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17 July 2007

Spain Top Choice for Second Home

Spain is the most popular country for people to buy a second home, but many would-be buyers are put off because there are already too many Brits there, a survey revealed.

Approximately 82% of people said they would not buy a home in Spain because of the country's large British community, according to specialist lender GE Money Home Lending. France is the second most popular place in which to buy a property abroad, Florida is third although more than half of those questioned said they thought it was too far away, while Italy and Portugal are also popular. When selecting a country in which to buy a property, people said they were attracted by climate, culture, food, affordability and cheap travel.

Heatwave Forecast for Spain

Most of Spain and the Balearic Islands will be affected by a mass of hot air from Africa that will raise temperatures to 40ºC in many parts, according to the latest forecasts from the National Meteorological Institute (INM). Temperatures will soar over the weekend, especially in central areas, the northeast and the south with temperatures remaining high in the southeast and Balearic Islands for most of next week. In some parts of inland Murcia, western Andalucia and the southeast of Castilla La Mancha, temperatures above 40ºC are not being ruled out.

Part of Ibiza Coastline Affected by Oil Spil

Beaches on the island of Ibiza should be free of oil sludge within a week after an accident involving a freighter sparked an oil spill, local officials said Friday (13 July). Divers managed to seal the last leak in the wreck of the Don Pedro, which hit a small island in the early hours of last Wednesday (11th July) outside Ibiza port. Three beaches on Ibiza have been closed as a result of the spill, reported to be four kilometres in length, San Figueretes, Evissa, and Playa de Talamanca.

Human error is being blamed for the ship hitting the Dado Grande island which led to the vessel sinking in some 40 metres of water. The ship was on the route between Valencia and Ibiza and was carrying 150 tons of fuel oil and 50 tons of diesel.

Spanish Civil Guard Board Odyssey Exploration Vessel

Earlier this week, the Civil Guard boarded one of the two boats from the Odyssey Marine Exploration company which have been moored in Gibraltar. The Ocean Alert was boarded in Spanish waters near Cadiz and escorted into the port of Algeciras. The ship was seized on the orders of the court of La Linea de la Concepcion so that a search of the boat could be carried out. Reporting restrictions have been imposed in the case which relates to the finding of treasure, believed to be of Spanish origin, in the waters of the Atlantic. The American exploration company is being investigated to see if it had been carrying out any allegedly illicit activities.

Reed Boat Sets Sail for Spain

A 41-foot raft made of reeds and wooden planks set out last week on voyage from New York to Spain, with scientists looking to prove that American and Mediterranean civilizations crossed the Atlantic long before Christopher Columbus' voyage in 1492.

The twin-hull Abora III was made by Bolivian Aymara Indians, who still sail in reed boats made in the same way as vessels that used by ancient Egyptians. The team will be using global positioning equipment and other modern technology to navigate.

Dominique Gorlitz, the German biologist leading the expedition, believes that trading between the continents was possible as long as 14,000 years ago. "We are trying to sail as a first across the North Atlantic on a prehistoric raft in order to prove that transatlantic voyages in both directions were possible long before the advanced civilizations in the Mediterranean Sea," Gorlitz said just before the ship left New York.

Gorlitz bases his theory on scientific findings from 15 years ago that revealed traces of cocaine and nicotine in the mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. The drugs were native to the Americas and show that trade occurred between the continents long before currently believed, Gorlitz said.

The Abora III is expected to arrive in Tenerife in October this year.

Giant Telescope to Start Viewing the Skies from Canary Islands

The world's biggest optical telescopes began surveying the universe on Friday (13th July), from a mountaintop on one of Spain's Canary Islands. Perched on top of a 2,300 metre peak on the island of La Palma, the Great Canary Telescope received its so-called "first light" when the telescope was pointed toward the sky and focused on the North Star. The Great Canary Telescope with its with 10-metre mirror is among the world's largest telescopes.

"The GTC will be able to reach the weakest and most distant celestial objects of the universe," the Canary Islands Astrophysics Institute said in a statement. "One of its aims is to find planets similar to ours in other solar systems," the institute added.

The telescope will have 36 hexagonal mirrors, of which 12 are already in place. Once the telescope has had its first light, the remaining 24 mirrors will be placed and adjusted, and the scope will be fully functional within a year, according to the institute.

The telescope cost $143 million and seven years to construct. The Canary Island observatory said institutes in Mexico and the United States collaborated in the project, involving more than 1,000 people in nearly 100 companies.

Food and Drink Prices

Latest Eurostat figures show that tobacco in Spain is still 36% cheaper than the EU average and alcohol is also 19% less expensive. Alcohol remains cheapest in Bulgaria and Lithuania, and in Ireland alcohol is 81% more expensive than the average. Food items such as bread and cereal are 12% more expensive in Spain while milk products and cheese are 4% cheaper and meat is as much as 19% cheaper than the EU average.

Human Remains Found Beneath Bank in Seville

Workers trying to clear a blockage in drains in the basement of a branch of the Caja Madrid bank on the Avenida de la Constitucion in Seville discovered human bones buried beneath the bank.

Seville's police forensic experts were brought in to examine the bones, but it was confirmed that they were extremely old and therefore unlikely to be evidence of a recent crime.

Permission has been granted to continue excavating the area which is close to the site of a Moorish cemetery discovered during the construction of the city's new tram network.

Vueling Airlines to Open Domestic Base in Seville

Vueling Airlines said it is opening its third domestic base in Seville, adding to those in Barcelona and Madrid. The low cost airline announced the new international destinations from Seville as Venice, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Brussels and Milan, while the new domestic destination will be Bilbao.

Alhambra Not Chosen as New Wonder of the World

The New Seven Wonders of the World have been published, but Granada's Alhambra is not among them. The Great Wall of China, the Petra Ruins in Jordan, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Machu Picchu in Peru, Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Colosseum in Rome and the Taj Mahal are the final seven.

Despite heavy public support, the Alhambra fell just short of becoming one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. The Foundation New7Wonders said the citizens and government of Spain were some of the most active during the voting process.

In a statement from the acting Mayor, Sebastian Perez, he said the city had done all it could to promote the Alhambra, but despite not being in the final seven, the experience had been a positive one for the promotion the Alhambra had received throughout the world.

Ghostly Recordings in Old Sanatorium

Experts in parapsychology say they have recorded supernatural sounds in an old abandoned sanatorium in Granada. The voice of a woman who says she is called Berta, and who asks them not to bother her any more was recorded. Ghostly images of the face of a child, a dog and a black figure have also been heard at the site.

Researches have discovered that the old sanatorium was founded by a woman called Berta who died there from tuberculosis.

San Miguel Brewery to be Upgraded

The San Miguel brewery near to Malaga airport is to be upgraded. The project is intended to increase productivity and improve quality, as well as deal with environmental issues, according to the plant's owners, the Mahou – San Miguel group. Work is to begin at the end of the year at a cost of 6.3 million Euros.

AVE Malaga - Madrid Link 94% Complete

The AVE high-speed rail link between Malaga and Madrid is 94% complete, according to the minister for development during a visit to the city last week. The main focus now is the tunnel being built to bring the rail tracks over the final 1,350 metres into Malaga station. Project directors told Minister Magdalena Alvarez that construction of the tunnel was 70% complete but that it was proving to be a difficult project, complicated by its route under a site formerly occupied by a Repsol plant, which has resulted in the need for a hydrocarbon decontamination programme.

Meanwhile, a new route for the first stretch of high-speed track from Antequera to Granada has been formally proposed. Following negative comments from the public on two proposed routes to the north of Antequera, the new plan would see trains between Bobadilla and La Pena de los Enamorados travelling to the south of the city. Antequera town council has approved the new proposal, which has now entered its 45-day public comment period.

Doctor Shortage in Malaga Province Due to Summer Demand

The Andalucian Health Service has admitted that it is finding it difficult to find doctors to cover the extra demand on the Costa del Sol during the high summer. It appears that with holiday demands and movements for the season there is now a serious lack of cover in Antequera and Ronda as a result. There is a 30% shortfall in family doctors in these towns. As in other regions, foreign doctors are now being contracted to try and ease the problem.

Malaga to be Studied Using Old Maps

Almost 200 maps and plans of Malaga dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are to be used by the city to analyse the urban evolution of the area over the three centuries.

The maps and plans are held in the Ministry of Defence archives but an agreement with the town hall means digital copies are to be made available free of charge.

Alora to Abdalajis Road

The remodelling of the road which joins Alora and Valle de Abdalajis to Antequera has become a priority for part of the business community in the Guadalhorce Valley. AECA, the business owners and traders association of Alora is requesting that improvements be made to the A-343. They believe that by improving the road, drivers could get to Antequera - the “future economic as well as geographic centre of the region” - much faster than at present.

Lion Rescued From a Finca in Pizarra

The Civil Guard's SEPRONA environmental unit confiscated a full-grown lion found locked in a van at a private finca in Pizarra. The lion was kept in the back of the van for at least 3 months. When found the animal showed obvious signs of malnutrition and neglect. They say the owners of the property did not have permission for the animals and an investigation is now underway to establish whether the owners were trading in exotic fauna. The finca kept several other animal such as horses, donkeys and snakes. When it has recovered the lion will be sent to a Spanish zoo.

Dressage Course

There is to be a special course in dressage of the highest standard with Olympic champion Heike Kemmer. The course will take place between 27th September and 1st October 2007. Only eight riders will have the chance to train their horses under the professional tuition of Heike Kemmer (Olympic gold 2004 in Athens, World Champion 2006 in Aachen).

One weekend of riding in the Olympic spirit!

27.9. (Thursday) Arrival of the participants with their horses

28.9. (Friday) Private lessons with “tapa”-break

29.9. (Saturday) Private lessons and visit to the show of the famous stud farm "La Cartuja"

30.9. (Sunday) Private lessons with “tapa”-break

1.10. (Monday) Private lessons with “tapa”-break and farewell of the participants

Each participant will stay in a comfortable suite and their horses will be stabled in spacious guest boxes. The price is 1,400 Euros and includes 4 nights including breakfast in one of our suites, livery, participation in the 4 day course including 4 private lessons with Heike Kemmer, a visit to the famous stud-farm "La Cartuja" and the "tapa" breaks. The course will be held in English and German.

If you have any questions or require photos, please contact Sandra Robbert (relaciones publicas) Sandra@elboyal.com (+34) 699.745.428, Hacienda El Boyal, Hotel Rural & Centro Ecuestre, 11595 Torrecera/ Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain. Tel (+34) 956 161 821.

Antequera Blues Festival

The Antequera Blues Festival began yesterday and runs until 28th July. Artists from a number of countries will perform, including Madagascar, the Sudan, and Cameroon as well as top names such as the Climax Blues Band. Entry is free.

New Real Madrid Manager is Barcelona Member

It has been discovered that the new Manager of Real Madrid, the German Bernd Schuster, is a member of the Barcelona Football Club, and has been since 2004. As a player in Spain, Schuster played for three teams, Barcelona, Real Madrid and also Atletico de Madrid, and accordingly he says that he is a member of all three clubs.

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