News from Andalucia, and the Costa del Sol
In association with
DECEMBER 14th - DECEMBER 20th
VERACRUZ WELCOMES GOLF
Benalmàdena´s Mayor Enrique Bolin has been successful in acquiring land for the town´s proposed golf course. He announced the project in March, and now five tracts of land near the Veracruz urbanisation have been secured. The total of 151,734 square metres includes the land of the old rubbish tip.
Apart from the nine-hole course, the scheme will include a club house, cafeteria, parking and golf school.
Eurosenior Living, a company backed by Spanish and US capital, has announced a 2,000 million peseta luxury retirement complex will also be built at Veracruz near the golf course. The development will include 200 apartments and will be open to people of 55 years and older.
MARBELLA PIER REFORMS
Marbella Mayor Jesús Gil announced that special underwater piers will be built along the towns foreshore. Their purpose is to stop the erosion, which is causing problems to the towns beaches. It is hoped the construction will increase the beach areas by 30 to 40 metres.
Central government has been contacted but has not come to an agreement with Marbella council. The health authorities have stressed that the disappearance of the sands does not affect the water quality.
NEW MEASURES FOR ANDALUCIAN HEALTH SERVICE
Under new measures announced by the Andalucian health Service, patients who have been on the waiting list for an operation for more than 180 days will now have the right to go private. Patients will be able to choose which private clinic in spain they use - even those outside Andalucia - and the health authority will meet the cost in full, including travel expenses for patient and partner. The offer of private treatment will be withdrawn if the patient refuses an appointment in the public sector during those first six months.
LEGIONNAIRES HONOUR PATRON
Seven hundred members of Spain´s Foreign Legion paraded in Ronda on the feast of the Immaculate conception, the patron of the infantry army. This was ronbda´s units last parade as in March they will be heading off for Kosovo. Here they will meet up with other Legionnaires stationed in Almeria wh form part of the international peacekeeping force in the region.
WE MOSTO DO THIS AGAIN
Colmenar celebrated on the feast of Immaculate Conception its first "Fiesta del Moso y Chacina". Mosto is the famed grape juice of the area and Chacina is a chopped pork sausage. The purpose of the event was to promote the town´s produce and proved to be such a success it will be repeated in the future. A definite date for your diaries.
INFANTAS´TOWER IN GRANADA
The Alhambra in Granada is allowing the public to visit the Infantas´ tower this month. The area of the monument is usually closed because of its fragility and difficult access. The tower is considered to show the start of decadency in Nazarene art.
CAMARON ANNIVERSARY
Gypsies gathered at the Palacio Provincial in Cádiz to celebrate what would have been the 50th birthday of the celebrated flamenco singer, José Monge Cruz, better known as Camarón de la Isla. Camarón was born on December5 in nearby San Fernando. His anniversary was marked by thre presentation of the prestigious "Golden Key of song" by regional President, Manuel Chaves, to Camarón´s widow, Dolores Montoya Juménez, "Chispa".
HONORIS CAUSA FOR JOSE CARRERAS
Spanish tenor José Carreras received an honoris causa doctorate from the Napier University in Edinburgh this week. The award was in recognition for his contribution to the world of music and his fight against leukaemia.
EURO CAMPAIGN IN MÁLAGA VILLAGES
With just over a year before the Euro comes into circulation, preparations are underway to educate the public. Residents of villages in Málaga will be able to benefit and its European resources Unit Director, Juan Gavilán is currently contacting local town halls ahead of launching an education campaign which is planned to visit most of the 89 villages in the province with a population of under 20,0000 It is estimated that around 60 villages will ask to be included in the programme.
Once the presentation is drawn up and the list of villages confirmed, the package will be sent to the State Society for the Transition to the Euro for final approval.
The euro will be released for joint circulation with the peseta in January 2002, although banks will be supplied with the currency in the last quarter of next year. The peseta is scheduled to cease as legal tender on March 1, 2002, but experts are expecting the overlap time of the two currencies to be reduced.
GERALD BRENAN HONOURED
The Rector of Málaga University, Antonio diez de los rios, has this week been given two wax masks of the face and right hand of Gerald Brenan. These were taken directly from his body, which has been kept in cold storage in the university´s department of medicine since his death in 1987. The masks will now be used by the sculptor Antonio Baustista Durán, to create a plaque to honour the writer and all those who donate their bodies to science.
GIL PROMISES GAS
Jesús Gil, Mayor of Marbella, has promised the town it will have a gas service in eight months. The project is running two years late due to various difficulties. Jesús Gil has also changed the proposed system which he considered to be obsolete. Repsol, who are contracted to supply the service, have agreed to remodel the Ojén road from La Torrecilla to the Virgen del Carmen cemetery to include pavements, landscaping and lighting.
BRITISH ZEBRAS COME TO SELWO
Selwo nature Park in Las Lomas del Monte, Estepona, has welcomed some new residents. The park already boasts more than 2,000 difference animal species. Now it has acquired 10 zebras. The four males and six females are Chapman zebras and come from the famous Woburn Zoo in England. The animals all come complete with the important CITES certificate, which regulates the movement of protected and endangered species. They are expected to prove popular with visitors to the park over the Christmas holiday period.
PUTTING THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER
Next year, work will start on the renovation of the Casa de Navajas in Torremolinos. The house will be fitted out as museum and residence for "guests of honour" who visit the town. The house was formally handed over to the town Hall in July by the Luque Navajas family and should open to the public in 2002.