Spanish Eyes, English Words

Children in Need might be a British institution, but it's also very close to the heart of many expats in Spain. And at Villamartin Plaza they love raising cash for various good causes - so much so that their total for 2016 has now hit €15,000. That's pretty impressive, and it proves what I've always said, the best way to get people to part with their cash is to put on some fun-raising. In other words, give them something to enjoy, and they'll open their hearts and their wallets.

For Friday's Children in Need show,  Costa Blanca's own Stevie Spit got together 15 class acts who agreed to perform for free while Stevie compered the show and talked the audience out of their spare Euros. It was quite a marathon, running from 1.00 pm until everyone got fed up and went home, with the official presentation at 9.00 pm. Clive Gray and Rai Woods of Siesta Productions were also there, filming for possible inclusion in the BBC telethon.

When Rai asked if I'd like to go along to do a piece about the function and chat to him and Clive about Siesta Productions and the making of The Cucaracha Club, I jumped at the chance. I love to have a good time and talk to interesting people, and it was pretty clear that was on the cards on Friday. And as anyone who's ever been even slightly involved with filming will know, there's lots of hanging about time, so I knew I'd have plenty of time to collect more material for the publicity campaign for The Cucaracha Club, which is awaiting classification by the BBFC so it can be shown in public and the production team can start to see a return on their investment and build up the budget for The Cucaracha Club 2. More about that in the next couple of blog posts.

Obviously the satnav didn't share my enthusiasm for the trip, because when I put in Villamartin, it told me it would take over 5 hours to get there. Now I'm directionally challenged at the best of times - which is why I have the ironic nickname Satnav Sandra - but even I knew it shouldn't take 5 hours to get to the other side of San Miguel from Algorfa. As the route emerged, it turned out I was going somewhere near Gibraltar. They may well have had a Children in Need function there, but I was pretty certain Rai, Clive and Stevie wouldn't be waiting for me, so much as I fancied a road trip to Gibraltar, the satnav went back in its case.

So what's a girl to do? When the satnav won't play, and you haven't got a clue where you're going, the best thing to do is phone a friend, because there's no audience to ask, and to stand a chance of a winning on a 50/50, you need something to discard. I phoned Rai, expecting him to give me clear, crisp directions and calm down my frazzled nerves. He might have done, if he'd heard the phone over the music and the appreciation of the crowds. I wracked my brain to think who else to ask and decided on Alex and Bev, who are always whizzing around the Costa Blanca in various amateur dramatics productions.They happened to be in a bar in Alicante with friends, and the raucous laughter that greeted my request for directions almost drowned out Alex's instructions. They were pretty good too, because just 15 minutes later I rocked up at the plaza.

There was a raffle and tombola on the go as well as the entertainment, and each trip around the plaza with the change bucket resulted in a satisfying chink of coins. Stevie was confident we'd hit €1,500, and you couldn't really argue - the Villamartin crowd are very generous, and they were enjoying themselves, so they were quite prepared to dig deep.

I've been in the audience many times, but this was the first time I'd been working with the crew, as it were, and it gives you a totally different perspective on things, because you can't sit swilling wine because you're working and driving, and there's a lot of waiting around, so you've got plenty of time to people watch.  Rai, Clive and I found a quiet spot to chat about The Cucaracha Club once they'd worked out what they were going to film and when and where it was going to happen. Something we all noticed was that every time someone walked past, they looked hard at all of us. We worked out that because I was sitting with a notebook on my knee and asking questions, the passers by were trying to work out who I was interviewing, and where they'd seen them before. They wouldn't have got very far, because the guys are much happier behind the cameras than in front of them.

Something else that was rather funny was the way people behaved around the cameras - even when they weren't working. Some people really played to the gallery, while others were almost apologetic. I dubbed one couple 'Mr and Mrs Sorry,' because every time they came within 10 yards of the camera, they did a sort of limbo to duck under the lens, then said 'Sorry' in a very sheepish tone of voice. The thing was, they saw the green lights on the camera, and equated it to traffic lights, whereas you don't walk in front of it when the red light is working. Not unless you want a good spanking. Well, that's what Rai and Clive threatened me with, and I wasn't going to test the theory in front of all those people!

As the afternoon and evening progressed, and Stevie gave regular updates, the crowd became even more generous. At around 7.00 pm, when the total was €1,455 - just €45 short of Stevie's target, a lovely lady called Winnie came forward with a €50 note to take the pot over €1,500.

As well as being a great singer and a very funny comedian, Stevie also does a drag act, and although he was in civvies to compere the show, lots of people wanted to see him flouncing around in a frock. He said that if enough money went in the bucket, he'd do it, and the magnificent response was another €215. The money just kept pouring in.

Before the official presentation, as well as getting lots of great photos I managed to get dragged onto the dance floor several times, encased in headphones and photographed with Elvis before he left the building. All in all, a great day out which seemed way too enjoyable to count as work. The final total on the 'cheque' was €2,020, but another €200 came in after that when Declan of Jameson's bar asked for Louise 'Tiny Lou' Morgan to sing. I missed that - and Stevie in his frock - because I had an early start on Saturday to report on a Psychic Development Workshop run by the lovely Alison Wynne-Ryder. That's what I love about my job - no two days are ever the same.

As it happens, the clip wasn't shown on BBC, even though Rai and Clive dashed back to the studio to edit it and send it to London. Still, a great time was had by all  - as you can see from the photos. Lots of money was raised for a great cause, and Stevie Spit, Siesta Productions and all the artists who gave their time for free did a fantastic job. And DJ Snoopy manned the sound systems and made sure Villa Martin Plaza was a feedback free zone. Thank you all - looking forward to the next time!

There's lots more to read about life in Spain at Sandra in Spain.com

When Tony asked me what I wanted for Christmas, unlike most years, there was no doubt in my mind. Cast your mind back to late May, when I interviewed Jim Barry and his wife Jan Cave Barry for my No Ordinary Expats series for Insiders Abroad. Jim and Jan are artists who are building a great reputation for themselves, and I was so impressed with their art, I came home with a limited edition print of one of Jim's 'Gaslight' series of paintings depicting Victorian London. If you missed the article, it's here.

When Jim contacted me recently to invite Tony and I to an open weekend at Casa Barry, I graciously informed Tony that he could buy me another print - or maybe two - from the series to go with  my 'Omnibus' painting. As Jim says, 'Paintings like company - they fade on their own.' So, off we went, and we received a great Irish welcome - and a glass of wine. Jim is so laid back you wonder if he'll fall over, and before he let us loose on the paintings, we had a nice chat - and more wine - on their lovely sunny terrace. That's when 'Las Palmeras de la Mata' first caught my eye, and I began to swivel in my choice of painting.

Jim explained that they had this sort of exhibition, with a limited number of invited people, so that they could clear out some paintings and make room for new art. I wondered if it was a symbolic clearing out of the old at the end of the year, but Jim being Jim, it's more practical than that. 'It's coming up to Christmas, and it's a chance for people to sort out presents for friends and family, and maybe take something back to England or wherever they hail from. All the paintings are reduced, so they can grab a bargain as well'

I asked Jim about the history of the La Mata painting, and he told me it came from a photo he took on an early morning walk on La Mata beach, back in 2010. It  had taken around three weeks to paint, and by now, I was in love with it, and determined to take it home to Piddock Place. I'm no art critic, but I know a lovely piece of art when I see it, and the fact that Jim had only been painting in earnest for six years when he produced it makes it even more remarkable for me.

Having decided on my Christmas present, I thought I might as well get a blog post out of it, so asked Jim what he'd been working on recently. The guy is nothing if not versatile - you won't get 10 different studies of the same flower from Jim - so I wasn't really surprised that his newest work is 'The Boys are Back.' It's a vibrant painting of Thin Lizzy on stage, but like most of Jim's work, there's more to the story than what you see on canvas.

Before he came to Spain, Jim was a member of The Memories, an Irish rock band who had a Number One hit with The Game, the 1990 World Cup anthem. He was playing the circuit at the same time as Thin Lizzy, and their stage positions in the painting are how he remembers them playing in the 1970s. The amplifiers in the background are 1970s models too, as are the guitars, in which the detail has to be seen to be believed.  The painting took around five weeks to complete, and Jim is justifiably proud of it.

Jim and Jan weren't quite finished with us though - they invited us to eat out with them. I thought that was pretty special, as I had just mentioned to Jan that I ought to put a contract out on Jim so my painting would shoot up in value. However, she had an even better idea: 'Buy a few more originals, and then arrange the hit!' We spent a very entertaining and educational evening with them. For example, all these years, Tony has been referring to a certain Irish whisky as it's spelled. However, Jim pointed out the error of his ways. Apparently, it's pronounced 'Jemesons,' as in 'gem.' You live and learn, don't you?

Tony must have been feeling generous - or else he'd had one too many Jemesons - because he said I could also have another Gaslight print. I wasn't able to bring it home, as it needs to be mounted, but 'Las Palmeras de la Mata' is safely installed in its new home, and it looks stunning. If you're searching for that special Christmas gift, or if you just want to brighten up your home and treat yourself to something wonderful, check out Jim's catalogue here, then message him to arrange a viewing. Jan's style is totally different, but equally easy on the eye. She's a former dancer, and her ballet studies are stunning. Between Jim's and Jan's work, you're sure to find something really special, whatever your taste in art. Say hello from me while you're there!

Read more about my life in Spain at Sandra in Spain.com

The first thing that strikes you about The Cucaracha Club is the stunning locations, beautiful houses and flash cars. Given that a submarine and jet skis feature in the film too, along with well dressed, beautiful women, you'd think this was a high budget spy thriller, because the cinematography is so good, they must have lined up a top class production team.

Well, you'd be wrong in that assumption. Director Rai Woods and producers Billie Anthony Gaddess and Clive Gray had never produced a feature film before, and most of the film's €23,000 budget went on camera equipment. Yes, you read that right - a classy spy thriller with great locations and all the rest of it is in the can for just €23,000. Everyone gave their services free for the love of making Torrevieja's first full length feature film, and the high end props which every self-respecting spy thriller needs were generously loaned by their owners, again with no reward other than seeing their prized possessions on the big screen.

There are three stunning cars in the film - a 1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and two Ford Mustangs which are slightly newer than the Trans Am, being registered in 2005 and 2006. All three cars are owned by the Haughtons of Venture Fleet garage, Los Montesinos. David and Yvonne - who stars in The Cucaracha Club as Elana Neumann - own the Trans Am and the black 2005 Mustang, while David's father, David Senior is the proud owner of the red Mustang.

The value of the three cars is around €75,000. For the mathematically challenged, that's more than three times the entire production budget of The Cucaracha Club! So, why did the two Davids and Yvonne entrust their valuable 'children' to the makers of the movie? Well, it's a family thing really. The Haughtons know Rai, Billie and Clive through the Adhoc Players and Siesta Productions, and Yvonne - a consummate actress with great comedy timing - has starred in several productions. The connection goes back some years to when Yvonne was working in a bank and Billie - one of the bank's customers - told her she'd be perfect to play Helga in Adhoc's production of 'Allo, 'Allo.

David and Yvonne have owned the Trans Am for around 4 years now. It was a dream car for David, who has been in love with the car since seeing Smokey and the Bandit 2 back when he was a boy in the 80s. That was a black Trans Am, and theirs is a white one. Once they acquired it, David said 'Just call me Burt Reynolds from now on,' but his joy was short lived. Within an hour of acquiring his dream car, the nightmare began when the cylinder head cracked! Burt Reynolds never had that trouble, but then that wasn't real life. The Trans Am had to be pretty much rebuilt from scratch before it was roadworthy and ready for its film debut.

David worked around the clock to get the car ready for filming, often working on it until well gone midnight after a busy day at Venture Fleet.  It was actually complete just hours before it was due outside the villa for its first scene. When he first saw the car on screen, in the iconic scene where Elana drives towards Guardamar de Segura against a stunning backdrop, with Verity Jo Spencer Hall's Give it Wings playing in the background, he burst into tears. It was such a highly charged experience, after sinking his soul into restoring the car. The fact that the song was especially written for the scene by Peter Taylor of Los Montesinos only added to the emotion of the moment. Not many cars can claim to having a song written for them, but David and Yvonne's Trans Am can!

Because David is such a big fan of the Smokey and the Bandit films, he decided to call the car Bandit, after his hero Burt Reynolds. Recently someone who'd been at the March 2016 world premiere of The Cucaracha Club recognised the Trans Am at a classic car show, so this particular car really is a star! The Burt Reynolds connection doesn't end there though, because David and Yvonne's Rottweiler is also called Bandit, after the car and the films.

Like many husbands, David jokes about Yvonne's driving. When I asked how many miles per gallon the Trans Am managed on its V8 engine, he replied, 'The way Yvonne drives, around 5 mpg!' However, unlike many husbands, Yvonne has the perfect comeback. 'Well, if your kids had been kidnapped like Elana's you'd give it full throttle too!'

So, although it was troublesome when they first acquired it, the Trans Am behaved perfectly on camera. The same cannot be said for the black Mustang, however. Like most valuable cars, it's fitted with an immobiliser. However, this one isn't as straightforward as most. When Yvonne tried to drive it to the location for a shoot, she couldn't get it going, because there's a knack to it, which only David seems to know.

It's almost a ritual, sort of hop 3 times, jump to the left, salute the sun and away you go. It would never make a getaway car!

The Haughtons have invested a lot of themselves in The Cucaracha Club. Yvonne is the leading lady, and David supplied and looked after the cars. Would they do it again? Oh yes! The Cucaracha Club 2 is already in pre production planning, with shooting scheduled to start in October 2017.  And Yvonne - and the star cars - will again take leading roles.

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One of the many good things about owning a medium sized motor home as opposed to the equivalent of a small country is that it can take you to all sorts of lovely places. And if you can't find a camp site as a base to explore the area, you can just park up somewhere where you won't disturb anyone and sample the local delights, which is what we did when we visited Velez-Blanco recently.

We were catching up with our friends Alan and Elle, who recently moved to Velez-Blanco, and as soon as we drove into this beautiful Andalucian 'white village,' we knew what they meant when they said it was a place they wanted to live. If we weren't so happy in our own lovely pueblo in Algorfa,  I'd probably be in the middle of packing up, rather than writing this. It's not only beautiful, it's welcoming too. Everyone speaks to you, and on the Sunday afternoon when we arrived, all the tables on the terrace of the Bar Sociedad (social centre) were filled with locals and visitors enjoying the late October sunshine.

Velez-Blanco has a number of fuentes - or fountains - which carry the clear spring waters of the Segura from the Sierra Maria Los-Velez, and as we drove in, we saw one of the locals struggling up the hill with 4 8 litre containers of spring water. I had to try this for myself, and I did - from the most famous and beautiful of the fuentes the 18th century Fuente de la Novia (Fountain of the Girlfriend). There's water, and then there's Velez-Blanco water, and that's something really special. If I'd have had some empty containers with me, I'd have brought some home. Must remember for next time.

There are more water spouts in the plaza, at the less beautiful but still functional Canos de la Plaza. If you want to sit and watch the water flow - which I can't because it makes me want to go and get my own water flowing - there are some unusual benches next to the spouts. Elle told us that the shapes at the ends of the benches represented figures found in the cave paintings in the Cueva de los Letreros (Cave of the Inscriptions) in nearby Velez Rubio. There's Indalo Man, who has been hijacked as the symbol of Mojacar, and is now also used as a symbol of Almeria. He's a hunter-gatherer, and is meant to bring good luck, and there are numerous representations in the souvenir shops in the area, often painted in rainbow colours. El Brujo, or El Brujito, as he's sometimes called, is a more menacing figure, looking rather like a goat or a devil, with horns. He carries two sickles and holds a heart aloft. El Brujo is the shaman or sorcerer, and he's supposed to protect from evil spirits. It's strange but somehow fitting to see these two prehistoric creatures represented on something as mundane as a bench in a Spanish square. Then again, Velez-Blanco is  quirky as well as beautiful.

Dominating the village is the 16th century Castle of the Marques de Los Velez, which is built on the rocks on the site of the Arab Alcazar. It's a source of wonder to many first time visitors, and Alan told us about an American friend who, like us, was really taken with the village. Every time he saw something new, he exclaimed over it, and always added the rider '...And it's got a castle!'

We didn't get to see the inside of the Castle, as it closes on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the views over the surrounding campo are stunning, so there are some great photo opportunities. The castle looks out across La Muela, a plateau in the Sierra Maria mountains which can be seen from Velez-Blanco. La Muela means 'the molar,' and when you see the shape of the plateau, it does look something like an adult molar tooth.

And there's another American connection - the marble interior of the palace, known as  the 'Patio del Honor' - is now in the Metropolitan Museum New York, having been sold to its President George Blumenthal by Parisian art dealer J Goldberg, who moved the marble from Velez-Blanco to France in 1904. Blumenthal installed the Patio in his town house on Park Avenue, and when it was demolished after his death, the Patio and other art works were exhibited in the museum, where they can still be seen today. Plans are in hand to reproduce the Patio in marble from the same local quarry that supplied the materials for the original Patio.

Velez-Blanco is well supplied with shops, banks, bars and restaurants, so it's an ideal place to spend a holiday or put down more permanent roots. And although it's out in the campo, it's just a few minutes' drive from the A92N motorway, and thence the rest of Spain, so it's an ideal touring base. Unfortunately, the town's only camp site in the hills between Velez-Blanco and Velez Rubio is now deserted, but there are several accommodation options available at reasonable prices. If you're down Almeria way, why not pop into Velez-Blanco and let this lovely white village wrap you in it's welcoming arms? Say hello from me while you're there!

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