Popped along to la Plaza last night to have a drink or two *cough* with Lee and Heather to help them celebrate their first year in business. A very pleasant evening it was as well, after a somewhat strange day ……..

Day started well with the arrival of a new ‘point & shoot’ camera, a Canon G9. Moreno took an instant liking to the box, just as he always has done. When he was younger we seemed to get something delivered most weeks for me to review and it has been a while since he had a box to play with:

He was a little big for the box, but that wasn’t going to stop him and he spent the afternoon asleep in it, despite the fact that he must have been very hot.

Not to be outdone Saidi decided that she was going to have some fun, and as Sands had moved their baskets while she cleaned the floor (the cleaner is history!) she was going to sleep in it anyway:

I was planning on spending the afternoon doing some techy things i.e. upgrade and jailbreak my iPhone for Sands and then read the G9 manual. Didn’t quite work out that way ……

The iPhone proved a challenge and took a lot longer than I had planned, but I got it sorted and Sands is now the proud owner of the iPhone.

Was just settling down to read the manually when Sands said we were going out. I thought we were going at 11pm not 9pm so it was a quick shower and jump in the Jeep. Unfortunately (not the actual phrase I used at the time) the battery was flat as between Sands and Pam they had managed to leave the boot open i.e. light on all day.

So after a very pleasant walk down to the marina we settled down to a couple of beers (me) and a couple of Cava´s (Sands). Sands had her usual Adonis wrap and I went for the BLT. A few more beers and then the JD & Diet Coke’s started ……..

It was good to see Heather ‘out front’ towards the end of the evening and Lee sat with us for half an hour or so towards the end. They had had a great day, lots of people stopping by throughout the day and evening to say hi.

About 2am we walked home, let the cats out and played with them for a while, and then decided to leave the roof open all night for them in the hope that they wouldn’t wake us up in two hours wanting to go out …… it actually worked!

Situated in the busy square in Almerimar, La Plaza is one of my favourite places for a drink and interesting tapas, coffee and scrummy home-made cakes, a girlie salad lunch, breakfast or a relaxed supper. It always has a friendly atmosphere, and being small and cosy more often than not we find we bump into someone, whether it’s English friends, people on holiday who are Almerimar life readers, or last week a big tables of Spaniards we know.

SO if you haven’t tried it yet … where have you been? Presumably not in Almerimar!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

I have been saying a lot recently that we should eat more fish, and whilst having a beer, Chris and I were watching Juan Carlos’s fresh fish supply turn up including some big great looking sardinas. It was at this point that Chris suggested we have lunch as we were both feeling very relaxed but getting hungry. Here was my opportunity to eat more fish, but I just couldn’t order it as, although I would have really enjoyed it, when I am in Al-rruz if it’s not paella, it just has to be one of their fantastic fillet steaks. As I explained to Juan Carlos, and to Chris’s great amusement, whilst my head says eat more fish, my heart cries out for steak!

Anyway our steaks were as delicious as ever, and we had some healthy salad and some not quite so healthy but very good deep fried prawn pancakes to start, all accompanied by the very good house red crianza. I wasn’t tempted by a postre but we finished off with coffee and a little cheese. Since then, it being a particularly hot day, I have mainly enjoyed a siesta, which is just the way to round off a great summer lunch!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

Yesterday we spent a very interesting, pleasant and eventful day in the mountains with our friends Lorenzo and Luisa.

Lorenzo’s farther set up and runs an amazing winery that specialises in environmentally friendly wines called Barranco Oscuro. Lorenzo is following very successfully in his father’s footsteps, as they continue to produce very interesting wines indeed.

They only produce 30,000 bottles a year, primarily red, with a sparking, sweet and white wine thrown in as well. They produce in a manner that we would call Organic I guess - nothing artificial, not pesticides, sugar, etc. The process takes longer, is not without its risks and they were the first to adopt this process arguably in the world!

Luisa has recently set up a business called Vinos Auténticos (Authentic Wines) to promote these and other wines that are produced in this manner:

The day started with a bit of a cock up as we thought we had agreed to meet at 10.30 am but in fact it was 9.30 am so we were a little late for our cafe and tostada at Cafe Milenio. Lorenzo had had to leave so Luisa came with us in the old Jeep, which turned out to be a good move!!! The winery is high in the mountains and a combination of the Jeep’s age and the fact that I hadn’t checked the water for 18 months meant we overheated on the climb up the mountains. Never mind, left the Jeep in a little village called Albondón and Lorenzo came and collected us as we were only 10km from the winery.

To get to the winery you head down the ‘motorway’ towards Malaga. Past Adra you will see a sign to turn left to Albuñol. This is a village with a lot of history as it used to be the center of the agricultural economy (before the plastic) until heavy rains and flooding wiped out pretty much the whole area. Now as you drive through the village you will see what looks like a dry river bed running down the mountain and through the village. This is to capture any future repeat of the heavy rains. From Albuñol you head towards Albondón and then keep going for 10km towards Cádiar. The winery is on your right. It takes no more than an hour (assuming you don’t overheat like we did)

The winery is split into two main vineyards, and they are the highest vines in Spain. In addition to using no herbicides, fertilisers or pesticides on the vines, and something that Sands found really interesting, was that there is actually no need to artificially add yeast to the grapes as it is already there! They let nature take its course. Given the climate if you look at the grapes closely you will see a fine dust covering them, and in this dust is natural yeast. Basically leaving out the sulphur that is so common allows this natural yeast to do its work, and leads to less headaches for wine lovers

They make a white wine, a sweet white wine, several red wines and a unique sparkling wine. The sparkling wine is unique as they add no sugar. Instead they harvest the vines as normal around September but leave a few until December. From the September vines they produce the base wine, and in December they add the newly harvested vines which in effect is the sugar. Another first for the winery as they invented this method.

The vines grow in two areas and one lot are lower in height that the others and planted within an American vine that is used as a ‘antibody’ to a particular harmful pest - a natural protection!!! Lorenzo explained and the different types of vine leaves and how you can tell them apart, but it is a while before I would want to be tested on them!!!

The actual winery is in the middle of the construction of the tasting rooms and acomodation, and the production area is pretty quite at this time of year, but we had a great tour around. One thing that is immediately obvious is how labour intensive the whole process is, especially the sparkling wine.

The wines start at 7€ for a red wine and the most expensive is the sweet wine at 29€. The sparkling wine is 9€. As for the wines themselves I am no expert at all, and in fact have very little interest in wine. They tasted OK to me, although certainly a little different from the ones you find in the shops and restaurants. I actually don’t like sparkling wine or champagne at all, nor do I like sweet wines, but I did enjoy the reds and the white, and would certainly drink them on a regular basis.

After the tour we stopped off at a local restaurant (yes it did serve their wines!!) for a traditional 2 hour spanish lunch that was very pleasant (salad, scrambled eggs with prawns and green beans, snails, fish, meats, sausages etc).

By the time we got back to the car it had cooled down and after topping it up with water it got us home OK. The irony is that I am waiting on the parts to come from the UK so that I can service it!

Photos

You can see more photos over on our Flickr account, or all of the photos over on our

Video

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This is a long video at just under 30 minutes but it is full of useful facts about the wine production at Barranco Oscuro and the tasting of the wines.

Main events of interest are:

• 24th - Hermin Soul Music at Guardia Viejas
• 25th - Dúo Fathi Yakoub y Mathieu Saqlio at Guardia Viejas
• 25th - Diego Cruz Blues & Jazz at Brisamar
• 26th and 27th - 5 a side Beach Football
• 26th - Caldereria Flamenco at Brisamar
• 27th - David Garcia

On Tuesday La Plaza will have been open one year!

As for us, after a somewhat busier week than normal with both the opening of La Barbera and the Virgen del Carmen celebrations, this week is looking equally if not more busy, not least a meeting as a result of my What Next For The Foro De Almerimar article.

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

I forgot that when we went to the opening of La Barbera I took a photograph of a new supermarket that has opened in the row of bars etc just behind the Espignon.

I forgot to go and find out the details of the superkarket.

I forget is the name of the supermarket!!! How do I know that? well we have just been for a bike ride and called in at Cafe H@cker for an ice cream, and bumped into Alfonso and Marcus from the rugby club. Marcus insisted that I had a whisky with him, and then explained that he hadn’t been around as he had been busy ….. not with the Pharmacy that he owns in El Ejido, but with the new supermarket that he has opened in Almerimar. Yes, he owns I Forgot!!!

It is open from 9am through 11pm 7 days a week and carries a large range of items, especially those last minute items that you forget. Good idea, great name!!!

I know that we will be using it - in fact I could well be going down in the next hour looking at the state of our fridge!!!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

About Almerimar

About Almerimar

The public should be prepared to intervene to stop crime and be willing to stand up for others, Jacqui Smith says today.

Replace Jacqui Smith with Steven and that is exactly what he said in La Plaza last night!

After another hot and humid day we decided to wander down to the marina around 11.30pm and it was good to see that the square in particular was very busy. We bumped into a friend in La Plaza who in turn introduced us to a couple from Northern Ireland who …… you’ve guessed it, read the site and recognised us.

It was one of those evenings where I lost track of the number of subjects that we discussed, although the ailing state of the economy and it’s effect on Almerimar got debated, but we did comment as usual on how good it was to see the children running around in the square. The comparison was made with all the knife crime in the UK at the moment (21 teenagers stabbed to death in London alone this year!) and in particular the stabbing of a 16 year old outside a night club at 1am. To be honest none of us could really get our mind around why a 16 year old was out that late and at a night club - certainly wouldn’t have happened in our day!!! The NI couple then mentioned that they had recently been to Portugal and stayed in the place that Madeline went missing from, and that got us discussing all the young children running around in the square.

On the subject of knife crime Steven was adamant that he would ‘have a go’. I am not so sure!!! I like to think (and am pretty certain) that I would defend my nearest and dearest, but when I hear of people being killed for trying to stop a thief running off with their handbag, or car I do shake my head and think ‘what a waste’.

So what do I think about Ms Smiths comment? Well I tend to disagree, but I am convinced that she shouldn’t have said it!!! For the Home Secretary to be condoning and indeed encouraging ‘have a go heros’ is totally wrong in my view. I tend to favour Boris Johnson’s recent advice to his sons “not to get involved”, but then again could you live with yourself if you watched and did nothing while someone got killed? I guess the answer lies in the phrase “live with” i.e. you would still be alive and with options to try and get involved to help in other ways.

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

Over the last couple of weeks I have started to look at what the future holds for the Foro De Almerimar. I wrote recently about the Time For Business To Change In Almerimar and at the time I had at the back of my mind that the Foro could be at the center of that change. Over the last couple of weeks I have started to revise that opinion.

As I understood it from the initial meeting and subsequent conversations the primary objective of the Foro was to provide an environment for businesses to get together and discuss initiatives to help stimulate growth in Almerimar. It wasn’t intended to promote individual businesses, and it was not intended that it would promote or favour individuals. It certainly wasn’t there to promote itself.

Take the recent Feria Virgen del Carmen by way of an illustration. By my reckoning (we were given the prices of a half page and full page advert) the Foro have done an excellent job in raising over 6.000€ …… or should I say the local businesses have done an excellent job in supporting the Foro? See where this is heading? A little ‘chicken or egg’ here! I can only assume that the money went towards the cost of the Club de Playa facilities, which would seem sensible and practical …… but how did that actually benefit the businesses in Almerimar directly? If I am a bar owner in the marina is it really in my interests for people to be going into another venue to eat and drink when they could be doing that in my bar?

If this was tennis that would be 15-0!

Ah but the Foro could say that they facilitated the opportunity for the bars and restaurants to set up facilities in the Playa giving them the option to generate revenue and awareness. Indeed as was commented on the site, Cafe H@cker did just that in association with the rugby club.

15-15!

Ah, but I am a small bar with limited resources and staff and as we are all aware times are tough here so how do you expect me to staff two facilities, or afford to close down my bar for the night, especially after I have already paid you to advertise in the magazine?

30-15!

But ……… the Foro would be correct in saying that they are only here to provide opportunities and that is what they did. It is not up to them to sort out the logistical and operational issues of the businesses.

30-30!

That is a good point, but without thriving bars, restaurants, shops etc. Almerimar has no heart and soul and no one will want to come and visit or live here, would be a justifiable retort would it not?

40-30

So now we are at a crucial point. If the businesses win the next point then that is game over for the Foro. So it really is up to the Foro to rally strongly …….. but can it or indeed should it even?

I have a feeling that the Foro believes that it isn’t here to help promote specific businesses but to try and ‘do good stuff’ for Almerimar, and help organise events for people to enjoy here, yet what the businesses really need is targeted and specific assistance.

So before the next point is played out I think the Foro needs to take a time out and consider what is best, after all fewer people are attending the meetings, and the recent activities at the Club de Playa were not a huge success.

So it appears the Foro is at a crossroads, and if I could issue a word or warning as a impartial observer care is needed as to to which direction it takes as one of the roads appears to be a dead end!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

The EU is to release emergency aid worth up to two billion euros (£1.6bn) to help the fishing industry cope with high fuel costs and overcapacity.

The crisis has sent shock waves through an already troubled real estate industry and heightened fears that other property and construction companies could also fail.

The UK has officially ratified the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty. The documents were deposited with the Italian foreign affairs ministry in Rome on Wednesday.

Sandra wrote yesterday about the schedule for the last night of celebration for Virgen del Carmen and last night we went down to participate.

For the first time we went round to the small chapel by the tower to watch the mass. It was held outdoors and had a very impressive turnout - makes you realise just how religious Spain is still. We both said how embarrassed we were that in all the time that we’d been here we hadn’t made the effort to attend. Again it was hard to spot an English face in the crowd which was a real shame. What is the point of coming to live in a country and not participating in and respecting its culture and traditions? Even if, like me, you struggle to learn the language you can still learn so much just from being at these events, and the Spanish as a whole are very welcoming and generous - they really appreciate you making the effort and joining in.

Our plan was to go down and spend a couple of hours in the marina and then come back to change, play with the cats and then go down to the party and the beach events and finally watch the fireworks.

As with all good plans ………

The mass was amazing. No idea what was being said, and it did seem to drag on a bit, but as we walked down towards the tower in a growing group of people we had the feeling of being dragged towards something. Turning the corner we were both surprised to see so many people, and a band. The mass took over 30 minutes after which the parade started through the marina, with the vigin being carried by the marineros. In a way it was weird as people (lots of children included) just walked, respectfully, behind the Virgen del Carmen, and the parade was led by two guys letting off rockets on a frequent basis.

As the parade entered the square we decided that as we were hungry we would stop off at La Plaza and grab a quick bite to eat.

That turned out to be a mistake, although a pleasant one! We had a couple of drinks and a very tasty new tapas of Empanada Chilli (chilli in pastry) and then Sands had her usual Adonis Wrap and I went for the Hot Chicken & Bacon Baguette - which was the mistake! It was very nice but I forgot that it came with garlic mayonnaise, which I just don’t get on with. Individually I am fine with either garlic or mayonnaise, but put them together and 9/10 I will feel sick.

And I did!

Not enough to be ill but by the time we got home and went up on the roof to play with the cats it some became apparent that the most appealing option for me was to slob out on the sofa in front of Sky+ and then watch the fireworks from the balcony. I am glad we did as Moreno in particular still gets very spooked by the noise and we both feel more comfortable being with him!!

Shame that we didn’t get to the party and the beach, but at least I am awake and alert this morning!!

The fireworks were impressive and by 1am all the music and fireworks has stopped so was easy enough to fall asleep after a very pleasant evening, even if it didn’t go to plan …….. again!!!!!

Photos

You can see a larger selection of photos over on Flickr

You can see all the photos in the Web Gallery

Videos

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Fireworks At The End Of The Evening

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

Tonight is the end of the week of celebrations for Virgen del Carmen.

This is a great evening and well worth being out and about for as the port is usually buzzing, and I love taking part in the Spanish traditions. We have actually missed it a lot of years as we were traveling over the summers, and the first year we missed the procession because we didn’t have our timings right and were still enjoying a glass of wine in some friends’ apartment. The next year we watched it by accident as we were about to go away and were again enjoying a glass of wine, this time with friends outside one of the bars. We were all wondering why there were so many people around when the procession started and we happened to be positioned purely by chance right near the start. In recent years we have got our act together!

So for anyone planning to be there tonight, you need to get down to the port by around 8pm, as I have it from Antonio, the marinero, that things start at 8pm with a mass at the little chapel near the tower. It is easy to forget that as well as a week of fiestas this is an important religious time and the Virgin has resided in the chapel throughout the week.

Vivien from the Foro has told me that some years the mass is actually held outside, but with the weather unfortunately looking a bit iffy today, that seems unlikely.

Immediately after the mass the Virgin sets off on her procession around the port, finishing around 10pm back at the tower where she is sent off to sea amid singing from the marineros.

Ok that´s the ceremonial bit. What follows is a general fun busy night around the port finishing off with a firework display around midnight, and for music lovers there is a orchestral concert on the beach near the Club de Playa. There are also the presentations of the golf and football trophys around 12am.

If you happen to be down in the port earlier, there is music and the festival continues at the Club de Playa but tonight the main act is definitely later. This will be a great fun evening for all the family and the Spanish will be out in force. Enjoy!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

About Almerimar

By the time we arrived at 10pm the party was well and truly on it’s way, and party is the only way that you could describe the opening of La Barbera last night.

There is limited parking next to the restaurant, so if you do go I suggest that you park in the marina and enjoy a walk along the beach. It is certainly a nice way to arrive and depart the restaurant.

The restaurant, or Taberna to give it its correct title, is very clean and effectively a couple of large open spaces, one for the main restaurant (and small bar) and one for the main long bar. There is also a small enclosed dining area just off the main restaurant area.

We had a few questions we wanted answering before we got down to enjoying the festivities so let me get them out of the way first:

Yes - it is the old La Solea team back and it was great to see so many familiar faces
Yes - the menu is very similar i.e. Spanish to La Solea (you can check it out for yourself from 3pm onwards each day)
No - judging by the fact that 95% of the people there were Spanish I don’t think Paco is anticipating much English custom. You should surprise him though, it is a great place and he is a superb host, never a smile off his face!
No - La Barbera is not associated with the bar above, Escapate. The Escapate is run by the son of the owner of the property and La Barbera is rented off the father.

As for the evening - excellent!!! The food was very good indeed, jamon, lomo, croquets, deep fried thinly sliced vegetables, queso, crisps, bread and at the end a donut!

The drinks were the ‘usual’ red wine or beer, with some sparkling white wine provided at the end.

There was a very good band that played for the last hour, and with the outside terrace as full as the inside of the Taberna I wouldn’t like to guess how many people were there.

We recognised a few of the well know ‘important and glamorous’ people (no this is not going to turn into a Hello! post!!!!!), but the majority were the regulars from La Solea and all seemed to be the best of friends with Paco. The smile didn’t leave his face all night, and nor should it have! He works extremely hard as do his staff, including my latest ‘best friend’ who seemed to be under instruction to make sure that neither my plate or glass was ever empty!

All in all a very enjoyable evening in an extremely pleasant environment. A tip though - the toilets aren’t signed yet so as you look at them the gents is on the right.

Photos

You can see a larger selection of the photos over on our Flickr! account, or all of the photos on our Web Gallery

Video

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About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

About 7 months ago Chris bought me a very cute red iPod Nano. The red product range is the one where Apple give a % of the sale to charity so that was a extra bonus. I loved my Nano and used it all the time when running, learning Spanish (well maybe not all the time then!), and up on the roof either sunbathing or playing with the cats.

About 3 weeks ago though it just died on me. Chris did everything that the Apple site suggested to try and get it going, and a few things that they don’t suggest that he knows about through his addiction passion for all things Apple and numerous online buddies!

Last thing he said to me was along the lines of “leave it with me, I will talk to my mate at Apple when he gets back off leave to sort out sending it to be repaired” - never one to KISS is Chris (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Anyway I got a bit fed up waiting so earlier today went onto the Apple site and got the support phone number in Spain. I was a little concerned that my Spanish wouldn’t be good enough but truned out not to be a problem at all as they spoke perfect English. I gave them the serial number and was pleased to find it was under warranty still (you never know with Chris as this Nano came through a mate who was going to America!). They knew it was purchased in the US and wanted to know the name of the person that bought it, which I knew thankfully, and although it was registered to Chris’s Apple account they were happy to talk to me - so far so good, but things were just about to get better!!

After giving them my address I was all set to write down the details of where I had to send it when the guy said “right, it will be collected in 2 or 3 days!!” Yes that is right, they are sending someone to pick it up, with all the right packaging so that all I need to do is give them the Nano, and they will take it away, send it off, and bring it back in 8-10 days when it is fixed. Now that IS impressive and made me feel really good - far from the battle and hassle that I expected it couldn’t have been easier - no packaging, no trip to the post office, nada. Perfect customer services!!

So Chris when you are reading this here is a big KISS from me.

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.

“pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction”

• An ambition to build a common future based on the full respect of democratic principles, human rights and fundamental freedoms
• Determination to eradicate terrorism and to combat its sponsors
• Creation of a free trade area in the Euromed region by 2010 and beyond and the promotion of all-round regional economic integration
• Promoting orderly managed legal migration and fighting illegal migration.

• De-pollution of the Mediterranean: Cleaning up sea water and coastal areas
• Sea and land “highways”: Developing port infrastructure, coastal motorways, modernising the trans-Maghreb train, co-operation in maritime safety
• Civil protection: Joint efforts to prevent and respond to natural and man-made disasters
• Alternative energy: Exploring the feasibility of a “Mediterranean Solar Plan” to develop solar power as a key energy source, along with other green energy sources
• Higher education: Establishing a Euro-Mediterranean University, based in Slovenia, promoting academic mobility and partnerships among member states’ universities
• Mediterranean business initiative: Providing technical and financial help for small and medium-sized companies, using voluntary contributions from member states.

About Almerimar

The celebrations for Virgen del Carmen continue until Wednesday, and this year we had another ‘no show’ by the Beatles Tribute band as Sands suggested after her Saturday morning gossip.

Don’t forget that you can everything that is happening in Almerimar that we are aware of in the Events Calendar

As for this week personally then it has to be better than last week with the loss of my N95 the highlight, or should that be the lowlight!!! Losing 1.000€ to Sands and not being able to get the new iPhone wasn’t great either!!

I have been fixated by the cricket and am looking forward to the last day today but apart from that I have a lot of work to do at the moment.

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.