish quality kitchens than ever. And with the new shop justopened in Algarrobo costa, near Velez Malaga they can now cover thewhole of the Coast.

As a client at Nordic Muebles they can assure you that price and qualitygo hand in hand. They never compromise with the quality of theirproducts and never consider a job done until you are 100% satisfied.They are always trying to make their selection bigger and wider so all

customers can get their dream kitchen at the price they want to pay. Forexample, this month they are introducing veneer wooden fronts in aselection of wood types. If you are in a hurry then they also have aselection of kitchens which can be delivered within 10 days.

They consider fast service of great importance as well and thereforehave stocks of most garden furniture from the showroom availableimmediately. Whatever your requirements in home improvementsNordic Muebles can offer you the highest quality Danish and Swedishproducts at the best prices and installed to the highest standard. All oftheir work is guaranteed and financing is available. Give them a calltoday.

For more information call Nordic Muebles on 951 260 360 (Fuengirola)or 952 511 648 (Algarroba) or visit either of their two showrooms.

They are situated at the Feria ground in Fuengirola, Calle Jose CuberoYiyo 3 and at Avda. de Andalucía, Torre Atalaya 2, Local 8 - 29750Algarrobo Costa.

They open Monday to Saturday 10am - 7pm and Saturday 10am - 2pm.

The newly opened Health & BeautySalon ‘Nature’s Philosophy’ issituated in Mijas Pueblo in anidyllic white-washed Andaluciancobbled street and offers a rangeof treatments tailored to the needsof the individual.

Why come to ‘Nature’s Philosophy’?If you are looking for balance through mind, body and spirit, physical,mental & emotional health or simply to pamper & ease tension in yourbody, then this salon will provide you a place to relax & receive a personalclient - therapist treatment. When an individual seeks complementarytreatment for a particular illness or condition, other health problemsimprove without direct treatment, due to improvement in theperformance of the immune system, which is one of the goals ofcomplementary medicine. When you treat the body physically throughmassage techniques you aid in the body’s energy flow as well.

Complementary Therapies don’t only aid in healing, but also act aspreventative care, suitable for old & young alike, male & female.

What Therapies are available & what do they do?Clinical Aromatherapy - working all the body’s systems, which can helpwith a variety of conditions, from alleviating stress, to improving muscletone & circulation & aiding the body’s reaction to disease using 100%essential oils. This technique includes the use of Therapeutic massage,Swedish massage, Deep Tissue massage, Acupressure & Shiatsutechniques, Inhalations, Compresses & Reflex Zone Therapy.

Reflexology - A non- invasive treatment carried out on the feet or thehands. The body is ‘‘reflected’’ in the feet & using hand & visualobservations you can evaluate the condition of a person, from the stateof energy channels in the feet and by balancing this flow balances theinternal organs & the whole mind & body.

Reiki - An ancient Japanese form of touch therapy. Reiki comes from twoJapanese words Rei - ‘‘universal’’ and Ki - ‘‘life force or life energy’’,meaning Universal Life Energy. Everyone needs a certain amount ofenergy in order to be healthy. When the body is low you feel weak & aremore likely to get sick. Reiki works the body’s main Chakras to regainharmony & wholeness to address the whole person physical, emotional,mental & spiritual.

Indian Head Massage - This treatment is derived from Ayurvedicprinciples, which encourages balance in order to achieve & maintainhealth. Relaxing & calming, it can be tailored to ease tension& induce awonderful feeling of well-being or as an energetic stress busting therapyit can leave you stimulated & energized. Working on the central nervoussystem a variety of massage movements are used to relieve tension,stimulate circulation & improve joint mobility. It works on the body’senergy pathways, chakras and marma points to free blockages & restorebalance. The massage includes scalp, neck ,shoulders & upper arm.

Foot Care Treatments - Thistreatment is a combination ofPodology & Beauty, using avariety of tools for a moreintense pedicure, suitable forpeople with diabetes and anumber of foot conditions. Thetreatment works to helpalleviate or remove corns,calluses, in-grown toe nails, dry

& hard skin &thickening of the nails.The treatment followswith a massage andyour choice of nailfinish. For a moreluxurious treatment youcan include exfoliatingand re-hydrating masktreatments, which arealso available with theregular pedicuretreatment.

The salon also offers an Aroma Facial using Natural Aloe Vera Productsand quality essential oils, with a relaxing neck, shoulder, face & scalpmassage, Spa Manicures, & Pedicures, Nail Extensions, Nail decorationand Waxing (warm and hot).

Available to buy are Forever Aloe Products, natural body products, booksand more.

Mijas Pueblo is easily accessed and offers street parking and a multi-storey car park in the centre of the village; they have an excellent busservice from inland areas and the coast. For more information or advicecontact us on 952485172 orjennifer@naturesphilospy.net.www.nature’sphilosophy.net

Our opening hours for thesummer are:9am - 2pm - 6pm - 9pm Mon-FFri& Sat 9am - 2pm

>> costaCOMPANIES

36 costalife

Nature’s PhilosophyHealth & Beauty Salon

Retail of Natural Products

Opening HoursMMoonn - FFrrii 1122ppmm - 88ppmm SSaatt 1100aamm - 22ppmm

AAppppooiinnttmmeennttss ccaann bbee aarrrraannggeedd oouutt ooff hhoouurrssClinical Aromatherapy - Reflexology - Reiki-

Nail & Beauty Treatments

Calle Málaga, 39, Mijas PuebloTel: 952485172

www.naturesphilosophy.net

NNaattuurree’’ss PPhhiilloossoopphhyyHealth & Beauty Salon

Right Way Insurance & Finance SL has been especially set up byexpatriates living in Spain, for the benefit of other expatriates, or peoplebuying property in Spain. We are qualified to UK Chartered InsuranceInstitute standards, with many years' experience in the insurance industrywithin the UK before setting up here in Spain over 9 years ago. We havethousands of satisfied customers. We provide a full service and will helpyou in the event of the unthinkable happening, resulting in a claim on yourpolicy. We will also notify you of changes in legislation which may alter theterms of your policy at renewal.

Amongst our many services we offer:Motor insuranceWe are able to insure most motorcars, light vans, & motorcycles providingthat the vehicle is registered either in Spain, United Kingdom, Holland orDenmark. We are also able to insure vehicles registered in othercountries providing that an application has been made to import thevehicle into Spain. Certain other vehicles such as motor homes &commercial vehicles can be insured but not necessarily on acomprehensive basis. No claims discount can be given if you can provideproof from your previous insurance company even if it was from anothercountry. Legal assistance is also available for claiming off a third party.For a small additional premium a courtesy car can be provided if yourvehicle is immobilised following an accident.

Home and contents insuranceWhether your property is your main residence or a holiday home, it is amajor investment and it is worth protecting. If your property is a villa, atownhouse, a finca or any other building in its own right we wouldrecommend that you insure for the full rebuilding value. If your property isan apartment or a property that is within a private community, the shellof the building and all of the communal areas such as lifts and staircasesare normally insured by the community. The community insurance doesnot cover the interior ofyour property which isindividual and private toyou. It is important tomake sure that you putsome form of insurancein place to cover suchperils as fire damage,water damage, damagecaused by intruders,accidental damage tosanitary fittings etc andother losses that havenothing to do with thecommunity. At Rightwaywe can help you identifyand cover for rightamount so you will nothave any shortfall if youdo have to make aclaim.

Health InsuranceYour health insurance should be the first priority as soon as you arrive inSpain. There are many types of health schemes available and it isimportant to know exactly what type of health care you require. Some lessexpensive schemes only provide cover if you use one of their doctors.Other more expensive schemes offer treatment anywhere in the worldand cover is available from day one.

Some schemes provide you with an income if you are hospitalized andunable to work. Health insurance is probably one policy you hope never toclaim on, but if you do, it is important to know that you have the correctpolicy. At Right Way we have a number of schemes available, some offerbasic cover, some comprehensive cover and some a fair compromise withquality cover with a small excess.

As well as the above services we are qualified financial advisers and canalso guide you through the pitfalls of Spanish tax laws when it comes toliving or just owning property in Spain. In an ever changing world we willkeep you up to date with new financial products both onshore andoffshore to help make your money work for you. We also offerCommercial, life, travel, pet and golf insurance. Pension plans, marineinsurance and legal assistance.

Visit us today at Rightway Insurance & Finance SL, Centro Comercial LasPostas, Local 9, Sitio de Calahonda, 29649 Mijas Costa, Málaga. Or call(+34) 952 934 963 Fax: (+34) 952 939 097 or Email:info@rightwaysl.com

costaCOMPANIES >>

costalife 37

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Pain you don’t ignore…Learning the difference, to muscle soreness, this is pain that is tolerableand that you can work through and knowing which more common painsyou need to be on guard for.

Sudden head or neck painIf you experience a sudden painful feeling in your head, especially whensquatting with heavy weight, stop and have a look at your form. This couldbe a result of a blood vessel being overloaded due to pressure, or aseizing muscle that is having difficulty dealing with the stress of theweight you’re lifting. Remember when performing your squats, be sure to

look forward and concentrate on keeping your shoulders and neckmuscles loose.

Sharp back painYou should always be paying attention to any type of back pain but if youexperience a sharp direct pain you should stop immediately. Pain isusually a very good sign that something is wrong, and this could rangefrom a slipped disc to a pinched nerve.

If you’ve been performing a great deal of lifts that require you to bring theweight overhead, then you are constantly loading the vertebra with a lotof excess weight.

Get yourself to a medical professional as soon as possible so you canasses just how much damage you did, and get the issue corrected beforelifting once again.

Feeling light-headedThis most frequently occurs after you’ve done an exercise where you arepartially bent over and then rise back up into the standing position again.Have your blood pressure checkedout as this is indicative of lowblood pressure.

One thing you may want to considerdoing is making sure you areconsuming enough salt in yourdiet.

So long as you are healthy anddon’t have pre-existing healthconcerns, a slightly higher saltintake for very active individualscan be beneficial, since they willlose salt while they are sweating.

>> costaLIFESTYLE

42 costalife

Commit time to planningKnowing how to plan your day requires time, the first step and the most effective approachis to plan to plan. Committing 30 minutes to establishing a daily plan might seem like awaste of time, but spending the time now saves time later.

The time of day you choose for this should be based on what works best for you, whetherit be the morning of or the night before. Either way, write it out as you plan your day.

Set goals for your daySet goals for what you want to accomplish that day.

Group ‘‘to dos’’ togetherBy grouping tasks that naturally go together you can prevent as much time aspossible from disappearing. This might mean scheduling some things a few daysor a week in advance. After all, heading out in your car every day for small tasksis a waste of time and petrol. You’ll be surprised at how much time and moneyyou’ll save.

Carry over uncompleted tasks to the next dayIf you fail to accomplish one of the tasks you’ve penciled into your plan don’t cross it off and assume you’ll take care of it tomorrow pencil it in for thenext day.

Plan your day…

Sienna Miller sillyquote…‘‘I don’tread. I don’t goon blogs - I don’teven know whata blog is. I’mblissfullyunaware, andtry to keepthat way.’’

fully air conditioned - lockershigh powered showers - hair dryersmens & womens saunas - jacuzzisun beds

fully equipped gym with both fixed andfree weightscrosstrainers + bikestreadmills + rowing machinesprofessional instructor availableonly gym open at 8 am

over 56 fitness classes every weekstep aerobics, aerobics, yoga, bums & tums,latest reebok decksnew from Finland “gym stick”suitable all agespilates room with pilates reformer bedsindividual spin bike room with 40 bikesindividual aerobics and exercise roomwith sprung floorGoshin Ju Jitsu plus Capoeira

Classes

Facilities

Gymnasium

24HR EMERGENCY SERVICE - TEL:656 313 293Tel: 952 577 766 - E-mail: clinica.sandalf@terra.es

www.clinica-sandalf.comC./ Pepa Guerra Valdenebros, 29631 Benalmadena behind Tivoli World Arroyo

Treatment of Arthritis & RheumatismJoint Replacements - hip,knee,ankle,shoulder

Hip ResurfacingAdvanced Cartilage Repair

Keyhole SurgeryHand and Foot SurgeryAccidents & Fractures

Bone density measuring availableX-ray Facilities - Diagnostic Ultrasound

Back and Neck Problems - sciatica,whiplash,etc.Rehabilitation - post op,post injury

Emergency Accidents dealt with(ambulance service available 24hr per day)

Travel insurance & International insurance claims welcome

Mr Alf NeuhausConsultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Col. No: 9.220

Sandra VincentiUK Chartered Physiotherapist Col. No: 682

80’s vintageplate belt

Topman

Light greysummer trilby

Topman

Dark blue slim fit jeansH&M

Fun printT-shirtH&M

Denim cutoffsBurton

Browntriplevelcro shoeBurton

Striped shortsleeved shirt

Burton

44 costalife Store Locator A to ZBurton www.burton.co.uk Gibraltar. Dorothy Perkins www.dorothyperkins.co.uk Miramar, La Cañada.H&M www.hm.com La Cañada. Topman www.topman.co.uk La Cañada.Topshop www.topshop.co.uk La Cañada.

Burton

>> costaLIFESTYLE

Bright wovenscarf

Topman

Look cool…Look cool…

Stand outStand out ……

mmeenn wwaannttmmeenn wwaannttBe differentBe different ……

Blue tie knitted form luxury silkTopman

Dark felt hat H&M

costalife 45

costaLIFESTYLE >>Wallis

Black/grey rosedressDorothy Perkins

Bubblegum printdress with

underskirt anddeep V back

Topshop

Jade clown neck tunicDorothy Perkins

Magenta ruffle jerseyscarf.Dorothy Perkins

Fairtrade cotton longfringe scarf with pom

pom trimTopshop

Cap sleeve V front frillneck with button detailand back ties.Topshop

Peep toewedge shoeH&M

Multi shapedand coloured

banglesH&M

Black patentlarge bagH&M

Cream lace detailblouseH&M

Dress to impress…Dress to impress…

Top it off…Top it off…

Wrap it up…Wrap it up…

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AccessorizeAccessorizewith stwith st yle…yle…

Steps to great skin…CleanseCleansing should be done twice daily, using a gentle, fragrance-ffreecleanser. Always use your hands instead of a washcloth . Washcloths canharbor bacteria and they’re too rough for sensitive skin, Skin shouldn’t besqueaky clean but should have some natural oils left behind.

ToneA good toner will remove any excess dirt or makeup left behind by yourcleanser-tthe proof is in the cotton pad. It’s also a step too many women skipin their skincare routine. Regular use will refine and minimize pores andmake skin feel fresh

MoisturiseNext to staying out of the sun, moisturising is the best step towards keepingskin looking young. If you don’t have problem skin use a lightweightmoisturizer. In winter, you might want to switch over to something a littlemore substantial, but for the summer something light is best. Moisturisershould be applied twice a day.

Scrub / exfoliateExfoliating is a step that can be done about once a week. Sloughing off dead skin cells will revealyounger, smoother skin beneath the surface.

Anti ageingIf you want to keep young skin stay out of the sun. . Wear a minimum of SPF 30 every day, and useSPF 50 or higher if you’re spending an extended period of time outdoors.

Mariah CareyShe applies a dab of peppermint extract to her lips before a public appearance.

Peppermint increases blood flow to her lips and gives Mariah a sultry pout.

>> costaLIFESTYLE

46 costalife

Wacky beauty tips that work…Heat up your curlerIf you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curlerwith a hair dryer for a couple seconds to heat it up so your lashes bendmore easily. And use a waterproof mascara. The formula dries fasterthan other mascaras, so it sets the curl more effectively.

Press a tea bag on splotchesIf your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason,steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab itover your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation.

Shave with conditionerRan out of shaving cream? Do double duty by coating your stems with athick hair conditioner. It softens the hair so it’s easier to shave off andmakes legs feel amazingly silky.

Soften your body with avocadoTake a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl.Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Yourskin will be sooo soft - avocado is a natural moisturizer.

Buff with baking sodaIf you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner, putsome baking soda on a loofah, and scrub away the stripes.

Women should spend their cash on

sunscreen instead of expensive face

creams to protect their skin from ageing,

scientists said yesterday. Even though

there are hundreds of products that claim

to slow down the ravages of time, there is

a lack of clinical data to show they work,

they say. Instead women should buy a

simple sun block as a moisturiser - and

stop smoking. Too much sun is the biggest

cause of premature ageing.

Sun block best forSun block best forskin not expensiveskin not expensivesun creams…sun creams…

uccessful weight loss is all about oxidizing (or burning) morecalories than you eat. When people go on a diet, many chooselow-ccalorie alcoholic drinks, mainly because they contain feweralcohol calories than their regular counterparts. Alcohol

contains seven calories per gram and offers NO nutritional value. It onlyadds empty calories to your diet. Why not spend your calorie budget onsomething healthier?

Alcohol lowers your inhibitions and actually stimulates your appetite.Research shows that, if you drink before or during a meal, both yourinhibitions and willpower are reduced. In this state, you are more likelyto overeat - especially greasy or fried foods - which can add to yourwaistline. To avoid this, wait to order that drink until you’re done with yourmeal.

Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is abad idea. Many drinkers know they’ll be having some

alcohol later. Knowing that drinking entailsextra calories, it may be tempting to

‘bank’ some calories by skippinga meal or two. This is a bad

move as drinking on anempty stomach

enhances the negativeeffects of alcohol. Ifyou’re planning ondrinking later, eat ahealthy meal first.

You’ll feel fuller, which will stopyou from overdrinking.Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning thatit causes water loss anddehydration. Along with this waterloss, you lose important minerals,such as magnesium,potassium, calcium and zinc.These minerals are vital to themaintenance of fluid balance,chemical reactions, and musclecontraction and relaxation.

Alcohol affects your body in othernegative ways. Drinking might helpinduce sleep, but the sleep you get isn’tvery deep. Ultimately, as a result, you getless rest. Alcohol can also increase theamount of acid that your stomachproduces, causing your stomach lining tobecome inflamed. Over time, excessivealcohol use can lead to serious healthproblems, including stomach ulcers, liverdisease and heart troubles.

Many foods that accompany drinking(peanuts and crisps) are salty, whichmake you thirsty, encouraging you to

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drink even more. To avoid overdrinking, sip on a glass of water inbetween each alcoholic beverage.

The list below breaks down the number of calories in typical alcoholicdrinks

Drink Serving Size CaloriesRed wine 5 oz (148 ml) 100 White wine 5 oz (148 ml) 100 Champagne 5 oz (148 ml) 130 Light beer 12 oz (355 ml) 105 Regular beer 12 oz (355 ml) 140 Dark beer 12 oz (355 ml) 170 Cosmopolitan 3 oz (89 ml) 165 Martini 3 oz (89 ml) 205 Long Island iced tea 8 oz (237 ml) 400 Gin & Tonic 8 oz (237 ml) 175 Rum & Soda 8 oz (237 ml) 180 Margarita 8 oz (237 ml) 200 Whiskey Sour 8 oz (118 ml) 200

Examples of carbohydrate content in Alcoholic Drinks:Alcohol Item (serving size) Carbs (g)Beer, regular - 12 oz (355 ml) 13gBeer, light - 12 oz (355 ml) 4.5gWine, red - 3.5 fl oz 104 ml) 1.75gWine, rose - 3.5 fl oz 104 ml) 1.5gWine, white - 3.5 fl oz 104 ml) 1gCider, dry - 1 pint (569 ml) 15gGin, Rum, Vodka, Whisky - 1 fl oz (29.6 ml) 0gSherry - 2 fl oz (59 ml) 3gPort - 2 fl oz (59 ml) 6gGuinness - 1/2 pint (285 ml) 4g

What the Scientists say…Scientists have not been able to tie alcohol consumption to weight gain.Some studies have found that drinking beer or spirits, for instance,increases waist-to-hip ratio, while some have found no relationship at all.Other researchers have also found that heavy drinking reduces body fat,but still others point to evidence that it raises the risk of becomingoverweight or obese. There may never be a simple answer.

Genes affect how the body processesalcohol. What you eat is important - if youconsume a lot of cheese or other highcalorie snacks while drinking, you’ll mostlikely gain weight.

People who drink a lot may gainweight whether they drinkbeer, wine, or spirits.But if you drink a lot andthe alcohol replaces foodand other beverages, youmay lose weight, assome alcoholics do.

Testosteronelevels:Alcoholic beveragesall contain calories, andmost of the caloriescome from the alcohol.

Your body processes alcoholfirst, before fat, protein, orcarbs.

So not only does too muchalcohol put the brakes on fat loss,it’s also one of the most effectiveways to slash your testosteronelevels. Just a single bout of heavydrinking raises levels of the muscle-wasting hormonecortisol, and increases the breakdown oftestosterone for up to 24 hours. Thedamaging effects of alcohol ontestosterone are made even worse if youexercise before drinking.

The effect of alcohol on testosterone couldbe one reason that people who drink a lotcarry less muscle. In fact, a study showsthat alcoholic men have bigger waists andsmaller muscles than teetotalers.

Although an alcohol-rich meal does increaseyour metabolic rate, it also suppresses thenumber of fat calories your body burns forenergy - far more so than meals rich inprotein, carbohydrate, or fat. While the odddrink now and again isn’t going to hurt, thebottom line is that alcohol and a leanerstronger body just doesn’t mix.

Linked- blood pressure and dementia…Having high blood pressure can increase the risk of dementia by upto 600 per cent, new research warns today.

The study from the Alzheimer’s Society also found that high bloodpressure doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease andincreases risk of stroke, which damages the brain and can triggerdementia.

Everyone should get theirblood pressure andcholesterol checkedregularly and receiveeffective treatment ifthey are at risk.

Having a low salt diet,maintaining a healthy weightand regulating your alcoholintake can also help tackle highblood pressure.

It’s a great excuse to enjoy aglass of red wine with your

Sunday roast.

Scientists have shown that the drinkcancels out some harmful substancesproduced by the meat in the stomach.

The chemicals - released during thedigestion of fat - are linked to cancer,hardening of the arteries, diabetes andParkinson’s disease.

The benefits are thought to come from polyphenols- powerful antioxidants which prevent damage to thebody’s cells. Red wine is a particularly rich source ofthe compounds, which are also found in chocolate, oliveoil and many fruits and vegetables.

Previous studies have shown that just half a glass of red winea day can greatly reduce the risk of death from heart disease.

50 costalife

>> costaLIFESTYLE

TT oo pp tt ii pp ……Eat wholegrain foods: Make sure you have whole-grain bread, rice or pasta at least four times a weekand you will reduce the chance of having cancer by40 per cent.

Drink, eat and be cancer free…Drink, eat and be cancer free…

Mothers and junk food…Unborn children could be condemned to a lifetime of illhealth by their mothers gorging on junk food duringpregnancy. Such mothers put their child at greater riskof obesity, heart disease and diabetes in the years tocome. Researcher Dr Stephanie Bayol said: ‘ ‘‘You arewhat you eat’’. In fact, it may also be true that, ‘‘You arewhat your mother ate’’.’

However, there were interesting differences betweenthe sexes, with the male offspring of unhealthy mothershaving higher levels of insulin and normal blood sugar,while the reverse was true of females, who also tendedto be fatter.

Eat yourEat yourstressstressawayaway… …

Prevent low bloodsugar as it stressesyou out. Eat regular

and small healthymeals and keep fruit and

veggies handy. Herbal teaswill also soothe your

frazzled nerves. Eatingunrefined carbohydrates,

nuts and bananas boosts theformation of serotonin, another

feel-ggood drug. Small amounts ofprotein containing the amino acid

tryptamine can give you a boost whenstress tires you out.

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For July and August anyone booking atraining course for Acrylic and GelExtensions will receive a Nail Art coursecompletely free take advantage oftraining wth the main academy forInternational Nails in Spain.Call 952 560 051 or 607 586 894for more information www.solnailsupplies.com

For all aspects of Hair, Nail andBeauty treatments inc: Manicures,Facials, Real Thai Massage &Waxing. We use all the latestquality products.English, Spanish & Finnish spoken.

Tel 952 442 270 or 670 695 860C/ San Antonio, Centro Comercial San Juan, Arroyo de la MielNear Farmacia opposite train station

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AP394: A villa of approx 120m2 situated in the countryside of Aloraset on approx.15,000m2 of land with a variety of fruit trees and vines.Accommodation is on 2 levels. On the ground floor there is a largekitchen and large utility room, a lounge with French doors leading toswimming pool area, one bedroom and a bathroom. The upper leveloffers 3 further bedrooms with a large terrace off the master bedroomwhich overlooks the swimming pool. There is also a patio andstoreroom at the rear of the property together with an 8x4m.swimming pool and many sunny and shady outside areas. Mainsand well water and electricity are connected. This property offersgood value for money.PRICE: 270,000€€

AP438: An immaculate detached property set in a small hamlet just5 minutes by car from Alora pueblo which has all amenities such assupermarkets, pharmacy, bakers, butchers, bars/restaurants andschool. Approx. 120 m2 built on a plot of 300m2. Accommodation ison one level and offers a lounge, dining room/kitchen, 3 bedrooms,utility room, and 2 bathrooms together with a nice porch for eatingout. There is a beautiful and easily maintained garden and a qualitybuilt 6x3.5m pool with Roman steps. Mains electricity, water, broadband, satellite TV and air-conditioning hot/cold. Due to the easyaccess to this property it could be a family home, holiday home orsmall B&B as it is located on the tourist route to El Chorro.PRICE: 288,000€€

tel: 952 498 454mobile: 609 454 409

enquiries@aloraproperties.comwww.aloraproperties.com

Plaza Fuente Arriba s/nAlora

specializing in

FincasCountry VillasTownhouses

CortijosRuinsPlots

AP530: A recently renovated townhouse located in a quietstreet of Alora and within walking distance to the centre oftown. The property offers a bright airy living room, kitchen, 2bedrooms and a well appointed family bathroom. 102m2built. There is also a roof terrace. Mains water and electricityare connected. This property would be ideal either as aholiday home or a rental property.

PRICE: 96,000€€

AP363: Recently builtapartment situated in thecentre of Alora within walkingdistance to all shops andamenities. It has 50m2 ofliving space with an open planlounge / newly installedkitchen/bedroom and goodsize bathroom. It is being soldfully furnished. Water andelectricity are connected. Thisproperty offers fantastic valuefor money and has great rentalpotential due to its very centrallocation. Don’t miss out on thisopportunity!

PRICE ONLY: 58,850€€

Rentals in Alhaurin el Grande4 bedroom country house furnished for only 800 Euros.

2 bedroom country house garden & pool for 600 Euros.

3 bedroom town house with community pool for 900 Euros.

5 bedroom town house, with two lounges, kitchen and terrace, perfect for sharing or family home,only 600 Euros.

2 bedroom new, semi detached house, with a small garden, a great urbanization walking distanceinto town, only 500 Euros including bills.

We have a large selection of rental

properties available, please call us

today with your property requirements.

RESTORED CORTIJO WITH GUEST COTTAGE

& SWIMMING POOL - MONTEFRIO, GRANADA� Beautifully restored, tradtionalcortijo with 5 double bedrooms plusseperate 3 bedroom cottage andswimming pool. - Well presentedthroughout with lots of character andmany original features.

� MAINHOUSE: 5 Double bedrooms (some withbeamed ceilings), Fitted & tiledbathrooms,Lounge hasfireplace with logburner installed,

& Andalucian style kitchen / diner.

� COTTAGE: 3 Double bedrooms (2 withpatio doors to gardens & pool area),Lounge has fireplace with log burnerinstalled, Fitted & tiled bathroom. Stonefloors throughout.

� OUTBUILDINGS: Second fitted & tiledkitchen / diner with fireplace, Pool sidefitted & tiled bathroom, Plus 3

outbuildingswhich couldconvert forfurtheraccommodation /workshop /garage etc.

� OUTSIDE: Swimming pool with terrace area, flat fencedgardens with numerous fruit trees (including fig, olive & nispero),

shaded courtyard area, private entrancewith double gates, road access.

� POSITION: Peaceful,coutryside locationwith country &mountain views

Offers around: 189,950 €

Phone: 627 834 839www.acefm. in fo

Nuevo Pueblo Mijas, 4,29650 Mijas

TEL: (+34) 95 248 62 96FAX: (+34) 95 248 61 17

MOB: 670 607 247 & 670 607 246mijas@palominoproperties.comest. 1990

www.palominoproperties.com

Superb one-bedroom apartment situated on the edge of Mjias Pueblo. Walkingdistance to town centre and all amenities. Breathtaking views of mountains andsea! Apartment is 33 m2 built with 5.4 m2 porch, 9.5 m2 terrace, 43.3 m2solarium and 10.12 m2 designated parking space. Total: 100,92 m2. Marblefloors, double glazing, pre-installed A/C h+c, communal tv aerial, securityentrance door, kitchen sold fitted. Communal gardens and swimming pool.Only has one neighbour... FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY!!

Ref: MLSA502120 PRICE: 129.500 €

Gorgeous townhouse in popular residential community near Mijas Pueblo.Completely & tastefully renovated. Quality residence with original features &lots of charm. Lounge-dining room w/fireplace. Superb kitchen. Large terracew/BBQ, exterior lounge & dining area. Magnificent sea and coastal views! 3Beds, 2 baths + wc. Sat dish, alarm, telephone ADSL, A/C h+c. Basement areapossibility to extend. Easy to maintain property. Easy street parking.Magnificent communal swimming pool with cascade feature, surroundingrockeries and mature lawned gardens. Built: 142 m2.

Ref: MLSTH503573 PRICE: 439.000 €

Bright, centrally situated townhouse consisting of 2 beds, 1 bath, lounge, f/fkitchen, downstairs patio + external storeroom. A/C hot + cold. Open fireplacein lounge. French windows with a Juliet balcony. Views to sea. The bathroomhas been tastefully renovated. Satellite TV. Parking nearby. Communalswimming pool has ample terracing with stunning views. Built: 73 m2 + terrace:15 m2.

Ref: MLSTH503571 PRICE: 220.000 €

BEDSCARPETS

WARDROBES RUGS

www.costa-carpet.com

Mon to Sat 9:30-13:30 Mon,Wed to Fri 16:00-19:00

Ctra. de Mijas km. 4

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Tel. 952 473 328

AA.C.E..C.E.

CCORORTINTINAS AS S.C.S.C.

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Due to circumstances beyond our control

we have moved back to Centro Comercial

Las Terrazas De Miraflores, Calle Aquario,

Riviera del Sol, Mijas Costa

BUSINESS AS USUAL

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CURTAINS, BEDSPREADS, CUSHIONS,

LOOSE COVERS, HEADBOARDS, PELMETS,

SWAGS AND TAILS ALL MADE TO MEASURE.

We stock a wide range of poles and rails

at reasonable prices

We accept payment in english sterling

Swimming Pools S.L.Est. on the Costa del Sol for over 20 yrs

Easy payment terms now available forHeat Pumps � Automatic CoversPool Construction & Renovation

Professional Pool MaintenanceFrom as little as 65€ per month

Coloured Underwater Light Shows - only 40€

Luxury Pool Chairs & LilosChemicals � Equipment � Accessories

Brilliant pool toys and games

Friendly free advice always available

Open 8am to 4pm � Tel 952 591 053www.splashmijas.moonfruit.com

splashpools@electronbox.netWe are situated at the entrance to

Urb. Dona Pilar, next to the Octagon Bar& just off the Careterra de Mijas

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The choice of colour might seem endless when you walk into a shop and

try to buy paint for your dining room. And, yes, there are hundreds of

them, and it is not always easy to decide which one is the best. Colour

can totally transform your room, and I mean from absolutely fantastic to

a total disaster. There are some ground rules when it comes to

choosing the right colour, though.

The easiest and usually the most harmonious choice is to stick to only

one colour. You can then use different shades of that particular colour.

For example, if you choose yellow, paint the walls in a light shade, dress

CC

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AAnnnniikkaa JJoonnssssoonnBBLLOONNDD ooff SSccaannddiinnaavviiaa

your sofa in a deeper shade and throw some cushions in, for example,

brown or orange. If you use this technique you can’t go wrong.

In Spain the colours are often terracotta, yellow/mustard, sky blue and

of course brilliant white. Usually these are very ‘earthy’ and go very well

together with the white. White, by the way, reflects the sunshine, whilst

black or dark colours absorb them. That’s why most of the houses are

painted white. Often the houses are also white on the inside. That looks

nice and very fresh in this warm climate. Funnily enough in Scandinavia

(I’m from Sweden) most people also paint their walls in white. This

seems to me a bit odd. We already have a very cold climate, so in my

opinion the walls should have a warm colour like light yellow or soft

beige for example.

Now, when you have decided what colour you want on the walls of your

dining room, for instance, always apply a test first which should be at

least one metre square. And remember that the colour also comes out

very differently on a wall in shade or sunlight. As the sunlight here in

Spain is very bright this will definitely affect the colours of your walls.

When you test both you will see what I mean.

Never paint the door and window frames the same colour as the wall. It

just doesn’t work. Leave them white. If you want a more rustic style and

you have a lot of wood you can glaze them brown. But never paint them

brown: the grain of the wood should still be visible.

Now this is not an exact art. We all have different tastes, thank God. If

you get the colour of the walls right then you can always try different

colour with accessories, ie curtains, cushions, carpets, vases, even

candles. If you get a couple of those in the same colour it will hold it all

together. Why don’t you ask your child or grandchild to do a drawing for

you? Kids are the best artists, I think. And give them only the crayons in

the colours you have chosen for the rest of the room. Then you can

enlarge their picture and frame it. You could even paint the frame in a

matching colour. You hang it on the wall and you will not only have a

coordinated designed room but also, most importantly, a very personal

one. On top of that you will probably have a very proud grandchild!

You might wonder why I have not talked about the ‘colour wheel’. These

complementary colours, we are told, always work together. The reason

being that I don’t think they complement each other better than others.

As you can see here on the colour wheel for example, red and green

should match well. But I am not that sure. Green and blue on the other

hand goes really well together, I think. Again look around you, blue sky

and green trees. A tip is to

buy a tile you like (they have

so many wonderful tiles

here) and look carefully

at the colours. It is a

good way of getting

inspiration for your

choice of colours.

So here we go. As I

said before, there

are so many colours

to choose between,

and therefore there are

so many good (or

b a d )

combina t ions .

But on the other

hand this might

just be because

I don’t see the

same colour as

you do!!

YELLOWYELLOW

BLUEBLUE

REDRED

VioletViolet

Blue

Blue

Violet

Violet

PurplePurple

RedRed

OrangeOrange

OrangeOrange

YellowYellow

OrangeOrange

Yellow

Yellow Green

Green

Green

Green

Blue

Blue

Green

GreenColour

Wheel

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La Cala Hills / 2001 fre Fantastic, ready to move in, set in a newer well maintained complex withviews of the mountains and golf course. Comprising of a large lounge/diner,terrace, fully fitted kitchen with all appliances inc. an Americanfridge/freezer, large master bedroom with en suite bathroom, guestbedroom and bathroom. The apartment is recently decorated and sold withall furniture inc. flat screen TV and piano. Parking space and storage room.

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Mijas Costa / 1974fre A top floor (2nd) 2 bedroom apartment of 80m² with lovely seaviews. This property which is in need of renovation also comprisesof a lounge diner with south facing terrace, fitted kitchen withbreakfast bar and a bathroom. Outside is a communal pool withwell kept gardens & picnic area. Underground parking. Only 2minutes walk to the beach. No lift.

€€ 165,000

CARVAJAL / 1924fre A delightful 1 bedroom apartment situated only 100 metres awayfrom the beach and all local amenities. The property alsocomprises of a lounge diner, fitted kitchen, a bathroom and aspacious terrace enclosed in glass and aluminium enjoying viewsto the sea and overlooking the communal pool.

€€ 135,000

CERROS DEL AGUILLA / 2000freA well maintained independent villa, 110m ² in beautiful condition,situated in the community of Cerros de Aguilla. This 3 bedroomreformed villa comprises of lounge with fireplace, separate diningroom, fitted kitchen, en suite bathroom. Built on a 890m² lot sizewith fruit trees, a number of terraces, BBQ area, covered patiosand private pool.

€€ 395,000

PASEO MARITIMO / 1904fre A sunny, west facing top floor 1 bedroom apartment in need of alittle upgrading, situated on the seafront of Fuengirola. Thisproperty also comprises of a lounge diner with balcony, 1 bathroomand kitchen. An ideal holiday home or rental investment.

€€ 155,000

EL FARO / 2010fre A superb penthouse apartment with large terraces to the front and backshowing spectacular views of the sea and surrounding countryside andall day sun. This atico comprises of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms withunderfloor heating , fully fitted kitchen, lounge/dining area. Theapartment is 89m² with terraces of 60m². There is a communal pooland tropical gardens. Car parking space and it sold fully furnished.

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Food tips…Food tips…PPeerrffeecctt hhaarrdd--bbooiilleedd eeggggssTo prevent eggshells from cracking, add a

pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling.

IIss yyoouurr eegggg ffrreesshh??To determine whether an egg is fresh,

immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water.

If it sinks, it is fresh, but if it rises to the

surface, throw it away.

LLeefftt--oovveerr wwiinneeDon't throw out all

that leftover wine.

Freeze into ice

cubes for future

use in casseroles

and sauces.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee bbeesstt wwaayy ttoo cclleeaann ggrroouutt bbeettwweeeenn mmyy fflloooorr ttiilleess

wwiitthhoouutt uussiinngg cchheemmiiccaallss??Sprinkle with bi-carb soda and spray with white vinegar, then rub while it’s

fizzing.

HHooww ddoo yyoouu ggeett mmoouulldd ssttaaiinnss oouutt ooff lliinneenn aanndd ccllootthheess?? Use one kilo of salt per bucket of water and soak overnight. Hang the

clothing or linen on a clothesline without rinsing it. Once it dries, a salt

crust forms on the fabric. Brush it off.

HHooww ccaann II rreemmoovvee ccaannddllee wwaaxx ffrroomm mmyy wwaallll??For a painted wall: Put an ice cube in a plastic bag- hold it on the wall and

leave it until the wall gets really cold. Then take off the excess wax with a

plastic knife. You will be left with a greasy mark - so you just need to put

a few drops of tea-tree oil on a piece of clean tights and wipe the tights

over the wall to remove the rest of the mark off.

HHooww ccaann II ggeett hhiigghhlliigghhtteerr aanndd ffeelltt ttiippppeedd ppeenn ssttaaiinnss oouutt ooff mmyy

ccllootthhiinngg??Highlighter: Soak garment in salt water and then freeze it. Pen: Soak pen

ink stains in rotten milk. First rot some milk in sun,

then once rotten strain the lumps out and put the

lumps over the pen ink stain. Then you need to

wash the clothing in the washing machine.

HHooww ccaann II rreemmoovvee hhaaiirr ddyyee

ffrroomm mmyy ppiillllooww ccaassee??Put more of the same hair dye on

pillow then rub it - you will see the

stain move - then once this

happens add some shampoo and rub

it with your hands until the hair dye

comes out

HHooww ccaann II rreemmoovvee wwhhiittee ccoorrrreeccttiinngg fflluuiidd

((ttiippeexx)) oonn wwooooll oorr ccoottttoonn ccllootthheess??Repeated soaking in shallow bowl of nail polish

remover. Soak the section of clothing well and

massage stained area. Replace remover in bowl

frequently. Repeat until remover stays clean.

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Ants and cock roaches…Ants and cock roaches…To prevent ants from venturing onto

your kitchen work area, wipe it thoroughly

with a solution made of one part of vinegar mixed with

three parts of water.

To prevent roach infestation,

keep dried orange peels in

the areas. Soon,

they will

vanish!

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Stubborn Stains…Stubborn Stains…

Smelly trainersSmelly trainers

or shoes…or shoes…Put a few teaspoons of baking

soda into the centre of a cotton

cloth. Tie the cloth with a rubber

band making sure the edges are secure creating a baking soda

sachet, which you put in the shoes or trainers overnight. These

sachets are reusable and can be applied to any kind of shoe.

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STEP BY STEP GUIDEto buying a property in Spain

hen you have finished your long hard

search and settled on the right Spanish

Property for you, please don’t trip up at the final

hurdle.

Make sure you are never pushed into making a

rash decision on a property until you are

perfectly happy with your choice, and that you

are sure you want to complete on the sale.

There are, sadly, still horror stories of people

being ripped off and conned out of small and

large amounts of money, but if you go through

an established estate agent and arrange

suitable legal advice, your buying process

should be smooth and trouble free from start to

finish.

One thing you will have to accept when buying

a property in Spain is that the world of

officialdom and paperwork is not quite what it

is back home, and some things are done quite

differently from the UK. You must try to accept

this early on, to avoid more worry than

necessary. Hopefully this short guide will give

you some useful pointers to guide you through

the process as smoothly as possible.

THE PROPERTY SEARCH >>Always do your research! The increasing use of

the internet has proved a significant to both

buyers and sellers of property, and is more and

more becoming the first place people look for

Spanish property. Some websites provide even

more useful information such as area guides,

property news, and even newsletters. Try and

go through as many magazines as possible to

get a feel for prices. You can pick some up in

the UK in places like WH Smith´s but there are

many more to choose from once you have

arrived in Spain.

Once you have narrowed down your search, it is

time to contact an

agent .

Don’t be scared, many of them don’t bite!

There are many more estate agents in Spain

than there are in the UK, mostly because of the

recent property boom, so you should try to use

a little care when selecting an agent. Ask them

if they are part of any recognised professional

body, and maybe how many property listings

they have on their books, or how long they been

established in Spain, for example. The fact is

that your feeling is usually the best judge. Other

than that, a recommendation from someone

who bought from the same company is

probably the best way to choose.

DECISION TIME >>SO, you have seen 100’s of properties, your

agent’s going grey, you can’t quite decide

between property a and property b, it’s all

getting a bit much… and then you find it: The

property you always imagined! Now the fun

begins, as it’s time to make an offer. At this

stage the Spanish system is no different to the

UK. The buyer makes an offer and the vendor

either accepts or rejects that offer. If

agreement is reached verbally you should

instruct a lawyer immediately to act on your

behalf.

INSTRUCTING A LAWYER >>Choosing the right lawyer is a very important

part of the buying process, and bear in mind

that you could well be dealing with the same

lawyer for some time to come, and they will

probably end up acting on your behalf if you

should sell the property. As in so many things,

the best way to find someone good is a

recommendation.

PAYING A

HOLDING DEPOSIT >>Once you have made your decision and your

lawyer is happy with the terms and conditions

of anything you are asked

to sign, it is time to pay a

holding deposit. This

deposit is usually 3000

Euros on smaller

properties, and 6000 on

larger properties, and is

usually held by the estate

agent, in order to take the

property off the market until

the private contract is signed.

These deposits are often paid

‘‘subject to mortgage’’ until a

certain date. This means that

buyers are given a certain

amount of time to arrange the

finance, and will not lose their

deposit if the finance is not

granted.

PPRRIIVVAATTEE CCOONNTTRRAACCTT –– The point of no

return. This is the most important stage in the

whole process, as if either party pull out

afterwards, they must compensate the other

party with (typically) 10% of the purchase price.

On signing the private contract, the buyer will

deposit 10% with the seller’s lawyer, and the

other reason why this stage of the process is so

important is that it defines a date by which time

the parties must complete.

PPUUBBLLIICC CCOONNTTRRAACCTT –– The notary public.

This is the final stage in buying a Spanish

property. Both parties must attend the notary

on or before the date stipulated by the private

contract, at which time the balance of the

purchase price is paid, and a new title deed is

prepared and signed by the notary. Mortgages

will also require a separate deed, and

outstanding mortgages must also be cancelled

at this point. Once the deeds are signed they

will be then be submitted to the land registry

for registration.

THE BUYER’S COSTS >>As a general rule, the costs of buying a property

in Spain should be no more than 10% of the

purchase price. These costs are as follows:

TTrraannssffeerr ttaaxx:: the Spanish equivalent of stamp

duty, currently 7%.

LLaawwyyeerr’’ss ffeeeess:: most lawyers in Spain charge

1% of the purchase price, depending on what

services you ask them to proved. They will

probably charge more if you ask them to act as

‘‘Power of Attorney’’, for example.

NNoottaarryy aanndd RReeggiissttrraattiioonn FFeeeess:: These should be

no more than around 1000 Euros, depending

on the price of the property.

The fees may rise if you are taking a large

mortgage, for example, as banks and mortgage

brokers in Spain charge higher opening fees

that UK equivalents. They will be repaid as part

of the mortgage total, however, so it is difficult

to give an average figure.

All other costs should be paid by the seller,

including all estate agents fees, capital gains

tax, and an incremental land tax called ‘‘plus

valia’’.

As a final piece of advice, the oldest one in the

book probably holds more true today than ever

before:

BBuuyyeerrss bbeewwaarree,,

iiff iitt ssoouunnddss ttoooo ggoooodd ttoo bbee ttrruuee,,

iitt pprroobbaabbllyy iiss..

W

ee ccaann nnooww llooookk bbaacckk oonn tthhoossee llaazzyy ddaayyss ooff AAuugguusstt wwhheenn tthhee

vvaalllleeyy aarroouunndd uuss wwaass sswweepptt bbyy hhoott dduussttyy wwiinnddss aanndd oonnllyy

tthhee ggrreeeennss ooff ooccccaassiioonnaall ccaarroobb aanndd ooaakk ttrreeeess oonn tthhee hhiillll

ssllooppeess,, aanndd ooff cciittrruuss ggrroovveess oonn tthhee vvaalllleeyy bboottttoomm,,

aalllleevviiaatteedd tthhee bbrroowwnnss ooff tthhee ssuunn--ssccoorrcchheedd ddeesseerrtt--lliikkee llaannddssccaappee..

WWiitthhoouutt tthhee lluuxxuurryy ooff aabbuunnddaanntt wwaatteerr ffoorr iirrrriiggaattiioonn,, AAuugguusstt wwaass aa mmoonntthh

wwhheenn vveerryy lliittttllee wwaass ggrroowwiinngg iinn tthhee ggaarrddeenn.. FFoorr tthhoossee ooff uuss lliivviinngg iinnllaanndd,,

tthhiiss wwaass aa ttiimmee ttoo rreellaaxx aanndd nnoott ttoo ttaakkee lliiffee ttoooo sseerriioouussllyy.. WWhheenn tthhee ssuunn

wwaass aatt iittss hhootttteesstt,, wwee rreemmeemmbbeerreedd tthhee ttrruuee ppuurrppoossee ooff tthhee tthhrreeee hhoouurr

ssiieessttaa aanndd wwoouulldd ttaakkee oouurr mmaaiinn mmeeaall aafftteerr ssuunnsseett!! HHooppeeffuullllyy tthhee

tteemmppeerraattuurree hhaadd ddrrooppppeedd bbeellooww 3300ººCC bbyy tthheenn,, aalllloowwiinngg uuss ttoo ssiitt oouutt oonn

tthhee tteerrrraaccee aanndd eennjjooyy aa ccooooll nniigghhtt bbrreeeezzee..

Those of us who needed to do something more than laze around in the

house or by the pool could escape the heat of the day by taking trips to

beaches along the coast, competing for space with the flood of visitors

from all over Spain and Europe. The air temperatures near the coast are

always much lower than inland because of the relatively cool sea. It is

always a pleasure to find a spot on a shaded sun bed near a good

chiringuito, to listen to the lapping of the waves and sounds of humanity

having a good time and to feel that wonderful, refreshing sea breeze.

Unfortunately this idyll is often marred by an unpleasant reality, the filthy

state of many of the beaches. Most are regularly swept, but this effort

barely stems the flood of litter left on the beaches and in the sea by the

holidaying masses. Frequently along many reaches of the coast, sewer

outfalls discharge their loads, swollen by the summer hordes staying in

the hotels and apartments. Even though these discharges are mostly

well out from the shoreline, the sea breeze often blows back various

floating horrors to bother the bathers. On a recent visit to the beach at

Guadalmar, on the outskirts of Málaga, the water was so filthy that I wasAArrttiiccllee && iimmaaggeess bbyy

SSiimmoonn HHiillll

WWWW

RRuussccuuss aaccuulleeaattuuss

ccaa

bboo

ppiinn

oo bb

eeaa

cchh

MMyyrrttuuss CCoommmmuunniiss

PPaannccrraattiiuummmmaarriittiimmuummCClleemmaattiiss FFllaammmmuullaa

reluctant to go in at all. Never mind, just nearby is the new, air-

conditioned IKEA where I was able to cool off and lunch on marinated

salmon and Swedish meatballs before buying lovely cheap tea towels,

and glasses to replace those broken at the last barbecue.

A notable beach lies just to the west of Cabopino, where Mijas Costa and

Marbella meet. It may not be the best beach for bathing because much

of the sea bottom is rocky but the water is generally very clean and the

surroundings are superb.

The beach is backed by the Dunes of Artola, now declared a Natural

Monument, which are the best example of a Mediterranean coastal

dune habitat remaining along the Costa del Sol. They are home to an

association of plants unique to this habitat. These plants are key

elements in a beautiful natural landscape. Near the sea, the dunes are

dominated by a community of low-growing shrubs, and in the spaces

between them are grasses, herbs and a few bulbs. Most of these plants

flower in spring, when the dunes are at their best. Even as late as

August there are flowers to be seen, for example a small blue larkspur

((DDeellpphhiinniiuumm ggrraacciillee)) with dark blue flowers and a stock with white-

centred pink flowers ((MMaallccoommiiaa lliittttoorreeaa)). The sea lily ((PPaannccrraattiiuumm

mmaarriittiimmuumm)) with its heads of white trumpet-shaped flowers, is the

crowning glory of the summer beach front. It is becoming increasingly

rare as more and more of the coast is developed. This fascinating plant

has a large bulb buried deep in the sand, producing leaves in winter and

spring which then die back before flowering. At the rear edge of the

dunes is a belt of pine trees edged by various larger shrubs such as

myrtle ((MMyyrrttuuss ccoommmmuunniiss)) interspersed with more open areas

dominated by sun roses ((CCiissttuuss ssaallvviiffoolliiuuss)) and with many other

interesting plants such as asphodels, clematis and butchers broom

((RRuussccuuss sspp..)). You have a good chance of spotting a snake or a lizard if

you walk quietly.

When the area was declared a Natural Monument, there was a sigh of

relief from those concerned about the environment. As such, the area

would receive a measure of protection, particularly from private

development. Unfortunately, public pressure for access has increased

inexorably, as more and more people come to visit the beach. In spite

of a ban on vehicular access, the foot traffic is damaging the vegetation,

while the slack area behind the dunes, where people drive and park

their cars and quad bike idiots race, is now badly degraded. There

seems little solution to this, short of a complete ban on foot access to

the dune area except via boardwalks and regulation of vehicle access

and parking at the rear of the dunes. To get some idea of the scale of

the problem, have a look at the satellite picture on

www.tagzania.com/item/20006.

We’ve tried in the past to grow the sea lily in the garden but with

absolutely no success. In the wild, it clearly occupies a very special

habitat with conditions that are impossible to duplicate in an inland

garden, so our lack of success is no surprise. Another species,

PPaannccrraattiiuumm ccaannaarriieennssee, native to Tenerife and Lanzarote where it grows

on stony slopes, may be a better bet for inland gardens in Southern

Spain - if one can buy the bulbs. HHyymmeennooccaalllliiss sspppp.. are tropical bulbs

growing at altitude in Peru/Ecuador/Bolivia that have rather similar

flowers. There is a Hymenocallis hybrid which grows fairly well here,

provided that it is well watered in summer and sheltered from the

midday sun. It is one of those bulbs that are sometimes seen for sale

in the garden centres in plastic bags with gaudy labels.

Your enthusiasm for botanical curiosities is probably not as great as

mine, so I will close on a different note. Dogs, without the choice of pool

or beach, generally spend the lazy August days asleep in the coolest

available spot! They then seem to have a lot more energy at night and

in the morning, joining in the nocturnal barking chorus and rampaging

over the garden, smashing and scattering all those precious perennials

and shrubs that are already stressed by the weather. Things recently got

much worse at ours after the arrival at the gate of a beautiful puppy

pleading for a new home.

Yes, protection of the dune flora of Artola from people and protection of

the garden flora from dogs have a lot in common. The answer is

restricted access to the vegetation and regulation of travel and parking!

Lay out your garden with dog friendly paths in the directions the dogs

want to go. Provide comfortable shady spots for them to sleep during

the midday heat. And keep them off the plants, with prickly sticks where

they want to walk, and with uncomfortable stones and thorny twigs

where they want to use your favourite plant as a mattress. I cut stems

from my thicket of black bamboo ((PPhhyylllloossttaacchhyyss nniiggrraa)), burn off the

leaves when they are dry, cut them into short twiggy lengths, and push

them into the ground between the plants. They can hardly be seen and

the dogs hate them. If all else fails, a well aimed jet from a hosepipe

can have a most beneficial double effect!

costaHOMES >>

DDuunneess,, vviieeww ffrroomm aaiirr

CCiissttuuss ssaallvviiffoolliiuuss HHyymmeennooccaalllliiss sspp.. MMaallccoollmmiiaa lliittttoorreeaa

DDuunnaass ddee AArrttoollaa

ppaaiinnss ccoonnssttrruuccttiioonn sseeccttoorr wwaass hhiitt hhaarrdd iinn tthhee llaasstt qquuaarrtteerr ooff

22000077 wwiitthh tthhee bbiigg ccoommppaanniieess ppoossttiinngg ccoommbbiinneedd lloosssseess ooff

nneeaarrllyy €€440000mm aanndd rreecceenntt eevveennttss hhaavvee hhiitt tthheemm eevveenn hhaarrddeerr..

TThhiiss mmoonntthh wwee ssaaww SSppaaiinn’’ss bbiiggggeesstt bbuussiinneessss ffaaiilluurree ttoo ddaattee

wwiitthh MMaarrttiinnssaa FFaaddeessaa ggooiinngg iinnttoo aaddmmiinniissttrraattiioonn wwiitthh €€55..22bb

wwoorrtthh ooff ddeebbtt aafftteerr ffaaiilliinngg ttoo rreessttrruuccttuurree tthheeiirr lleennddiinngg..

With annual sales falling 21%, Sacyr-Vallehermoso’s profits slumped

25% over the last quarter alone, according to a report in El País. For their

part, Afirma - which resulted from the merger of Astroc, Landscape and

Rayet Promoción - lost €261 million while Martins-Fadesa lost €103

million and Ibesós, nearly €12 million.

The latest two-year forecast by the Caja de Ahorros Economic Foundation

(Funcas) indicates that while the economic situation is likely to be even

less favourable than at first believed, demand is expected to pick up

again in the medium term, although a report in ABC warns the sector that

when it does, customers will be ‘‘more mature and more demanding.’’

There are presently close to ¾ of a million empty properties for sale in

Spain. From a buyers point of view this is great news. Buyers have more

choice and with so much choice comes cheaper properties as vendors

pull prices down to compete. Not since 1994 have we seen such

bargains. Prices have been falling on the Costas since late 2003 and

since March this year we have seen the bottoming out of the market. I

anticipate in the last quarter of this year we will see a period of

consolidation before prices start to creep back up again. Of course as

ever this will be very much ‘‘area dependent’’, some areas such as La

Cala de Mijas, and El Chapparel are already seeing the benefit of prices

rising, whereas areas like Riviera and Calahonda will obviously take

longer due entirely to the

volumes available.

According to figures

released in March by the

Spanish Estate Agents’

Commission, around

40,000 Spanish estate

agencies - nearly half

the total - were forced to

close last year,

coinciding with a 40% decline in property sales. As a result, it is

estimated that around 100,000

estate agency staff lost

their jobs during

2007. The

majority of this decline was in the North of Spain and the Northern

Costas as well as the Urban areas around the Major cities.

The economic doom and gloom merchants were predicting property price

falls of up to 30%. This of course has already taken place over the course

of the last four years. Prices are now 20% to 30% lower than they were at

the peak in 2003, since then prices have slowly been pegging back.

The Minister of housing (Ministerio de vivienda) Carmen

Chacon has been

quick to point out

that in fact house

prices rose last year by just

under 5% which is slightly less that

the inflation rate which was 4.2%

at year end.

So what really is in store for the

construction industry in Spain?

Given that many of the large S.A.s

are still very much family controlled, we feel

that there will be a significant shift of emphasis with more affordable

government assisted family homes being built. GPOU’s will be reviewed

and less planning permission being granted for pure speculative

development. More green areas and less concrete will be the order

of the day. As developers strive to find cheaper construction methods

as they develop more eco-friendly housing estates. This will be the

blueprint for the future coupled with a much improving infrastructure

making all areas more easily accessible. One thing is certain demand is

still there albeit from a much more discerning purchaser and yet

there is no new land, so slowly but surely availability will gradually

fall back and prices will continue to rise but at a more sustainable

rate than in the past. As for Real Estate Agents they will have to

become much more professional and offer a clearly transparent

service with many value added advisory services thrown in.

TThhee HHoouussee DDooccttoorr

66 costalife

S

The House Doctor Alex, from Numero Uno"The Original Real Estate Café" Looks atSpain Property Crisis or Opportunity

hheerree aarree ddaayyss oonnee aallwwaayyss rreemmeemmbbeerrss.. TThhee KKeennnneeddyy aassssaassssiinnaattiioonn,,tthhee WWoorrlldd TTrraaddee CCeennttrree AAttttaacckk,, tthhee ddeeaatthh ooff PPrriinncceessss DDiiaannaa.. IItt iiss aa ppiittyy

tthhaatt ttrraaggeeddiieess ssttaanndd oouutt oovveerr tthhee mmoorree eennjjooyyaabbllee iinncciiddeennttss iinn lliiffee..

In observing wildlife you often move through a series of events which aretragic often because animal life is generally so much shorter than ourown mortal span. Thankfully such events are compensated by wonderfulexperiences with animals. One event stands out like a powerful beam inmy life and I shall never forget it.

We had just bought a house near El Chorro and I was walking around the30,000 square metres of land which went with the deal. We have aknack of putting ourselves in a situation of challenge and this was noexception. It is enjoyable to possess land but the uppermost thought inmy mind was how to maintain it, possibly cultivate some and then keepthe remainder for wildlife which we enjoy so much.

My eyes stopped in the survey. Something had moved in the scrublandand it was big. It bounded over the scrub and then into an open patch.It was a sight which I thought I would never experience. I was looking atan Iberian Lynx, one of the rarest animals on earth and found only in afew places in the Iberian peninsular. Sadly it is one of the animals mostthreatened with extinction. What a privilege had come my way andwithout any effort. My regret was that I did not have a camera with me.Our Labrador Jake was by my side and I managed to hold him still.

The nearest one is likely to get to an Iberian Lynx is in a statue form in theDoñana National Park or you may see the coat of one draped around theback of a much less beautiful woman, although the sale of such coats isnow illegal in most countries as the Lynx is a protected animal, and so itshould be. The number of these beautiful creatures is fast dwindling andestimates of how many exist, predominantly in Spain, varies from three

hundred to a thousand. Whichever is correct, it is a small fraction of thenumber which lived in the first half of the last century and, unless actionis taken, we will witness the disappearance of a lovely animal within thenext decade or two. If current trends continue this will occur, and it wouldbe a huge embarrassment for Europe as it would represent the first welldocumented extinction of a wild feline in our continent.

The Iberian Lynxes are heavily spotted and half the size of their Eurasiancousins, about one metre from nose to tip of tail and weighing aroundtwenty kilos. They feed mainly on rabbits, rodents and even young deer.They range over a comparatively small hunting ground, less than twentysquare kilometres in area, and I have lived in the hope that we shall havethe pleasure of a return visit. It has not happened and this may be dueto the construction of the high speed rail track to take the AVE whichpasses only two kilometres away. The authorities have done a fantasticjob in restoring the environment following the completion of the line lastDecember but, despite their fine efforts, wildlife must be disturbed in theinterest of so called progress and the lynx is by nature an extremely shyanimal and a high speed train rushing through his domain may not be tohis or her liking.

The decline in the number of lynxes is due to several factors. You will befamiliar with the term ‘‘curiosity killed the cat’’. Well the lynx is of thesame family and has the same instinct. If in its travels it discoverssomething new it investigates, and this means it may be caught in atrap or a snare. These practices are illegal in most countriesincluding Spain, but they still go on and much devastation is doneto wildlife and pets. The loss of natural habitat by road buildingand the creation of urbanisations, plus the fires which ravagethe hunting grounds of wild animals cause great distress. Wewere in Greece last month and, near Olympia, we drovethrough nearly three million square metres of burned scrub

WWrriitttteenn bbyyPPeetteerr HHaarrrriissoonn

68 costalife

TTTT

and forest. The death toll ofwildlife must beunimaginable. Every one ofus must be alert it does nothappen here. Rememberthe Sierra Mijas!

Roads are a hazard to theLynx and, only recently,some cubs were killedaround the Doñana NationalPark by a car when the driverwas not alert to animals. Inwildlife areas motorists mustbe aware that most animalsare not street wise.Following the myxomatosisepidemic some 50 yearsback, the rabbit populationis only 10-15% of what it wasthen, although we spottedsome near Valle de Abdalajísonly this morning. Whenrabbits are scarce the Lynxgoes further afield for hisfood and, with less hedgesfor cover, he is a target forfarmers who regard a lynx asa threat to their live stock,although theirs is anexaggerated fear.

Most animals facingextinction can, if left inpeace, restore theirpopulation by reproduction.This is not the case with thelynx which has poorfecundity. Usually only twocubs are born and if thereare more than three themortality is very high. The

Doñana National Park has been extremely successful in its breedingprogramme. Early last year the station was elated when Lynx Aura gavebirth to three cubs followed by another Lynx producing twins the next day.Five new additions in two days! More cubs followed later in the year,bringing the Lynx population to two hundred. What an achievement!

The World Wildlife Fund for Nature is conducting a vigorous campaign toraise public awareness of carnivores facing extinction, is focussing on theIberian Lynx and will act on reports of crimes against such animals. Theyare interested to hear of the sale of pelts or traps. They want to knowabout rare animals in captivity without licence or any act of cruelty bypeople who must be deranged. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature canbe contacted at Panda House, Weyside Park, Godalming, Surrey GU7 IXR,telephone 0044 1483 426444, email supporterrelations@wwf.org.uk,and they will put their local organisation in Spain in action. It is good tosee mankind in action in such situations but it needs eyes and ears ‘onthe ground’.

To conclude on a positive note, scientists at the Doñana Biology Stationsay there has been an increase in the sighting of lynxes over the past fewyears, and one reason for this has been the donation of four wheel drivevehicles to allow access to tricky ground. Any distressed animal can getprofessional help.

Meanwhile, armed with my binoculars and camera, I keep watch. Givena great deal of luck, I may see the lynx again and I hope that I spot him

or her before he is aware of me, for one small sound or rapidmovement and off goes the Lynx, a master in the art of

camouflage… and I will never be aware of what I missed. All thesame I am grateful of having had one sighting and I hope you

have this privilege. One of the many wonderful things withwildlife is that things appear when you least expect them.

CuisineCosta

70 costalife

>> costaSTUFF

by Jan Morley of FreezerMor

CHEESY FEETThese are great fun, a type of pizzawith an individual touch!

Get each child to make a cardboardtemplate of a foot, by carefully drawinground , then cutting them out.

2255gg bbuutttteerr110000gg rreeaaddyy mmaaddee ppuuffff ppaassttrryy11 eegggg110000gg ggrraatteedd cchheeeessee44 ttaabblleessppoooonnss ttoommaattoo ffrriittooCChhoooossee ssoommee eexxttrraass,, ee..gg.. sswweeeettccoorrnn,, mmuusshhrroooomm,,ttuunnaa,, ppeeppppeerraammii,, oonniioonn oorr hhaamm..

Heat the oven 200C or 400F or gas mark 6.

1. Sprinkle flour on the table, roll out the

pastry to ½ cm thick, cut out the feet

shapes, place on a buttered baking

sheet

2. Prick with a fork, brush with beaten egg,

spread with tomato frito

3. Add any extras, then top with grated

cheese

4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked.

How many times have we heard‘‘Mum, we’re bored’’, so why not

drag the little gems into the kitchenand make some fun dishes.

Tasty home-cooked food where they havechosen all the ingredients they like, is a positive

way of getting kids to enjoy cooking.

When they are praised by those sharing the food, it givesthem a ‘‘feel good factor’’, and in turn planting seeds that

that cooking can be fun!

WATERMELON AND LIME ICE-LOLLIESThis amount makes about 1 litre, enough for 10- 12 lollies

110000gg ccaasstteerr ssuuggaarr11 lleevveell ttaabblleessppoooonn gglluuccoossee ssyyrruuppZZeesstt aanndd jjuuiiccee ooff 11 lliimmee11kkgg ooff wwaatteerrmmeelloonn cchhuunnkkss ((sseeeeddss aanndd sskkiinn rreemmoovveedd ))LLoollllyy mmoouullddss aanndd ssttiicckkss

1. Dissolve the caster sugar in 100ml

water, over a low heat, simmer for 2

minutes,

2. Remove from heat, add lime juice and

zest. Place in fridge to cool.

3. Whizz the watermelon in a food-

processor until pureed. Sieve to

remove the pulp.

4. Stir in the cooled syrup, pour into

moulds then simply freeze.

METHOD

CHOCOLATE, NUT AND APRICOT BARSThese no-bake chocolate and fruit bars are amazingly goodfun to make and divine to eat, everybody will love them !

Not suitable for freezing

MAKES APPROX. 12 BARS220000gg ggoooodd qquuaalliittyy ppllaaiinncchhooccoollaattee7755gg uunnssaalltteedd bbuutttteerr11 ssmmaallll ccaann 339977gg ccoonnddeennsseedd mmiillkk227755gg ccrruusshheedd ddiiggeessttiivveess 110000gg ddrriieedd aapprriiccoottss110000gg rraaiissoonnss oorr ssuullttaannaass110000gg cchhooppppeedd nnuuttss uunnssaalltteedd,,((aallmmoonnddss,, ppeeccaannss oorr bbrraazziill nnuuttss))

1. Place the butter in a pan over a

low heat, melt and then stir in the chocolate pieces, until melted

2. Stir in the condensed milk, raisons, apricots and nuts.

3. Line a tin approx. 18cm x 28cm (swiss roll tin size) with vegetable

parchment

4. Gently press the mixture into the tray, place in fridge until set. Cut

into bars, keep in fridge to prevent melting.

Makes

4

KIDS IN THE KITCHENKIDS IN THE KITCHEN

Tel./Fax.: 952 930 351

C.C. Los Jarales 3,

Calahonda km 197

g.t. mckennag.t. mckennaTHE IRISH FAMILY BUTCHER

� finest irish Beef & Bacon

� tasty irish cheeses &

gammons

� cooked hams

� BBQ meats

� meat for all occasions

oo yyoouu bbeelliieevvee iinn tthhee ssuuppeerrnnaattuurraall?? IIss iitt aallll ssiimmppllyy aa pprroodduucctt ooff

aann oovveerr aaccttiivvee iimmaaggiinnaattiioonn?? IIssnn’’tt iitt iinntteerreessttiinngg tthhoouugghh hhooww ssoo

mmaannyy ppeeooppllee sseeeemm ttoo bbee ffaasscciinnaatteedd bbyy mmoovviieess ppoorrttrraayyiinngg tthhee

ssuuppeerrnnaattuurraall wwoorrlldd.. SSoommee lloovvee ttoo wwaattcchh ssccii--ffii oorr hhoorrrroorr mmoovviieess eennjjooyyiinngg

tthhee tthhrriillll ooff tteerrrriiffyyiinngg ffeeaarr.. SSttrraannggee hhooww ppeeooppllee lloovvee tthhee tthhrriillll ooff

eexxppeerriieenncciinngg ffeeaarr!! SSttrraannggee wwhheenn oonnee ccoonnssiiddeerrss hhooww rreeaall lliiffee pprroodduucceess

eennoouugghh ooppppoorrttuunniittiieess ttoo eexxppeerriieennccee ffeeaarr wwiitthhoouutt ddeelliibbeerraatteellyy cchhoooossiinngg ttoo

iinndduullggee hhoorrrroorr ffaannttaassiieess..

Fascination with the supernatural! What about the current craze for Harry

Potter books? JK Rowling has found a market for her writing in both

children and adults who are caught up in the fantasy world of Harry and

the other characters. People are looking for something beyond this

natural life even while they say they don’t believe in it.

Spiritualist mediums are consulted on a regular basis by large numbers of

people otherwise they would have

gone out of business long ago.

Look at most magazines today

and you will find listed several

psychics or fortune tellers all

offering their services for a fee.

Some publications have a regular

psychic medium column for the

faithful.

It is a fact that most people have a secret desire

to know more about the unknown world outside of the

natural realm that we live in. Several try hallucinating drugs

to provide a way to experience that realm sometimes

encountering a terrifying world of demons.

So what is the supernatural? The prefix ‘super’ simply means

‘above or beyond’ and the word ‘supernatural’ according to

the Concise Oxford Dictionary is ‘manifesting some

agency above the forces of nature, outside the

ordinary operation of cause and effect’,

There is most definitely a supernatural

world which is above and beyond the

world we know here on earth.

A true drama unfolded between the Creator of all

things and an anointed angel who lifted himself up in pride and tried to

usurp the throne of the King of the universe. When that angel known as

Lucifer was thrown out of heaven and cast down to the earth, all mankind

would be affected forever. The truth is far more exciting than any fictitious

tale made into a movie!

The One who created the heavens and the earth is All Powerful and All

Knowing and yet because of His great love for His creation He entered the

natural world to become just like us. Because God’s children are human

beings - made of flesh and blood - Jesus also became flesh and blood by

being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and

only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of

death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives

as slaves to the fear of dying.

Many religions are in the world and everyone has the freedom to decide

what they believe but every religion, except one, causes the follower to try

to reach up towards the god or gods of their faith in an attempt to be

accepted. This is done by good works, obedience to the god's demands,

human effort, sacrifices, regular prayers, faithful attendance at the place

of worship. Everything is done in an effort to reach up and please the

particular god or gods.

The Christian faith is the only faith where the God of the believers came

down to earth to reach man and He simply asks us to believe in Him and

what He has done in order for us to be accepted. No effort on our part,

simply a child-like faith in Him and we are saved. For God so loved the

world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in

Him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His

Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Scriptures (New Living) John 3:16,17 & Hebrews 2:14,15

AAnnnneettttee RRiiggggaallll

TThhee EEvvaannggeelliiccaall CChhrriissttiiaann FFeelllloowwsshhiipp

‘‘‘‘aann ooaassiiss wwhheerree tthhee WWoorrdd ooff GGoodd iiss pprreeaacchheedd aanndd tthhee

lloovvee ooff GGoodd iiss sshhaarreedd..’’’’

Sundays 4.30pm Iglesia San Miguel,

Calahonda

Tel/Fax (0034) 952 930 275 E-

mail: tecfellowship@gmail.com

Website: www.ecfmijas.com

PPaassttoorrss PPeetteerr aanndd

AAnnnneettttee RRiiggggaallll

11 costalife

DDDD

YOU!can advertise

Herefor as little as €120

The latest web nuisance affecting your computer is an attack thathijacks your clipboard and the attack has been reported by Firefoxusers running both MAC OS and Windows, but I wouldn’t be surprisedif other browsers and operating systems are also vulnerable. Usersvisiting websites with animated adverts for Cleanator risk getting theinfection even with virus and spyware protection malware-lacedbanner ads have led to download sites for the Cleanator scarepackage.

Cleanator is a rogue security program that shows false warningmessages and misleading scan results in a ruse designed to scarepunters into purchasing a ‘‘full’’ version of the package. Aggressiveadvertising tactics - including the use of Trojan downloader’s - areused to distribute the software.

This should be blocked by setting Internet Options, Security, InternetZone, Scripting, ‘‘Allow programmatic Clipboard access’’ to Disable.

Somebody just went and TORE MY USB CABLEIN HALF! It was still attached to my laptop! No...wait... sorry, my bad. Never mind. That’s just mycool new Hacked USB flash drive.

What about a USB powered can cooler or USB HEATED GLOVESor slippers even USB MISSILE LAUNCHER. Executive toys have

come a long way since the early days. My favourite is the USBdesk cooler fridge. The USB Mini Fridge is the coolest way to

keep your drinks cold while you’re at your computer. Andit looks cool on the desk!

The next must-have computer toy is nowavailable. With the USB Mini Fridge at your side,

you can keep your beverages chilled and stay at your computer longer. Just seconds afterplugging the USB Mini Fridge into your computer’s USB port (no additional power needed), thecold plate chills to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the perfect temperature for keeping your beveragechilled.

More next month.

>> costaSTUFF

74 costalife

By Russell Vaughan Mintmicro S.L 951160411

I sent a Microsoft word document to a friend recently and she emailedback saying she could not open it on her computer. The problem is that Iam using MS Office 2007 and it uses a funky new XML format that savesyour document as a .docx file, the .docx format is NOT compatible witholder versions of MS office. To get round this you have to save your office2007 document as a .doc. This also causes problems for other programs.

Some users of ‘‘Open office’’ the free alternative to MS Office have beenhaving similar problems and the solution is very simple when saving saveas and choose MS Word document format. Office 2007 will be able toread open office documents automatically when Microsoft brings in thenext update.

YYour Mac or PC may already be infectedour Mac or PC may already be infected

Customers of UK phone giant Orange will be able to get a FREE Eee PC

900 16G when they buy a mobile HSDPA modem and sign up for a two-

year, £25-a-month airtime contract.

The 900 16G comes with Windows XP and have 16GB of solid-state

storage. These neat little computers are now available here in Spain

from all good computer shops.

Get your free Asus EeePC from orange

HACKED 2GB USB FLHACKED 2GB USB FL ASH DRIVE or USB FridgeASH DRIVE or USB Fridge

So you can’t open that word document!!

SEO Services Spain -Search Engine Optimization

Want your business website to appear at the top of

Google, Yahoo and MSN? Do you have a website

but nobody knows that it exists?

I am an SEO consultant and can help you to attain

good rankings and increase web traffic to your site

and your sites visibility on the internet.

Call for a free no obligation analysis of your current

search engine placement and websites optimization.

Different packages available to suit all

budgets and requirements.

Websites designed from just €€ 400 and include

free hosting, domain name and email.

For more information please visitwww.seoservicesspain.com

or call Rob on 0034 617 940 022

>> costaSTUFF

>> Fools GoldMMaatttthheeww MMccCCoonnaauugghheeyy,, KKaattee HHuuddssoonn,, RRaayy WWiinnssttoonnee,, DDoonnaalldd SSuutthheerrllaanndd

The comedy adventure Fool’s Gold follows Ben ‘‘Finn’’ Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey)a modern-day treasure hunter, obsessed with finding the18th century Queen’s Dowry - 40 chests of treasure, lostat sea in 1715. In his quest, Finn has sunk everything,including his marriage to Tess (Kate Hudson). Tess hasbegun to rebuild her life, working aboard a yacht ownedby billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), Finndiscovers a clue to the treasure’s whereabouts,maneuvers himself aboard the yacht and convinces thetycoon to join him. But Finn’s one-time mentor, Moe Fitch(Ray Winstone), and ruthless gangster, Bigg Bunny, areintent on beating Finn to the trove.

>> Forgetting Sarah MarshallKKrriisstteenn BBeellll,, RRuusssseellll BBrraanndd,, BBiillll HHaaddeerr,,JJaassoonn SSeeggeell,, MMiillaa KKuunniissForgetting Sarah Marshall provides a rare treat:, aromantic comedy about breakups, that is romanticand funny. The laughs, especially from writer-starJason Segel, are heartfelt and raunchy, and the film isjust unexpected enough that it keeps the viewer’sattention till the end. Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) maybe just another struggling musician, but for the past six

years he’s been dating Sarah Marshall. In desperate need of a vacation after beingunceremoniously dumped by his sitcom-star girlfriend, a man travels to a lavishHawaiian resort to nurse his wounds and forget his heartache, only to discover that hisex and handsome new boyfriend are currently staying at the same island hotspot.

>> TransformersJJoosshh DDuuhhaammeell,, TTyyrreessee GGiibbssoonn,, JJoonnVVooiigghhtt,, JJoohhnn TTuurrttuurrrrooTransformers find two warring bands of shape-shifting alien robots renewing their intergalacticconflict on Earth. While the Decepticons, strive totake over the planet, the Autobots, are intent onprotecting humanity. When young Sam Witwicky(Shia LaBeouf) discovers that his new car is reallythe Autobot Bumblebee it sets the stage for a

massive giant-robot showdown. Transformers combines stunning CGI effectsand thrilling action sequences with drama, humor, and a touch of romance, themovie balances its spectacle with an admirable amount of substance, giving itan appeal far beyond pre-teen boys and their nostalgic Autobot-loving elders.

>> The tin manRRaaoouull TTrruujjiilllloo,, KKaatthhlleeeenn RRoobbeerrttssoonn,, AAllaann CCuummmmiinngg,,

RRiicchhaarrdd DDrreeyyffuussss,, NNeeaall MMccDDoonnoouugghhA miniseries release from RHI Entertainment and SCIFI Channel Tin Man is a modern science fiction updateof L. Frank Baum’s timeless ‘‘The Wonderful Wizard ofOz.’’ A sorceress scorches the once-beautiful land ofOZ into a desolate wasteland the only hope lies in an‘‘outsider’’, DG, a young Midwestern woman whosedreams have summoned her to the doomed paradise.DG embarks on a journey to find the great mystic manto save the OZ, on her way she befriends a scarecrow,Glitch, a tin cop, Cain, and gentle manimal Raw.Journey beyond the yellow brick road withTin Man.

KKaattiiee HHoollmmeess……ssllooww ttiicckkeett ssaalleessTToomm CCrruuiissee gets matchy with wife; they sported the same exact pair of jeans at the same exact time. And though thepaparazzi have been clamoring around the ‘‘Mad Money’’ starlet as she prepares for her Broadway debut, unfortunatelythe tickets haven’t been selling with the same enthusiasm.

KKaattee MMoossss……oonn hheerr sskkiinnnnyy ddaayyss‘‘I was never anorexic, so I was never that skinny. I was never bony-bony. But I remember thinking, ‘I don’t want to be thisskinny,’’’ Kate tells.

‘‘I didn’t eat for a long time. Not on purpose,’’ she adds. ‘‘You’d be on shoots with bad food or get on a plane, and the food would be sodisgusting you couldn’t eat it. You go to a show, and there’s no food at all, I remember standing up in the bath one day, and there

was a mirror in front of me, and I was so thin! I hated it. I never liked being that skinny.’’

MMaaddggee aanndd GGuuyy rreenneeww tthheeiirr vvoowwss……MMaaddoonnnnaa and GGuuyy RRiittcchhiiee renewed their wedding vows at a private Kabbalah ceremony in London. Madge supposedly flew

her Kabbalah teacher over from Los Angeles to conduct the proceedings. It was very intimate and both Guy and Madonnamade vows to each other and pledged to try to make their marriage strong again. The ceremony lasted about an hour.

They turned up at the kabbalah centre in their gym clothes and changed into white robes.

UUmmaa TThhuurrmmaann oonn ssttaallkkeerr ccaassee……Actor UUmmaa TThhuurrmmaann went face-to-face with her stalker telling a New York court that the man who had followed her

for two years had sickened and terrified her. She has no regrets about pressing charges against her stalker because she wasdetermined to do whatever it took to protect her family.

78 costalife

>> costaSTUFF

QQQQuuuuooootttteeeessss…………The best way to succeed in

life is to act on the advice

we give to others.

I was always taught to

respect my elders and I’ve

now reached the age when

I don’t have anybody to

respect.

No one is perfect, that’s

why pencils have erasers.

Celebs say the strangest things…Celebs say the strangest things…Some people say that I must be a terrible person,

but it’s not true. I have the heart of a young boy in a

jar on my desk -Stephen King

I feel safe in white because, deep down inside, I’m

an angel. - P-Diddy

If I die before my cat, I want a little of my ashes put in

his food so I can live inside him.

- Drew Barrymore

I do my best work when I’m in pain and

turmoil. - Sting

Last month, National University of Lesotho scientistsreleased the results of a recent analysis that revealedthe presence of female hormones in beer.

Men should take a concerned look at their beerconsumption.

The theory is that beer contains female hormones(hops contain phytoestrogens) and that by drinkingenough beer, men turn into women.

To test the theory, 100 men drank 8 pints of beer eachwithin a 1 hour period.

It was then observed that 100% of the test subjects: 1) Argued over nothing.

2) Refused to apologize when obviously wrong.

3) Gained weight.

4) Talked excessively without making sense.

5) Became overly emotional.

6) Couldn’t drive.

7) Failed to think rationally.

8) Had to sit down while urinating.

No further testing was considered necessary.

Female hormones in beer…

Up in smoke…Up in smoke…A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire. Withina month he had smoked all of the cigars and had not even made his first payment on his policy. The

lawyer then made his claim against the insurance company. In his claim, the lawyer stated thecigars were lost ‘‘in a series of small fires.’’ The insurance company refused to pay, citing

the obvious reason: that the man had consumed the cigars in the normalfashion.

The lawyer sued...and won!

Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, theinsurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to

the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the ‘‘fires’’.

Now for the best part...After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had

him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!! With his own insuranceclaim and testimony from the previous case being used against him,

the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured propertyand was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.

Sudoku answers for Issue 40

TThe rules of Sudoku:place a digit from 1-9 in each empty cell, so every row, every

column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9.

Down

1. Tree (5)2. Licit (5)3. Extreme (7)5. Desert plants (5)6. Building (7)7. Freedom from vanity orconceit (7)8. Rear part of a ship (5)13. Prominent (7)14. Soft or indulgent (7)16. Avert (7)17. Combine (5)19. Laud (5)21. Spear (5)22. Sews (5)

Across

1. Tune (6)4. Shriek (6)9. Elaborate ceremony (7)10. Youngster (5)11. Plaudit (5)12. Dried grapes (7)13. Comfort (6)15. Slapstick (6)18. Lamp (7)20. Legally acceptable (5)23. Happening (5)24. Coach (7)25. Tallies (6)26. Tiers (6)

359

7

1

Crossword answers for Issue 40

49

6

9

costalife 79

costaSTUFF >>

1

1

5

7

2

3

4

5

8

83

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1

>>>> costaGUIDE

TRANSPORT >>

TOURIST INFORMATIONAlhaurin de la Torre 952 410 005Alhaurin el Grande 952 491 275Alora 952 495 577Antequera 952 702 505Cartamar 952 422 126Coin 952 453 211Benalmádena 952 442 494 Estepona 952 802 002

Fuengirola 952 467 457 Gibraltar 0350 774 982 Málaga 952 213 445 Marbella 952 771 442 Mijas 952 485 900 Nerja 952 521 531 Torremolinos 952 374 231

TOWN HALLSCoin 952 453 020

Estepona 952 801 100 Foreigners Dept 952 589 440Fuengirola 952 589 300 Gibraltar 0350 774 902 Málaga 952 135 000 Marbella 952 761 100 Mijas 952 485 900 Nerja 952 548 449 Torremolinos 952 379 400

>> BRITISH CONSULATECalle Mauricio Moro, Pareta, 22nd Floor,MÁLAGA.Open 08:30 - 13:30 Enquiries 995522 335522 330000

>>>> LLOOCCAALL PPOOLLIICCEELocal Police 092Alhaurin el Grande 952 491 074Alora 952 496 468Antequera 952 708 104 Arroyo de la Miel 952 562 142 Benalmádena, Málaga, Marbella & Ronda 092 Cartama 952 422 211Coin 952 453 267 Estepona 952 800 243 Fuengirola Local 952 580 900 Fuengirola Municipal 952 197 090Nerja 952 521 545 Torremolinos 952 376 000

>>>> NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPOOLLIICCEENational Police 091

>>>> GGUUAARRDDIIAA CCIIVVIILL Guardia Civil 062Alhaurin el Grande 952 595 830Alhaurin del la Torre 952 960 067Alora 952 496 020Cartama 952 422 639Coin 952 450 138

>>>> FFIIRREE BBRRIIGGAADDEE Benalmádena, Málaga & Mijas 080 Coin 952 455 020Estepona 952 804 483 Fuengirola 952 461 046 Marbella 952 774 349 Torremolinos 952 381 414

>>>> MMEEDDIICCAALL SSEERRVVIICCEESS Emergencies 061

>>>> AAMMBBUULLAANNCCEE Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Málaga & Marbella 902 505 061

>>>> SSTTAATTEE HHOOSSPPIITTAALLSS Benalmádena & FuengirolaEmergencies only 902 505 061 Málaga 951 290 000 Marbella 951 976 669 Torremolinos 952 386 484Torremolinos (Centro deSalud) Health Centre 951 924 100

EMERGENCIES

Useful numbers & information

Shoes Men’s Wear Men’s Shirts Women’s Wear

MARKET PLACES

MMOONNDDAAYYSS >>>>Alora, Marbella near the footballstadium

TTUUEESSDDAAYYSS >>>>Benamagosa, Fuengirola (FeriaGround), Nerja weekly market (CalleChaparil)

WWEEDDNNEESSDDAAYY >>>>Benalmadena Parque de la Paloma, LaCala, Estepona, La Linea, Rincon dela Victoria

TTHHUURRSSDDAAYY >>>>Alhaurin el Grande, Pizara, Frigiliana,Torremolinos, Velez Malaga, SanPedro, Torre del Mar

FFRRIIDDAAYY >>>>Benalmadena Tivoli Gardens, Casares,Cartama, Aguamania, ctra Cartama,Las Chapas

SSAATTUURRDDAAYY >>>>Fuengirola, La Cala, Ojen Pueblo,Coin, Competa, Puerta Banus nearbullring

SSUUNNDDAAYY >>>>Estation de Cartama, Fuengirola nearthe mosque, Malaga near the footballstadium, Sabinillas, Estepona,Sotogrande, Nerja car boot sale

AAIIRRPPOORRTTSSMalaga 995522 004488 884444Gibraltar 0000335500 7733002266

TTAAXXIISS Benalmádena 995522 444411 554455 Estepona 995522 880022 990000Fuengirola 995522 447711 000000 Gibraltar 0000335500 7700002277Málaga 995522 332277 995500Marbella 995522 777744 448888Mijas Costa 995522 447766 559933

BBUUSS SSTTAATTIIOONNSSPortillo Customer ServiceDirect Line 990022 114433 114444Algeciras 995566 665544 330044Alhaurin 995522 449900 770099Benalmádena 995522 444433 556633Coin 995522 445500 336666Estepona 995522 880022 995544Fuengirola 995522 447755 006666La Linea 995522 117722 339966Málaga 995533 335500 006611Marbella 995522 776644 440000San Pedro 995522 778811 339966Torremolinos 995522 338800 996655

TTRRAAIINN SSTTAATTIIOONNSSThe Coastal Service stops at every major townbetween Fuengirola and Málaga from 06:45and 22:30 from Málaga Call 990022 224400 220022

SSPP37383940414243

UUKK456789

10

SSPP444648

50/52545658

UUKK34363840424446

SSPP35

36/3738

39/4041

42/4344

UUKK14

14.515

15.516

16.517

SSPP36384042444648

UUKK8

101214161820

>> Telephone: to make an international call fromSpain, dial 00 and then add the country code (UK44; USA 1; Australia 61; Canada 1; Irish Republic353; New Zealand 64) and the rest of thetelephone number minus the first zero if there isone. To call Spain from abroad, the country code is00 34.

>> Business hours: the normal opening hours forshops are Monday to Saturday from around 10amuntil about 1.30 / 2pm. After siesta they reopenfrom around 5.30pm until 8pm or 9pm. Largestores usually stay open all day. Most places are

closed on Sundays.>> Banks: generally open from 9am to 2pm fromMonday to Friday, and from 9am to midday or 1pmon Saturday. Hours may vary in summer.

>>Customs allowance- importation from Gibraltarinto Spain1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22% or 2litres of wine200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 gms tobaccoGoods brought in Gibraltar may only be importedinto spain between 0900 hours and 2100 hours

>>Spanish Facts

LOST/STOLEN CREDIT CARDS >>Abbey National 1619516500 Allied Irish 2890330099 American Express 2072229633Bank of Scotland 1383738866Barclays Bank 1604230230 Diners Club 1252513500 First Direct 1132345678Girobank 1514721110

Halifax 8457203099 Lloyds TSB 1702364274 Mastercard 1383621166Nat & Provincial 1274331522 Nationwide 1793543888 Natwest 1132778899 Yorkshire Bank 1132424800

SIZE COMPARISONS >>

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CAR622 Stunning Cortijo Cártama/Coín €850,000Private yet not isolated, immaculate and beautifully reformed 2 storeycortijo with rustic features & modern fittings, striking main kitchen, 4large beds and 4 baths, 11,000m2 grounds with 260m2 built,magnificent terraces & views plus pool. Great access to Coin &Cartama & all amenities.Like this? The checkout ref ALA338 on www.casaymara.com

MIJ629 Sea Views from Mijas Costa €850,000Large villa with guest accommodation on a superb plot of 3,000m2land & benefiting from sea views. Terraces galore plus pool andlandscaped gardens. Great access to the coast, Fuengirola andMijas plus all amenities. 4 beds, 3 baths and 3 kitchens - ideal forfamily, guests or even renting out. Like this? The checkout ref ALA320 on www.casaymara.com

ALA532 Country Home in Álora €265,000New built wonderful 3 bed, 2 bath country home with privateswimming pool, automatic gated access, mains electricity, own welland great views. Access is fabulous just off a new tarmac road. Allyou need to do is a fit a kitchen and move in! Recently reduced.Like this? The checkout ref CAR415 on www.casaymara.com

CNN599 Coín €650,000Luxury, stylish 4 bed villa with pool and separate 2 bedroom guest accommodation. Modern and largerooms with underfloor heating plus rustic features. Lovely internal patio, various terraces and garden plusgood views. 250m2 build with 800m2 land. Great access & walking distance to amenities. Garage plusprivate parking. A fabulous family home that is cosy and practical.

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Great Property

ALA508 - Álora €395,000An amazingly restored country villa with separate guestaccommodation. 235m2 built set in 6,000m2 of land. Incredibleattention to detail, beautiful pool & terraces plus spectacular views. 5beds, 3 baths, inside & outside kitchens plus full services connectedincl: town water, landline telephone & mains electricity.Like this? The checkout ALA478 on our website

CNN634 Coín €750,000An absolute must see luxury Villa with self contained guest accommodation built & fitted to the highestspecification possible! Here's just a taste - 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 quality fully fitted kitchens, diningroom, enormous lounge, huge 17.5m x 7.5m pool, mature landscaped gardens with fountain, outsidekitchen/BBQ, airzone aircon/centralised heating, marble floors, high ceilings, full security systems...

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Amazing Villa. Amazing Price