Lovely morning. Wind has gone. Few clouds. Slight chill in air. Sunny. 07:59:48, 2013-05-16 Getting very windy now 15:02:31, 2013-05-15 Police of El Ejido has seized nearly 50 kilos of immature fish. A boat with 290 kilos of fish, of which 48 kg did not meet the minimum size 13:55:00, 2013-05-15 Must be getting close [...]

For the second time renowned actor & wildlife activist Virginia McKenna has recorded one of Iain’s poems for podcast on the Born Free Foundation website. The poem is Thunder Birds, it is about Almerimar and can be heard/downloaded here: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/get-involved/wildlife-poetry/supporters-poetry/

News: kids bouncy castle going up on the Poniente beach. 18:57:34, 2013-05-09 Weather: much better morning A little cloud but sun already out. No wind. 08:22:38, 2013-05-09 Weather: turned out to be a cloudy overcast day after all 19:16:34, 2013-05-08 Weather: looks like another hot one. Few clouds around first thing but sun already out [...]

In all the time we have lived here I have never had a need to get anything engraved but I had always assumed that if I did then Copos would be the place. The guy that mends shoes, cuts keys, sells garage fobs and huge knives but ……. nope! Got a few things to get [...]

Saturday from midday and all day Sunday with music and fun for all.

RIP: sorry to hear our neighbour lost her battle with cancer today 21:22:24, 2013-05-02 TWR: gorgeous day. Sunshine. A few clouds. Very light breeze. 09:43:27, 2013-05-02 TWR: much better day. Good long walk to make up for yesterday. Apparently sunny on the drive down through Barcelona 10:45:13, 2013-05-01 7 people inc 2 minors arrested for [...]

TWR: not the best day. Cloudy and bit windy with a chill in the air. 09:04:08, 2013-04-25 Mercadona is shut on 29th April and 1st May. 08:04:02, 2013-04-25 Golf course is being top dressed. Bucket and spade required rather than putter. 23:19:55, 2013-04-24 Almerimar Chiringuitoes: It must be four years now since they started to [...]

It must be four years now since they started to build the ‘new’ chiringuitoes here in Almerimar. At the time I had a debate with a certain Mr P. He was generaly in favour, I thought they looked like bus stops at the end of car parks. We agreed to differ and said that once [...]

Google Translation and the original email that has been sent out. SAN MARCOS 2013 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES (APRIL 19, FRIDAY, APRIL 28TH-SUNDAY) -DAY-THURSDAY APRIL 25. – From April 25 to June 30. – On the facade of the Teatro Municipal Auditorium, Exhibition “Origins”, this land 100 years ago ………….. 20 giant photographs of Bosomba Alley [...]

Walking along the Levante beach the other day I noticed that the first sunbeds are out Very lonely they looked indeed!

Went out last night! Bit of a shock to the system being out and about on a Friday night, but the bigger shock in all honesty was just how quiet it was in and around the Square. Wandered down around 8.30pm. La Coleta had 6 people in, the pizza restaurant next door had a table [...]

Police road block on the road down into Almerimar. 19:30:35, 2013-04-18 TWR: still dark when we walked this morning. Fairly warm but seemed cloudy. 07:36:12, 2013-04-18 Tuesday golfers seemed in good spirits last night in the D-Bar! 18:50:49, 2013-04-17 Thoughts and best wishes to family and friends of Mickey. Tragic accident 08:57:59, 2013-04-17 TWR: cloudy [...]

Congrats to Rob. Won his world championship in 12 rounds.

Calendario del festival – Jueves 16 al domingo 19 de mayo (5 funciones) Auditorio de El Ejido *Jueves 16 y viernes 17 – 21´30 hrs. – Sábado 18 – 18´30 y 22´00 hrs. *Domingo 19 – 20´00 hrs. La Cubana “Campanadas de Boda” (Estreno en Andalucía) – Viernes 17 de mayo Plaza Mayor – 19´00 [...]

Had a new take away menu stuck in the letter box this weekend from someone called Boca2 Almerimar. No mention of where they are which I guess isn’t an issue for a take away place! Phone number is 950 041017. Hours are All Week: 1.30pm to 4pm and 8pm to 11.30pm They do Hamburgers, Side [...]

Almerimar regular and one of Birmingham’s finest is fighting for the World Kick Boxing championship this Saturday in St Etienne. Best of luck from all at D-Bar and Almerimar Life

Walking along the beach this morning it was noticeable how much work has been done on Spirit de Mar. Absolutely no idea who will buy the apartments. It does look like the focus is on getting the hotel apartments finished first.

Goes without saying that anyone that knows anything about the break in at the Stumble Inn last night should contact the police. This is the second bar in three days (other was Monica’s) with the same MO: masked men, enter bar late at night in masks, grab the till. Britta was working and a Spanish [...]

Couple of people have mentioned a stray labrador that has been seen around Almerimar and that is currently been looked after by somebody, but only for a week. I may have a home for it if anybody can let me know where it is and who has it.

I have always been aware of certain areas in Almerimar where dog owners are content to let their dogs soil the pavements etc but ever since we have been kennelling and walking the rescue dogs we have been transporting through our ALStrays rehoming and transport project I have become aware of just how bad the [...]

Been meaning to say they have moved … next door. By the look of it much more space.

Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem Plus or Minus an Hour

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem New Girl In Class

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem The Best Day Ever

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem The Persistence Of Memory

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem Ooooh! I Want One!

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem The Problem With The Small Furry Animals That Live In The Woods

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem When You Get To Alpha Centauri Turn Right

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starlet

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Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem Old Man River

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If you enjoy Cajun Po’Boy Pasties then please check out this Iain Kemp Cooks recipe and video. Ingredients: makes 20 • 5 small tins of tuna in brine • 1 spring onion finely chopped • cajun spices • tomato purée • finely chopped mixed garlic & parsley • butter and oil • thin rolled circles [...]

If you enjoy cream of celery soup then please check out this Iain Kemp Cooks recipe and video. Ingredients: Serves 4/5 • 1 head of celery • 1 medium onion • 1 rasher smoked bacon • 1 litre chicken stock • 1 teaspoon Dijón Mustard • finely chopped garlic and parsley mixed • butter & [...]

Local Almerimar poet Iain D Kemp reads his poem Not Good Form, Old Boy!

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22/05/13: Now I have some lovely photos of these 2 in their new home. 26/04/13: Luca traveled to Germany on the 06.04 transport, originally destined for a lovely foster home ...

21/05/13: Ellie has had a tough 10 days since I last posted about her. She ate ok for a few days and then started to vomit her food, we think ...

20/05/13: Just received some more lovely photos of beautiful Izzy looking very settled in her new home in Germany, so I thought it was time to introduce her! Izzy ( ...

Finally found time to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey last night. I was amazed when I first heard that Jackson had managed to turn the book into a trilogy ...

Since 2011 we have been transporting pet cats and dogs across Europe. Every three weeks we run a pet transport between Spain and the UK. In addition we offer regular ...

Our little girl, Fleur, is three years old today. Found abandoned in a walled garden with a dead sibling and a severely broken leg she is another one of our ...

This would hurt many an expat with a second property in Spain, who currently rent the property out privately. Private holiday rentals could be restricted across Spain under a new law being debated in parliament seen as favouring the hotel industry. Spain’s parliament is poised to pass a new law that will restrict the right [...]

British nationals in Spain wanting to apply for a new passport are advised of an important change in the way they will need to make applications. From Monday 13 May, all applications will need to be sent directly to the Identity & Passport Service (IPS) in Belfast in the United Kingdom, instead of the regional [...]

The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) will be starting a crackdown on speeding from Monday 8th until Sunday April 14th. The campaign will primarily be carried out on conventional roads, as opposed to highways, with 1,022 people killed in accidents on conventional roads during 2012, representing 78% of all road traffic fatalities. They will also [...]

Looks like the ongoing financial crisis in Spain could cause a headache or two for members of societies (golf, angling, bowls etc) as the government seems to have got it into it’s head that they have been ignoring a potential revenue source. The plan? To tax society members on their ‘winnings’. Argument seems to be [...]

What a waste of time! The good news (I guess) is that Google Flights has launched in Spain www.google.com/flights. The not so good news is it is next to useless! None of the cheap flight brigade sorry Low Coast Airlines have put their details on and prices are in US$

Latest news from the DGT is that speed limits on motorways could go up to 130 kilometres per hour – but on secondary roads, these could drop to 70 or even 50 kilometres per hour. At the same time they are considering making speed camera detectors illegal, like the did in France last summer. Single-carriageway [...]

Easy to scan over a headline like this without really taking it in but 5 million unemployed is a really depressing number when you really stop and think about it! Am pretty sure that when I was studying Economics many (many) years ago Full Employment was deemed to have occurred when less that 5% of [...]

From tomorrow (March 4th) anyone paying their motoring fines at the provincial headquarters of the Traffic Department (DGT) can only do so by means of a credit or debit card. With this new initiative, the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) aims to increase security in the headquarters by not having to handle cash and also [...]

Have heard this before, about two years ago, but once again there is mention that the Junta de Andalucia has suddenly decided to crack down on radio stations operating illegally, namely without a licence, and around 100 stations, all but the main national broadcasters, have received letters stating that they must cease broadcasting within ten [...]

I currently drive to Malaga at least twice a month with our ALStrays Re-homing and Transport Project and while it is a pretty good run compared to how it was 10 years ago it will be significantly better once the Motril to Malaga stretch is open. Seems that I will have to wait until 2015 [...]

What irony. The Iron Lady would no doubt be chuckling, and dare I say it, turning in her grave with the news that the plan to use the song Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead has somewhat backfired which as many versions of the Andre Lloyd Webber Original Cast Version from the recent musical outselling [...]

Years ago when my wife (Sandra) started her Cat re-homing project here in Spain (www.alstrays.com) we were amazed at how many people were willing to foster a stray cat or dog until it could be re-homed. In hindsight this wasn’t too much of a surprise. Many expats split their time between countries, meaning they can’t [...]

No matter how long you’ve been living in a foreign land, there are times when you get pangs of home sickness, moments where you long for a connection to home. I’ve recently re-forged a particularly comforting connection to the UK – listening to British radio. You can read the full article here

I wonder how many of you noticed that within the last couple of weeks the South Pacific airline Samoa Air became the first airline to charge passengers according to their size: 29p per kilo for the combined weight of their luggage and themselves. Let’s get the personal opinion out of the way first: great idea! [...]

If you’ve read some of my recent guest posts for the Expat Hub you might be thinking that I’m unhappy with my so called ‘expat lifestyle’. While I would understand if you’d gotten that impression, in reality nothing is further from the truth. I love my life, and I love living in Spain – I [...]

Why am I writing about this now? Because of a debate I recently had with an elderly English couple who were returning to the UK as one needed a greater level of care than the other could provide. To cut a long story short they just didn’t get the fact that having chosen to be [...]

At last a wedding to avoid rather than a funeral! I say avoid because I steer clear of parties and large gatherings like the plague. Ideally I like 4 people round the meal table, although I have accepted that if you really want to enjoy a meal in Spain you need 6 of you to [...]

Many expats living on the Costas of Spain, retired or semi-retired, must feel that they are living in their very own Groundhog Day. For many living here, regular holidays in one location led to the inevitable second property abroad, which in turn became part of their retirement plan. For many this plan involved travel back [...]

Whether or not struggling Spain will accept the European Central Bank’s terms and seek a sovereign bailout is an issue which has weighed heavily on economies around the globe. Ever since ECB President Mario Draghi confirmed suspicions that the central bank would purchase bonds from the most heavily indebted nations Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy [...]

They came so close to getting it sorted but alas Europe’s leaders have stalled hopes that an end to the Euro crisis and Spain’s problems is in sight. The Euro has begun to retreat in the currency markets as traders grow ever more frustrated with squabbling politicians. The next phase of the plan proposed by [...]

Ever since European Central Bank President Mario Draghi announced his determination ‘to do whatever it takes to save the Euro’ the single currency has been doing well in the currency markets. The strong rhetoric from the regions leaders caused confidence to increase and saw the Euro make gains against all of its peers over the [...]

It was sure to happen, after months of dithering by the Euro zone leaders, terrible economic data out of the PIIGS nations and the falling confidence in the global economy the Euro zone’s Gross domestic product has contracted. The figures released by Euro stat show that the region’s economy shrank by 0.2% in the three [...]

The temperature is not the only thing rising in Spain this week. The embattled single currency of the Euro has also seen a rise. The Euro has been buoyed following remarks from the president of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi. He vowed to do whatever it takes to save the struggling single currency, strong [...]

The Spanish economy has seen better days, unemployment has struck a catastrophic 25%, national debt is spiralling out of control, a national bailout looms on the horizon and more expats are struggling to get by. Times are hard but there is a way you can ease the pain as an Expat. The exchange rate is [...]

Despite the success of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy securing a deal to assist the country’s struggling banking system at last week’s Euro summit the news out of Spain continues to be bleak. Unemployment is up half a million on last year (although a slight improvement over the last three months), debts are spiralling out [...]

Spain has a healthy and vibrant Eco-tourism that nature lovers of all ages will enjoy. Some of the top Eco-tourist destinations in Europe are located right in the heart of the country. If you love the idea of spending your vacation among unbelievable landscapes and natural beauty, then any one of Spain’s great Eco-tourism destinations [...]

Going on holiday is something that a lot of families look forward to, and they are grateful when they get to go away with everyone. When taking a trip to Spain, what are some of the best destinations for families? Canary Islands Heading to the islands is something that a lot of people love to [...]

We have over 14 years experience, solving the mobility of thousands of people in the beautiful Almeria. Our specialized services in Almeria taxi pick up and takes you safe and in comfort … almeria transfers, a taxi service that you can count on 24 hours a day. We take you to Almeria Airport Are you [...]

If you need my professional help, call me and receive the treatment in your home. We are a professional team that works to make your life easier. We believe in “Quality of life” and work to achieve this. Our level of English is basic, however we can hold a good conversation with you. The cost [...]

After posting yearly highs against most of its currency rivals the Euro has begun to slow in its ascent upwards and start to fall as the Euro crisis rears its ugly head once again. For a time it appeared as though European Central Bank Governor Mario Draghi’s plan to talk up the single currency had [...]

In honour of the festive season The Expat Hub – the number one online stop for expatriate advice and information – is launching its Christmas photo competition on their competitions page. About the competition The Expat Hub Christmas Photo Competition is open to all expats, former expats and would-be expats from around the world and [...]

Packing up and moving to a foreign city can fill anyone with trepidation and doubt, however a little advice from someone who has done it before, and survived, is always reassuring. This is our low down on how to make the most of your move to Madrid and how not to become lost in translation [...]

Paws Live Music Quiz. 14th June.
With J&J Music & Quizmaster Tony Matthews.
The quiz will be followed by J&J’s Music show. Jim and Jill will also be officially ...

Paramount get their licenses approved.
http://www.murciatoday.com/-alhama-coun … 547-a.html

(depending on your time zone)

Your life will be showing today and tomorrow and
Yes! Yes! Yes!
And the next day too…
Your life will be showing all day ...

Forum really isn't that active these days. One reason is that Facebook has taken over people's lives, another is that we haven't got the time or inclination to worry about ...

Anti noise bylaw dropped by Mojacar townhall – live music becomes legal (for the minute!)

La Voz reports that the anti-noise bylaw was finally not submitted to final voting at ...