The Granada and
Lecrin Valley News

May 2012

It's weather time again.

The continual rain and/ or grey skies were just some of the reason we left the UK.

We came to Sunny Spain!

In fact, as we were leaving England on the ferry we both thought we would be coming to continuing sun, warmth and more sun.

Of course it isn't always like that.

Just as life isn't always like that - continuous idyll.

But. And this is a big BUT, we do know that the rain will stop and the sun will shine and the skies will be blue again.

And that was something we could never be sure of in England.

May opens with the Fiesta of Cruz de Mayo, a celebration of Spring and the months to come.

I hope that the months to come bring you sunshine and joy in your heart.

Thank you to those of you who pass these Newsletters on to friends and family. By supporting us in this way we can provide a better and a more informative service for you.

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In this issue (click on the link or scroll down):-

Life in The Lecrin Valley

What's Been Happening in Granada and The Lecrin Valley

Los Limoneros

Help Yourself To Health

What's on the web

Just For Fun

Items for Sale

What's On Next

Footnote

Previous Issues of the Newsletter

Feedback

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Life In The Lecrin Valley

A Visit To The Bodega in the Lecrin Valley

Last week we were on our way out for the day with friends and, on the spur of the moment, we decided to pay a quick visit to the Bodega between Cozvijar and Conchar.

I've ridden past it dozens of times on my bike over the past few years and have seen it grow. And grow.

But this was the fist time I had actually gone inside.

I was impressed!

The vineyards around the buildings are vast. And there is something very relaxing in just sitting somewhere comfortably and gazing at the miles and miles of straight rows over grape vines.

We went inside the hotel and the staff were very welcoming and friendly. The two grand armchairs in reception (see photo) create an effective backdrop for the traditional and attractive surroundings.

What took my attention was a notice saying that there is a guided tour around the Bodega each day at 12 noon. The price of 12 euros includes wine tastings and tapas.

To book your place phone 958 777 092.

You never know - you could well see me there!

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What's Been Happening
in Granada and The Lecrin Valley

Out of interest, here are some recent news items concerning life out here.

• Pharmacist Santiago Ruiz ran the 80 kilometres from Motril to Granada without shoes. He wanted to promote his belief in the advantages of "barefoot running". The belief is that running barefoot is a more natural activity than wearing shoes and so it has health benefits. The journey from Motril to Granada took less than eight hours.


• An initiative working with various shops and the Department of Youth in Padul has started a cooking , baking and catering course for people aged between 16 and 35 years old. Training will be given by Diego Morales, the chef of the restaurant La Bodega del Prójimo in Padul. The number of registrations - three were 60 of them - exceeded all expectations


• The Sheikh of Abu Dabhi visited the City of Granada and after visiting various municipal offices, the heads of local government went to the hall Mariana Pineda for talks.


• Emergency roadside telephone call-boxes are becoming obsolete because most people now use their mobile phones when they get into trouble. Many have been, and are still, being dismantled and removed


• Do you know anyone who has lost an aeroplane? Granada Airport has acknowledged that they have an aeroplane on their land which appears to have been abandoned. It has been there since July 2003 but cannot be flown because some parts are missing. If it is not claimed soon it may be disposed of! (You have been warned.)


• Padul lottery ticket seller Carmen Castilian sold nine Once tickets from Calle Real in the centre of Padul. Each one won 35,000 euros. That is a total of 315,000 euros. Maybe I should buy a lucky ticket from her for May


• It was noted that there is a rising incidence of men who have anorexia. Apparently many men find it more difficult than women to seek help because it is seen as a sign of weakness.


• Employers estimate that 739 businesses have closed in the area of Camino de Ronda in Granada, mainly due to the roads and access being closed to traffic because of the Metro workings


• A new type of shopping system is in Granada city at the moment. It is called a "Pop Up" shop and it is open for ten days only and then it closes and moves on. There are discounts of up to 70% for the designer shirts of Custo Dalmau. If you want to check it out, it is in Reyes Católicos and closes on May 5th.

Learn how to prepare and enjoy delicious Greek dishes for your family and friends.

There are just a couple of places left for the Greek Masterclass on Tuesday May 8th.

You will be working with filo pastry and making Aubergine dip, Green peppers with village sausage, Giant baked beans, Pork casserole, Beef stifado and Baklava.

There will plenty of opportunity for asking questions. The Class lasts from 11.00am to 2.00pm. that is when we sit down to enjoy the food that has been prepared, along with lunch guests you have invited.

Yes, you can also invite your friends and family to have lunch with you, for only 10 euros a guest. It is a great social and enjoyable day. Price per Master Class attendee is 40 euros which includes training, lunch, comprehensive manual and ongoing email support for your Greek Cooking.

Individual AttentionThere will be no more than six students so Babs can give personal attention to each and every person.

Cooking skill needed:- All Master Classes cater for people with all levels of cooking experience, from the most basic cook to someone who is very competent and who just wants to expand their knowledge of a different cuisine.

To book your place or get more information, phone (0034) 661 036 787 or contact us by email.

Of course, there are a number of reasons why someone could get headaches.

But it was when I read a recent article in the Daily Telegraph about how doctors in the UK haven’t been taking headaches seriously that I decided to write this post.

To read about headaches and what you can do about them, go to Why Do I Have A Headache And Why Shouldn’t I Go To The Doctor?.

I specialise in:-

• Relieving back pain, and
• Overcoming emotional & physical problems to help get your life on track.

To find out more about how to feel better, or how if you are in pain and have had enough of suffering, contact me

Textbooks and exams are all good when it comes to teaching math, but how do the students know when/how to apply that math in the real world?

GetTheMath is a project that aims to do just that, i.e. teaching students how math is used in the fields of fashion design, video game design and more.

To check it out, go to www.thirteen.org/get-the-math.

An Irishman was terribly overweight, so his doctor put him on a diet.

"I want you to eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day, then eat regularly again for 2 days then skip a day. Repeat this procedure for 2 weeks. The next time I see you, you should have lost at least 5 pounds."

When the Irishman returned, he shocked the doctor by having lost nearly 60lbs!

"Why, that's amazing!" the doctor said, "Did you follow my instructions?"

The Irishman nodded. "I'll tell you though, by jaesuz, I t'aut I were going to drop dead on dat 3rd day."

"From the hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor.

"No, from the feckin' skipping"

Ha ha ha ha. Lesley assured me that no Irish people were injured in the making of that joke. Thanks for sending it in, Lesley. I remember it arriving at a time that I needed a laugh.

And if anyone else knows any good jokes, send them in so I can share them, too!

A small selection of cards for men and "hand-made with love"

Some of the cards for women
"hand-made with love by Pat"

• 1st to 3rd May Fiesta Cristo del Zapato, Pinos del Valle.


• 3rd Cruz de mayo, Dúrcal, Padul and Granada - more information at Cruz de Mayo 2012 in Granada.


• 4th to 6th May La Fiesta de la Cruz de mayo Padul


• There is a series of films this month organised by the Caja Granada Memorial Centre in Granada. Entry is free. Up and coming titles are May 8: A Blind, May 15: The Old Man and the Sea and May 22: The Godfather. Venue is the Avenue of Science, 2, in Granada


• 15th May Fiesta Romería Virgen del Cerro, Restabal.


• 15th May Fiesta San Isidro, Cozvijar.


• From now until June 10th Exhibition "Luz del Sur" (Southern Light) by Irish-born American painter Sean Scully at the Alhambra, showcasing the relationship between Scully and the Moorish palace in Granada. Venue is the Carlos V palace, Alhambra.


• From now until September 12th there is an exhibition at the Science Park in Granada which is all about Tyrannosaurus Rex. The science Park is a great place to go at any tiem, but especially when it is raining as there are lots of things to do and see inside. For more information about this particular exhibition go to Tyrannosaurus Rex

We had been invited to attend the wedding of our friends' daughter in England and so I bought a suit from Granada for the occasion.

When I tried it on in the shop I noticed that the legs were a little on the long side and so I had them shortened.

And then when I got the suit home I tried it on again just to make sure everything was ok. It was.

Or rather it seemed to be!

When I retrieved it from the wardrobe in order to pack it before our trip I noticed that the flaps at the back and the pockets had been tacked together to protect the line of the material.

But when I tried to unpick the side pockets in the jacket I discovered that there were none there! The pockets consisted of an outside pocket flap and a stitched down lining inside.

All I can say is that it was a good job I could take my man bag with me to put my things in!

Has that ever happened to anyone else? Getting a pocket that was not a pocket?

If you have had any unusual pockets or stitching on your clothes why not tell us about it.