The Canary News Edition 36

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FREEEvery 2 weeks, Edition 36, 3rd December - 16th December 2010GRATIS - FREI - GRATUITEMENT - ILMAINENThe Canary Islands’ most successful FREE Newspaper

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NEWSCanary

Page 4Christmas SandSculpture

Page 7Canarian CharacterRichard Clarke

5Xmas Restaurant/Cafe2010 Pullout Guide

Page 205 Successful YearsGC Weddings

A second Primark store opened its’ doors on 26th November in the new Commercial Centre El Mirador, Las Palmas. And as before, The Canary News was invited along to attend the event.

CovERiNG A massive 3,500 square metres and employing more than 208 staff, the store is situated on two floors, is light, bright and airy and like the first store in Las Arenas has a hi-tec bank of checkouts. But the most important factor for those of us

who live in the south of the island, is that it is situated on the GC1 this side of Las Palmas, opposite Las Terrazas Commercial Centre – fantastic news for those who feel nervous at driving through or around Las Palmas.

Jose Luis Martinez de Larramendi, Director of Primark Spain had this to say about the store; ‘With this new opening, Primarks’ commitment to its’ clients of providing a truly excellent shopping experience is evident in the design, layout and

spaciousness. You can browse at your leisure, try things on in our changing rooms and with a huge choice of womens/mens/childrenswear and household items we bring the best quality at very competitive prices.

We are certain that this second store in Las Palmas will be received with great enthusiasm by the people of Gran Canaria’.

An exciting new development offered by Primark, which was launched at this second store,

and is a first for their stores in Spain, is the introduction of a ‘gift’ plastic debit card – an alternative from the usual ‘paper’ gift vouchers which many other stores offer.

So if you are stuck on what to buy for Christmas presents, you can easily purchase one of these cards, in various denominations, and let the person choose for themselves.

A Gift from Primark. See page 26

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idiomas: inglés y español.

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The 2nd Store

2The Canary News - Friday 3rd December - Thursday 16th December 2010 - Issue 36 www.thecanarynews.com

island information

Agüimes In front of the municipal swimming poolThursdays 09:00-14:00Arguineguín La Plaza Negra: Every Tuesday 08:00-14:00CC Ancora Every Thursday 08.00-14.00TARA Second Hand Market, Plaza de Pino Seco, ArguinegínEvery Saturday 9.00 onwardsArucas Calle Francisco Gourier: Every Saturday 08:00-14:00Gáldar General MarketPlaza de Santiago de Apostól: Every Thursday 08:00-14:00.Gáldar Collectors’ MarketGuaires, 26, Tel: 928.55.21.40IngenioEn el Ejido: First Sunday of every month 09.00-15.00Jinámar Ramblas de Jinámar (Telde): Sundays 9:00-15:00 Las Palmas RastroTerrace on top of the bus stationEvery Sunday 8.00-14.00Maspalomas Second Hand MarketCC Faro 2, Campo Internacional, MaspalomasSundays 10.00 onwardsMaspalomas Artisans’ MarketNext to Global Bus StationMelonerasMercadillo en Meloneras: Every Thursday 10.00-17.00MendizábalCalle de Mendizábal, Vegueta, Las PalmasThird Saturday of every monthMoyaOn top of the bus station: Every Sunday 08:00-14:00Playa del Inglés Artesan market, at Parque Europeo, (next to the Minitren)Everyday except Sunday 19.30-23.30.Puerto de MogánTraditional craft marketPlaza del Parking, Puerto de Mogán: Every Monday 09.00-14.30Puerto de Mogán General MarketEl Muelle Deportivo: Every Friday 08:00-14:00 San FernandoSan Fernando Municipal Market, Maspalomas.Every Wednesday and Saturday: 08:00-14:00 San Fernando Municipal MarketSkating ring in San FernandoEvery second Sunday 09:00-14:00San Mateo Every Saturday: 08:00-20:00 and Sundays 08:00-15:00.Santa BrígidaUnderneath the municipal park in Villa de Santa Brígida.Every Saturday 08:00-20:00 and every Sunday from 08:00-14:00Santa Catalina Mercadillo in Las Palmas de G.C.Art Gallery of Parque de Santa Catalina Every Sunday between 08.00-14.00.

Santa LuciaMercadillo de Santa Lucia: Every Sunday 8.00-14.00Santa María de GuíaPlaza del Casco HistoricoEvery Tuesday and Sunday 10.00-14.00TeldePlaza de San Gregorio, by the bus stationEvery Saturday 08:00-14:00Teror Around the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del PinoEvery Sunday 08:00-14:00VallesecoMercado Municipal : Every Sunday 08.00-14.00Valsequillo Calle Isla de la Gomera : Every Sunday 08:00-14:00Vecindario Agricultural MarketRecinto FerialEvery Monday 08:00-14:00 onLa Karpa, Avda. de las TirajanasEvery second Saturday 08.00-14.00Vecindario General MarketRecinto FerialEvery Wednesday 08.00-14.00Vegueta, Cultural and Craftsmanship marketPlaza del Pilar Nuevo, Las Palmas de G.C.Every Sunday of every month(except July, August and Sept.) 10.00-14.00.

Markets in Gran Canaria

Las Palmas Airport: 928 579 000

Emergency Line: 112 Police, Fire Brigade

Ambulance: 928 492 112

Fire Brigade Las Palmas 928 446 444 Maspalomas 928 762 671

Playa del Inglés, San Agustín, San Bartolomé de Tirajana 928 762 671

Local Police Province - 092 Las Palmas 928 304 600 Maspalomas 928 764 000

Guardia Civil Province 062 Las Palmas 928 762 898Puerto Rico 928 736 817S. Bartolomé 928 750 222

National Police Las Palmas Masapalomas 928 764 000

Sea Rescue 900 202 202 & 928 467 757

Consulates: British Consulate Consul: Matthew Vickers Edificio_Cataluna,_C/Luis Morote 6, 3rd Floor, Las Palmas Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8.30am to 1.30pm Telephone 928 262 508 www.ukinspain.com

Irish Consulate195, Leon y Castillo, Las PalmasTelephone 928 297 728

Austria - 928 782 500 Belgium - 928 461 718 Denmark - 928 264 764 Finland - 928 224 358 France - 928 292 371 Germany - 928 491 880 Italy - 928 241 911Luxembourg - 928 243 431 Netherlands - 922 271 721 Norway - 928 495 035 Portugal - 928 233 144

Sweden - 928 260 884 Switzerland - 928 293 450

Taxis:928 154 77 or 902 192 019

Ferries:Fred Olsen 928 495 040

Transmediterranea 928 273 884

Armas 928 327 383

Consumer issues: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/index_en.htm

international Directory Enquires: 025

UK operator: 900 990044

Lost/Stolen credit cards: 900 974445

Health Centre Appointments 012

international Pension Centre 0044 191 21 87777 www.thepensionservice.ov.uk

Bereavement Benefit 00441912183847

Medical Benefits0044 191 2181999 (www.dh.gov.uk) HMRC

Doctor:British Medical 928 560 016

Chemists:Maspalomas 928 141 552Playa del Ingles 928 762 173San Fernando 928 771 625Arguineguin 928 151 339Puerto Rico 928 560 661Mogan 928 565 504

Age Concern España 902 003 838 (www. acespana.org)

Swimming SafetyRed_flag: No swimmingYellow_flag:Swim with care Green_flag:Safe to swim

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Adverts, copy changes, classifieds, clubs and editorial copy:

Friday noon for the following Friday’s edition to air your views. Letters on any subject are welcomed by the Editor for publication and must arrive by 12 noon on Friday for consideration for the following Friday’s edition. Priority will be given to letters dealing with local issues. We reserve the right to amend or shorten letters.

The Canary News accepts no responsibility for readers´comments.

if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service you can write to Edificio Mercurio Torre 1, 2ºE, Playa del inglés, Gran Canaria, España. To get your paper Looking for a copy of your FREE The Canary News then call Brian on 667 994 351 to find out where you can pick up your newspaper.

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The Canary News does not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers, either in advertisements or advertorials, nor can it be held responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, or the non appearance of advertisements or advertorials. This publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors as a result of poor quality artwork or logos supplied by advertisers and no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy or nonappearance of an advertisement or advertorial. Every effort will be made to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of articles and advertisements in this publication, however the publisher does not accept responsiblity for claims or opinions in the same. Reproduction of any part of this newspaper without the consent of the publisher is prohibited E & O E. Edita: JDC Canaries SLU, Imprime: Canarias7, C/Mimosas, s/n-Parcela 131-1ª Fase-Manzana V 35119 Pol. Ind. Arinaga, Villa de Agüimes, Gran Canaria, España.

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Spa Supermarket -Santa BrigidaSpa Supermarket –Near Bandama Golf CourseSpa Supermarket – Monte LentiscalTourist information – Playa de Las CanterasTourist information – El MuelleHospital insular x 3 reception areasvisocan – Las PalmasCafe Clandestino – Las PalmasClub Hindustanico – Las PalmasScooters Pizza – Las Terrazas Poornima indian Restaurant – Playa del inglesBar Franky – Bahia FelizDanny’s Surf Shop – Annex 11Sunshine Jewellers – Puerto RicoElegance – Puerto Ricooccasions – Puerto RicoCafe Carpe Diem – San FernandoMulligans – irish Centre

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3www.thecanarynews.com Issue 36 - Friday 3rd December - Thursday 16th December 2010 - The Canary News

Events

“Artists from the Atlantic”.12th November till 12th December, Monday to Friday, 16.00 till 21.00 hours.Art exposition congregating some of the most highlighted Canarian Artists. ExpoMeloneras, Maspalomas.

Festival Canarias Hard & Heavy Meeting3 & 4 December 2010, starts 20.00Duke’s Club, Avenida de Tirajana, 1, Playa del Inglés. Tickets: 2 days 30€ in advance or 35€ on the door. 1 day 18€ in advance or 20€ on the door.For further information [email protected]

Christmas Concert11th December, 19.30 prompt,Holy Trinity Church, Las Palmas.Tickets 8€ inclusive. Proceeds to main benefactor The Josephine Charles Foundation with donations to the Lions Club Gran Canaria South, and Spurgeon (UK). Tickets from [email protected].

Christmas Party 18th December 2010. Entertainment, Santa Claus with gifts for kids, games, karaoke. Pre-booking for children required. Fusion Restaurant & Lounge Bar, Arguineguin. Further information, phone 928 185 662

Casa-Museo del vinoC/. Calvo Sotelo, 26 35300- Santa Brígida Mon – Fri, from 10.00-15.00History of the vineyards, groups welcome.

“Something Elsa”19th December, 15.00-17.00Live performance Fusion Restaurant & Lounge Bar, Arguineguin

Christmas Celebration and LunchChristian Life ChurchSunday, Dec 26th 11.00El Mesón de ArucasPlease call for tickets: 15€/adult928 26 97 91www.cliclaspalmas.com

Municipal Programme de Senderismo (Walks)Contact 619 049 654 (Divernatura) for more info

3rd walk: 11th Dec 2010Finca Osorio-ArucasEasy level, 12kms, children welcome

Nativity scene in el Centro insular de TurismoAvda. de España – esquina con la Avda. Estados UnidosCentro Comercial Yumbo.35100 Playa del Inglés.Tlf. 928 771 550Mon – Fri from 9:00 a 21:00 h. Saturday: from 9 a 13:00 h.From 10th Dec – 10th Jan 2011

Nativity scene in las Casas Consistoriales de TunteOficina MunicipalPlaza de la Constitución, nº135290 San Bartolomé de Tirajana.Tlf. 928 123 014Mon – Fri from 8:00 a 14:00 h.From 13th Dec – 9th Jan 2011

New information System in SpainBritish residents are to get better access to information about community

organisation and charities that can help them, through a new information system launched.

The system, launched by FUNDAR, the regional Ministry for Solidarity and Citizenship of Valencia, and the British Consulate in Alicante, comprises an

English language version of Infosolidari@ Points, a network of over 70 online kiosks throughout the region of Valencia.

This network will enable British and English-speaking residents to access information on charities and community support organisations which specialise

in disability, childcare, the elderly, the environment and development cooperation. The network includes an Infosolidari@ point at the British

Consulate in Alicante. Paul Rodwell, British Consul in Alicante, said:

“This new tool will allow British citizens to have easy access to useful information. I hope it will also encourage many people to get involved in voluntary work and feel more integrated in their communities. This is an important step forward in the integration of support for both Spanish and

British communities in the region of Valencia.”The Infosolidari@ Points enable users to access personalised information

quickly and easily, whether they are citizens seeking information, would-be volunteers, volunteers, NGOs or companies. There are over 200,000 volunteers

in the Valencian region.As well as the Infosolidari@ Points, FUNDAR offers residents an English-

language version of its website and a monthly newsletter containing information on all the projects and services that FUNDAR offers, including its Volunteer Training Plan, the “Solidarity in the Classroom” campaign to teach

values, and the “ENGAGE Valencian Community” corporate volunteering project, among others.


Local News

LAST WEEK work began to move tons of sand in front of the Saulo Torón square, La Puntilla, so that artists could begin their magnificent work on the Belen – Christmas nativity scene in Las Palmas.

Playa de Las Canteras, for the fifth year running, continues to play an important

role in this specialist art and officials have invited seven of the worlds’ best sand sculptors to participate. When completed, the sand sculputure will cover an area of 500 square metres.

The inauguration should take place during the first week in December and will be on display until 7th January.

This is one of the most important displays of the Nativity Scene, which has been designed by artist Etual Ojeda.

Over the last few years, more than 160,000 people visited the event and the Council of Las Palmas hope that this year the number will be even greater.

oN 28TH October, Playa de Vargas saw its’ first official opening of the new campsite. Situated on the coastal area of the municipality of Aguimes, it is the first of its kind on Gran Canaria and covers a total area of 126,458 square meters.

It faces the sea and has the capacity of holding 98 caravans and 26 places for tents. What’s most important in this initiative is the fact that the site blends easily into the surrounding countryside, living happily with the large amount of protected flora and fauna.

It’s proximity to the sea – 200 metres – means that visitors can take full

advantage of water sports such as kite and wind surfing, boarding and diving as this is one of the best beaches to practice these sports.

Services on the site include: reception, mini-market, restaurant, storage for surfing equipment, barbecue area, laundry, shower area and internet and Wifi access.

For further information there is a website, but it is not yet completed www.campingplayadevargas.com. With practically 365 days a year of fine weather what better way to spend a family weekend away from it all.

AS iN previous years the Evangelical English Church will again this festive season be hosting Christmas Concerts with carol singing at a number of venues in the south of the island.

On Monday 13th December there will be a carol concert in Diamond’s Bar in the Yumbo Centre at 7:00pm and on the following evening, Tuesday 14th December, in La Bolera on Avda de Tomás Bosch, Puerto Rico (close to McDonalds) at 6:45pm. If you are in the area please do call by, join in and enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit.

On Wednesday 15th December the Templo Ecuménico in Playa del Inglés is the venue for an evening of Christmas carols and readings celebrating the true miracle of Christmas.

The event will start at 8:00pm and everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy this celebration of Christmas.

The churches in Playa del Inglés and Puerto Rico will be holding carol services at their regular times on Sunday 19th September and on Sunday 26th December.

On Christmas Day Saturday 25th December there will be a Christmas service with communion in the Playa del Ingles church at 11:00am

The International Evangelical English Church is an interdenominational fellowship that has been meeting in Playa del Inglés for many years and in Puerto Rico for the last two years.

Pastor Donald and the members of both churches would like to wish a joyful and peaceful Christmas to all the readers of The Canary News and extend a warm invitation to residents and visitors alike to come along and join them at any of the services and concerts over the Christmas period and beyond.

Christmas Sand Sculpture

First Council-Run Campsite opens its’ Doors

Church Carol Concerts


Local News


Your Questions Answered

Urgent works in a rented apartment

Because of a broken water pipe, we had to be without water for three days in the rented flat. Does the owner of the flat have to deduct something from the rent? Ask for a proportional discount in reference to the days that you had no water. You are entitled to compensation for the costs. Pension embargo

i am 71 years old. i have no money to pay a bank debt because of enormous expenditure of the owners’ community. if i don’t pay, can they take my pension? No, but the pension could be confiscated to a maximum established in the professional minimum wage. This means that the pension over the minimum wage can be confiscated.

i don’t have a car anymore yet i am still receiving fines.

Two years ago i sold the car to a friend and i don’t known anything more of the matter. The problem is that i have received a traffic fine. Do i have to pay it? Yes. If the fine was sent to your house, it is because you remain as holder in the Traffic Department. You will have to pay for it and claim damages from the car buyer. Even now, you should notify the transfer which you should have done 10 days after the sale - to the provincial traffic Office: You must indicate the name and address of the buyer and seller, and the date of purchase. In addition, you must submit the registration certificate of the vehicle, the contract of sale and the accreditation of tax payments (mainly vehicle tax, paid annually). The buyer had 30 days to renew the registration certificate of the vehicle in the Provincial Office

of Traffic: he/she had also to indicate the name and address of the buyer and seller, and the date of purchase. He / she also had to prove that he/she had paid taxes (in this case, the transfer tax). It is advisable to do these procedures at the same time so that the transfer is immediate and there are no further problems. In any case, I suppose that you retain a copy of the sales contract or of the driving license of the buyer. With that you can prove the sale, if, as it is the case, you are called for the payment of any fine. If now you cannot prove the sale, you should submit a demand in court against the buyer, even if you don’t know their home address, in order to solve the problem.

Claim to a electric power company

i am a concerned by the cut off of electricity. How can i claim to this company for damages suffered? The initial step of any claim is to address a letter to the Client Attention Department of the company or to make a claim using sheets of claims.

If they do not give a satisfactory answer, you can recourse to the courts, with the presentation of the corresponding claim, or, continuing the claim before National Energy Commission (www.cne.es).

Now in Mogan every Tuesday and Thursdayfrom 10:30am to 1pm

Edificio Mercurio, Torre 1, 3.º A35100 Playa del Inglés

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ENTREPRENEUR RiCHARD Clarke came to Gran Canaria nine years ago. The Nottingham University graduate lived and worked in Tanazania,Turkey and Australia before putting routes down here. His business portfolio, currently based in Tafira, includes an ecological product supplier: Sinergia Medio Ambiente, a website design and software programming outsourcing consultancy: Sinergia Outsourcing, and a food and wine import distributor: Atlantic Wholesale Canaries.

He took time off during the week to provide a useful insight into running a business in Gran Canaria.

You’ve lived in some exotic countries. What made you settle in Gran Canaria?

The climate. It has twelve months of sun, and it´s a beautiful place. It’s also a bit closer to home than other places I’ve been to.

You previously worked at oakley College. What made you leave a stable teaching job to start your own business?

I wanted to be my own boss, to be in control of my own destiny.Well, in trying to achieve this, what were the main challenges you encountered in starting and running businesses in Gran Canaria, and how did you overcome them?

The main thing was that, although I speak Spanish, I’m not actuallly Spanish. It was difficult to get Spanish people to work with me. It’s like anywhere. People are

just naturally wary. So I started working with Tino (Richard’s Canarian business partner) to bridge that gap.

Secondly there is the bureaucracy. It can be a mountain of paper-work. Luckily we talked to people who knew the system. If you don’t know the system, it’s very difficult. (Richard has since created a non-profit community-based website to help ex-pat residents tackle problems such as this).

How did you decide what products and services to offer. Did you spot gaps in the market?

My first venture, Synergia was to plug a gap in the market. The same with Synergia Outsourcing. Lots of companies in the UK and USA outsource to India but here, everything is done locally. We found out we can offer website and software programming services for half the price of a Spanish programmer, by employing an Indian one. We are currently the only company in Gran Canaria to offer development of the IPhone application.

Atlantic wholesale came from an opportunity offered to me by a contact through my website and we just tried to sell to everyone. Now we have wholesale and retail customers all over the island.

What advice would you give to anybody thinking of starting a business in Gran Canaria?

Study the market really, really well. Work out your exact monthly costs, and then expect to pay more. Also, it’s best to start as self-employed (autonomo) rather than go through the process of setting up a limited company which incurs a lot of costs . It’ll save you time and hassle too. Be prepared to network. Contacts are vital here and, finally, get a good accountant to write your escritoria (company deeds).

How does the business culture in Spain differ from that in Britain?

In Spain (Richard has clients on the mainland as well as here), business tends to be less-organised, or less-structured. Things are done a bit more spontaneously. It’s generally more informal - the way you talk, the way you dress. A business meeting is usually in a café somewhere.

Also, as I said before, everything in Gran Canaria is about who you know. If someone knows you already they’re more likely to give you a job.

You have gone into your latest venture Altantic Wholesale, in the midst of an economic crisis which has hit the Canary islands particularly hard. Would you recommend starting a business in this climate?

If the business is viable now, stick with it because when the economy picks up it’ll be in a strong position. You could see it as a great time to start a business.

Finally, are there any other ventures in the pipeline?

Atlantic Wholesale Canaries is going to start importing Californian wine which is a new product and it’s also going to expand into a home delivery service.

But the main thing is a new website launch in a few months. I can’t say too much at the moment. You’ll have to wait and see.

By Gordon Sutcliffe

Canarian Character

How To Make it in Gran Canaria


Dear Ed

I’m a regular reader of The Canary News; whom, on many occasions, has been tempted to make a response to various comments made in Letters to the Editor. Your comment relating to ‘kill the goose who lays the golden egg’ (edition 33) has finally done the trick.

Maybe you’re a bit out of touch yourself Ed: or are you just too young to know just how much the winter migratory/holidaymaker has been ripped off in the south of the island for many years now?

I have been coming to Gran Canaria since 1976 and have seen many changes. I made many friends during this time, but unfortunately most of them have now left because of finances/cost of living – parting shot in nearly every case being all manner of businesses on this island are far too greedy and don’t deserve to be patronised. Friends have jokingly said; with tongue in cheek, ‘if there were to be only one customers frequenting a bar, he/she would have to be charged 100€ per drink in order for them to maximise on profit’. Well fortunately Ed things haven’t got that bad yet!

I only come back here because of the fantastic weather and relatively easy access from the UK, but each time I return prices have increased across the board. Recession; what recession.

Visiting a bar in Puerto Rico I was charged 3.50€ each for a glass of Sprite and fresh orange, and I will not dwell on the price of food save to say that the price of fillet steak, lamb chops and fish at around 20.00€ is outrageous – look at the price in a supermarket!I live in the heart of the English Lake District and can enjoy a 5 course Sunday lunch in good quality hotels for around 1£17.00.

Now here’s the main issue that businesses of all description don’t get. In Florida/Bahamas, where a lot of my friends now migrate to during winter months, you pay considerably less for a far higher quality 3 bedroomed bungalow complete with pool. A pint of Bud costs $1.50, full round of golf including buggy is $9.00. This, as opposed to around 120€ anywhere in Gran Canaria.

It is also common knowledge that builders in the south charge a vastly increased price compared to the price they would charge for the same work in the north.

Just to put you straight Ed, geese have been abandoning this island in flocks for many years. The big question is, how many more geese are still out there, who are prepared to be plucked by stupidly greedy and completely out of touch businesses?

Yours sincerely,

Almost another cooked goosePS This is my first ever response to any media article. Consequently I shall remain anonymous, but at the same time would appreciate my views being publicised through your newssheet.

We have had to ‘cut down’ this readers letter even though many of the additional comments made are very true! Ed

Dear Editor,

It has been refreshing to see of late the increase of tourists to the island The general chit chat from restaurants and bars owners is that people are back, perhaps not spending as much as before, perhaps spending what they can? One thing on this island that they do have to get a grip on is Customer Service- it is, in general, poor.

The better Restaurants and Bars who take this into account are still alive and kicking and are having return trade.

I have been very disappointed on the non activities of the council over the last 2 years during the recession, they have been conspicuous by their absence on coming up with ideas or helping the islands tourist trade- we have heard plenty of talk with, yet again, no action.

Finally when are people in general going to get the point if you want an activity to be successful advertise it well ahead, there are plenty of papers, magazines in all languages to get the message out- we still leave it to the last minute and expect people to be there.

An Islander

Two very different points of view! Your last paragraph was particularly true, how many times do we receive information on an event either after it has taken place, is just a couple of days away or the information is incomplete. With a newspaper like The Canary News, we have to plan our diaries well ahead to ensure we have writers and photographers available. Ed

Letters to the EditorPlease write to us and The Canary News will award the Letter of the Week a Free COMBO meal at Fusion Restaurant & Lounge Bar in Arguineguin (See advertisement below for address)The Canary News reserves the right to edit your letters and accepts no responsility for readers’ opinions.

Letter of the week STUDENT DEMoNSTRATioNS have hit the headlines yet again. With anger spilling over at the proposed increase in university fees they have marched on council buildings, chanting their slogans and in some cases showing a level of violence that cannot be excused.

I can sympathise to a degree with the students’ protests, but if something isn’t done to generate more revenue for these institutions, then in just a few years to come there won’t be the good choice of where to study that exists today.

Higher education is facing a deficit that could top £1.1 billion by 2012/13, and action must be taken to pump more investment into the system, according to the Russell Group, which represents the UK’s 20 leading universities.

In their submission to Lord Browne’s independent review of the student funding system, the group warns the financial sustainability of its universities is “severely at risk”.

The submission says the UK’s student funding system is “one of the most generous in the world, providing all students with in-built insurance against spiralling debt and inability to repay”.

Under the current system, students begin to pay back their loans when they start earning £15,000 a year or more, and at a low interest rate.

My personal feelings on this, is that of course we should enable our younger generation to take advantage of higher education, but in return, they should start repaying the loan as soon as they start earning.

The threshold of £15,000 at a low interest rate? Many working parents earn less than this and have learned to economise.

Of course protect our next generations, but also teach them gratitude and a pride in repaying the people who enabled them to be in that position in the first place.

WiTH JUST a couple of weeks to go before we celebrate the main event in the Christian calendar, I finally succumbed to looking online for family Christmas presents.

Sifting through hundreds of websites all offering the best, the only, the most value for money I became ‘surfed out’.

Yet millions are buying their presents online – the easy way, not to mention sitting in the warmth and comfort of your own home – last year my sister even ordered her wrapping, cards and ribbons online!

But somehow it just seems so impersonal. I like to touch, look and feel at what I have chosen for my loved ones.

What happened to the little stocking hung by the tree, ready to be filled with nuts, mandarins and the longed-for one present? It takes my nephews at least a few hours to unwrap the many gifts which ‘Santa’ left for them, and then over the next couple of days this is repeated at the grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Oh well, perhaps I’m just showing my age, back to online shopping!

Editors Column


Finance

WiTH THE market for overseas weddings predicted to be worth £427 million by 2013 and with nearly 1 in 5 weddings taking place abroad making your money go further is essential to ensure you can have the wedding of your dreams.

Research conducted by Moneycorp, the international money transfer specialist, showed that currency trades for overseas weddings ranged from as little as £150 right up to £150,000. On average £11,000 was traded for a wedding abroad, meaning significant savings can be made by trading at the best exchange rates and with the lowest transfer fees.

The research also showed that the top overseas destinations in the past year for weddings abroad were Spain, Italy, France and South Africa, and almost half of all people were sending money to Europe.

So whether you’re planning a wedding in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, a French chateau, or on the beaches of Thailand here are some top money saving tips to think about when tying the knot abroad:

Research! Do as much research as possible on everything that you plan to spend money on and only use reputable firms/individuals for all your wedding needs. This will ensure you make your money go further.

If organising the wedding yourself, you’re likely to get charged a foreign transaction fee every time you pay the venue, photographer, caterers and so on. High street banks often charge £25 or more just to transfer your money, and banks can also charge commission and take overseas delivery charges. By setting up an overseas bank account, and transferring your money in one go, you will incur less transfer charges, getting a better exchange rate and can make payments locally.

Using foreign exchange specialists such as Moneycorp can allow you to lock into an exchange rate for up to two

years, so you can accurately budget how much things will cost. By doing this you won’t have to worry about rates worsening as you book the different elements of your wedding.

Be aware that credit cards can incur a transaction fee when paying for/booking venues or if paying for a wedding planner etc. Additionally, they can be even more costly when pay suppliers as they can charge commission and offer a poor exchange rate.

Watch out for extra costs involved when choosing a destination and/or venue such as document translation fees.

If you choose to arrange your wedding through a company/wedding planner, it’s vital that you check the small print carefully. Check exactly what is and what isn’t included in the price.

Set a budget limit and try to stick to it. This will help ensure costs don’t spiral out of control and you don’t overspend on the essentials or splash out too much on those luxurious extras.

Your guests will probably require currency if they are travelling overseas for your wedding. Make sure they don’t get ripped off with charges and poor exchange rates; ordering currency before the wedding, for Home Delivery or Branch Collection, will mean their money goes further. Case study: Wedding in Paradise

Phillip and Jade Wood recently got married overseas, and it was crucial to them that they made the most of their money.

‘Our Dealer, Chris from Moneycorp was fantastic. We understand that it’s very difficult to predict how a

currency will move over the course of a year, but Chris gave us some really insightful guidance on the current financial market and what implications could affect us. We had a rate in our minds which we wanted to budget to and base the cost of the wedding on. Once the rate got to that level, Chris contacted us and we were able to lock into the amount we had wanted.

‘We traded £12,000 in total and saved £1500 by using Moneycorp rather than a bank, which meant we had more money to spend on making the day extra special. The saving was the equivalent of the cost of a wedding dress, so we were really glad we used a currency specialist.’ To make the most of your money contact Moneycorp on 951 319 700 or email them [email protected] When contacting Moneycorp please mention The Canary News.

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A NEW playschool for children from 0-10 years of age will open its’ doors later this month. Brainchild of Mariska Maat, this forward thinking and extremely enthusiastic lady from Holland realised there was a gap to fill in the child care market and as such is about to launch ABC Playschool in Maspalomas.

When I first visited Mariska and looked around the old building which was once home to the British School, I really wasn’t convinced that her launch date would be achieved – especially as she was heavily pregnant with her second child and due to give birth any day!

There was no electricity and running water and the whole building looked sadly neglected.

But undeterred, Mariska ploughed ahead obtaining the necessary licenses, permits and recruiting qualified infant teachers and nursery nurses whilst planning for the birth of her own baby son. Heavens she made me tired just listening to her energetic dialogue of plans for the school.

Baby son duly delivered, congratulations Mariska, she contacted The Canary News only weeks after giving birth and invited me along to see the progress. Knowing the ‘Canarian’ way of working I didn’t really expect to see very much progress, but on entering the building was very pleasantly surprised.

Workmen were busily fitting the childrens’ bathrooms, electricity and water switched on and the ‘classrooms’ had already been decorated and tiled. An absolute miracle, she must have had a mental telegraph wire between herself and the workmen whilst giving birth!

She proudly showed me various sized ‘classrooms’ – the largest which would soon be full of childrens’ toys, tables, chairs, drawing areas, play corners where kids can imitate playing at adults in the little kitchen, supermarket etc.

Then a second room which would serve as a place for the younger members, complete with little beds for their afternoon siestas, a third great room for the older children where they would do their homework, together with a dining area for during the day.

But the best by far was the smallest room which would serve as a real ‘nursery’ This would be for the youngest members of the school, complete with a 7sqm soft box. Mariska calls this her ‘Baby Zone’ as the little ones can learn to crawl, move, play, exercise all to the soothing sounds of classical music playing softly in the background. Fantastic, I could just imagine it.

The nursery teacher recruited for this area has a real passion for teaching babies from a very early age how to play and integrate.

There will be 4 qualified teachers to begin with; main languages spoken are Spanish, English and German and the older children will be encouraged to bring their homework with them so that during their time they will be helped by the teachers if needed. The school will also offer language courses on Saturdays between 10 and 2 o’clock.

Opening times are extremely flexible with an early start at 7.30am until 20.30 for working parents, school holiday time or you can select just a few hours a week, depending on family requirements. Payment terms are also very good and you can collect ‘credits’ if you book a fixed number of hours.

Mariska has come up with a really good idea for regular little visitors, they are given two aprons to keep their clothes

clean of their very own, together with a daily diary of what they did, what they ate and drank, any problems, and then parents are encouraged to provide their own feedback on how the child behaves at home. This will surely make both child and parents feel part of a ‘larger extended family’.

Food and drinks are provided with breakfast, lunch and tea being served from their own kitchen -there is the

facility to heat bottles of prepared milk for the babies - and emphasis is on healthy food like fruit and yoghurts for snack time.

Mariska and her staff would like to invite parents and children to her Open Day on Saturday 18th December, where you will be shown around and can discuss face to face with the teachers on how the school will operate, whilst the children can enjoy themselves on the ‘bouncy castle’outside.

The school will officially open the following Monday 20th December. However if you wish to speak to Mariska about reserving a place for your child before this, then please call her on 610 774 518.

It’s entrepreneurs like Mariska, her wholehearted belief in the project of educating young minds whilst having fun, who will reap the rewards in the future.

Parents beware, your children may never want to leave the confines of ABC Playschool! Good luck Mariska from The Canary News.

By Ann Turner

Family Life

They May Never Want To Leave!


Pagina Española

The Canary News Habla Español 1º Muestra Canarias Arte, ExpomelonerasArte y turismo se dan la mano (Segunda parte)

ANTES DE seguir con el artículo, quiero dar las gracias a todos nuestros lectores, angloparlantes e hispano hablantes, por la extraordinaria acogida que ha tenido el primer artículo de The Canary News en español. Para mí es un placer unir a estas dos comunidades, a las que quiero tanto.

Y ahora, continuemos. Tenía tantas cosas que contar sobre la 1ª Muestra Canarias Arte que he tenido que dividirla en dos partes. La primera parte la encontrarás en el número 35 de The Canary News (Friday 19th Novembre).

Pintura y escultura con nombre propio

Hemos podido disfrutar las pinturas del afamado Pedro Lezcano; hemos descubierto las nuevas lecturas gráficas de Francisco Lezcano, cuadros hecho para ser tocados con la yema de los dedos; Álvaro Henríquez, experto en pintura rápida, esta vez nos regala preciosas marinas con fuerte predominio del azul y blanco; Cristina Martel representa el Pop Art canario, y María Teresa Miranda reconstruye la figura del Quijote y a las Meninas con una paleta única.

Hemos palpado, prácticamente masticado, los óleos metálicos de Cristina Salazar, las piedras vivas de Francisco Presa, los bodegones de Isabel de la Llave, el realismo detallista de las tuneras y los calados canarios de Juan Alberto Díaz.

La pintura gestual de Juan Cabera ha sido capaz de congelar el movimiento, y la escultura de Yaiza González rompe con todo clasicismo hierático. La pintura de Kumoki atrapa los sueños, la de Octavio del Toro y sus “gorditos” nos llena de vitalidad. Y, en fin hemos vuelto a nacer con otras tantas obras como el colorido de Olimpia Peco, la sensibilidad de Inés Melado o las texturas José Riquelme.

No me quiero olvidar ni de las magníficas acuarelas de Carlos Pérez, el onirismo de Julio Wollands, el mundo submarino de Nadia Brito y el nuevo expresionismo, calientes contra fríos, de Elena Gómez Aristu. Todos ellos suman los veintitantos artistas de la feria. Su inspiración y particular uso de la luz y el color nos ofrecen una visión atlántica y cosmopolita del

mundo. Alimentados por la riqueza que proporciona el hecho de vivir inmersos en esta encrucijada cultural, a caballo entre Europa, África y América, y la de convivir en este archipiélago con artistas de diversa procedencia y trayectoria. Es la convivencia contagiosa que siempre inspira en múltiples facetas a los artistas que residen en nuestra tierra.

No sé si me olvido de alguien. Si es así, perdóneme, ellos y su obra están allí en la feria de Canarias Arte de Expomeloneras, y también en su web: www.canariasarte.org.

Dejo para lo último a quien es el primero: hablemos de Pepe Dámaso.

inconfundible Pepe Dámaso

Genial y simpático, como siempre, el “maestro” Pepe Dámaso, como a él le gusta que le llamen, nos tiró de las orejas...”hoy había que arriesgarse con la estrategia de la organización” y aquí está dispuesto a convertirse en el reclamo y el padrino de honor de Canarias Arte, permitiendo con mucho gusto que su nombre y buen hacer ayuden al turismo y a la cultura.

A nadie se le esconde que Pepe Dámaso, Premio Canarias de Bellas Artes, es un artista multifacético. Pintor, escultor, muralista y grabador, Pepe es uno de los artistas más prolíficos que emergen de las Islas Canarias en los últimos años.

Dámaso que se formó en la Escuela de Arte de Madrid, en el Círculo de Bellas Artes y en la Escuela de Arte de Santa Isabel de Hungría, en Sevilla, cuenta en su haber con numerosas exposiciones. Caben destacar la del Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno en Las Palmas (1991), el Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas y Venezuela, y el Spanish Institute de Nueva York (1993) o la del Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid (1999), y hoy la que se expone, en lugar preferente, dentro de la 1º Muestra de Canarias Arte.

A través de su trabajo Pepe Dámaso ha sido capaz de introducir en las Islas las vanguardias de otros lugares e importar otros estilos a través de su obra, y como en un camino de ida y vuelta, su arte se ha convertido en el embajador de Canarias.

Este mes Canarias Art y muy pronto HomoErótico

Este mes la cita de la cultura y el arte está en el Palacio de Congresos Expomeloneras. Y ahora que el agua de la playa está ligeramente más fría de lo que los canarios estamos acostumbrados, tenemos una bonita justificación para seguir cogiendo el coche, aparcar frente al Palacio de Congresos y sumergirnos en la 1º Muestra de Canarias Arte. Yo lo

he hecho, y pienso repetir.

Y tengo una última hora que no tiene desperdicio. Para el mes de abril o mayo se prepara otra muestra que dará mucho que hablar: HomoErótico. Nos vemos.Link de interésCanarias Arte Web Oficialwww.canariasarte.org. Por Fulgencio Cerrajero

Canarias Arte, the first art fair in ExpomelonerasArt and Tourism, Together hand in hand(Part ii)

Before proceeding to the article, I want to thank all our readers, English speakers and Spanish speakers, for the extraordinary reception given to the first article in this new Spanish section of The Canary News. I am pleased to bring together these two communities, which I love so much.

And now, let’s continue. I had so many things to say about the First Art fair –Canarias Arte- that I had to split it into two parts. The first part will be found in number 35 of The Canary News (Friday 19th Novembre).

Painting and sculpture with a Real Name

We have been enjoying the paintings of the famous Pedro Lezcano, and have also discovered new graphical readouts of Francisco Lezcano, pictures which are made to be touched with the fingertips. Alvaro Henríquez, a quick expert painter, has given us his precious marine style featuring a strong dominance of blue and white colours. Cristina Martel represents the canarian Pop Art style, and Maria Teresa Miranda reconstructs the figure of Don Quixote and the Meninas with a unique palette.

We felt almost as if we were part of the living canvas of artists such as of Cristina Salazar, the living stones of Francisco Presa, the still-life of Isabel de la Llave, the lighting realism from the cactus paints and Canaries drafts of Juan Alberto Diaz.

The painting of Juan Cabrera has been able to capture the movement, and the sculpture of Yaiza Gonzalez breaks all hieratic classicism. Kumoki paintings captures the dreams; Octavio del Toro and his “fatties” are full of vitality. And finally we have been reborn with the colours of Olimpia Peco, the sensitivity of Inés Mellado, and the touching textures of José Riquelme.

I do not want to forget the wonderful watercolors of Carlos Pérez, the comic world of Julio Wollands,, the underwater world of Nadia Brito and the new expressionism, warm colours set against cold ones, of Elena Gomez Aristu. All these artists make up an important part of the fair.

I do not know if I have missed someone, but if so, excuse me, they and their work are there, at the Canarias Art Fair of Expomeloneras, and also on its website. But finally let’s talk about one of the

greatest artists, namely Pepe Dámaso.

The unmistakable Pepe Dámaso

Brilliant and friendly, as always he is, the “master” Pepe Damaso, as he likes to be called, ears which stick out but with a quick wit and warm disposition he is more than happy to allow his name and works of art to be displayed to help tourism and culture here on Gran Canaria.

No one can deny the fact that Pepe Dámaso, who is Premio Canarias de Bellas Artes, is also a multi-faceted artist. Painter, sculptor, muralist and printmaker, Pepe is one of the most prolific artists that have ever emerged from the Canary Islands in recent years.

Dámaso was educated at the School of Art in Madrid, and in the Fine Arts and the School of Arts of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, in Seville. He has to his credit taken part in many exhibitions; the more important are the CAAM exhibition, in Las Palmas (1991), the Museum of Contemporary Art in Caracas and Venezuela, the Spanish Institute, New York (1993) or the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid (1999), and finally he is exhibiting here, in a prominent place within the Canarias Arte Art Fair in Expomeloneras.

Throughout his work Pepe Dámaso has been able to introduce the avant-garde of the Canary Islands art and elsewhere to import other trendy styles through his work. Like a return path, his art has become an ambassador of the Canary Islands .

This month Canarias Art, and later on HomoErótico

This month the meeting point for art and culture is in the Congress Palace of Expomeloneras. And now that the beach water is slightly cooler than the Canaries is used to, we have a nice excuse for taking the car, park in front of Congress Palace of Expomeloneras and dive into the Canarias Arte art fair. I have done, and I will repeat it.

My last minute news is worthwhile as in April or May there will be another art exhibition; an event which will be called: HomoErotico. So, I look forward to seeing you then.

By Fulgencio Cerrajero


THE NoRWEGiAN Club in Arguineguin organised a cultural evening on the 26th November. The event was held at Plaza Pino Seco in Arguineguin, which is the ideal

location for this type of event as it has a stage. The event is an annual one and in previous years it has been held outside the club’s premises opposite the market square in Arguineguin, but the stage at Plaza Pino Seco makes it easier for all present to enjoy the entertainment. And was a definite improvement on previous years.

The evening started with entertainment by Banda de la Escuela de Musica de Mogan, the band from the local music school. The Norwegian Club Choir entertained with some great musical numbers and the dance group Canaritråkken entertained with some fabulous dance numbers ... Lasse Johansen from the popular Scandinavian dance band, together with Ole Ivars who also played and sang for the assembled crowd.

The Norwegian Club had organised the sale of food and drink at the square so that those present could enjoy the entertainment even more. There was also the sale of lottery tickets to compete for some great prizes.

The crowd assembled were a mixture of Norwegian Club members, other Scandinavians and a great number of Canarians too. The entertainment was well received by all those present and it was a very successful evening.

Christmas Fair at the Norwegian Church

Last week saw the annual Christmas fair at the Norwegian Church in Arguineguin. In addition to a Christmas lottery was the sale of items made by various craft groups connected to the church. Included were handmade Christmas decorations and little Santas,

knitted mittens and socks which may be a little warm for here but great presents for those back home. Christmas embroidered table covers and napkins were very popular along with the Christmas dishtowels.

When The Canary News visited, there was a steady stream of customers and the café area of the church was very busy. The fair is an annual tradition to raise funds for various church activities and is always very popular with the Scandinavian community.

Another happy ending

Some readers will remember our stories about Marianne Øyen. This very dedicated Norwegian lady takes small

dogs which are destined to be put to sleep, back to Norway and finds them new homes. She also has a home for elderly dogs and dogs that are waiting to find new families. Marianne contacted us to tell us that the last dog which was brought back from Gran Canaria by one of her friends has found a new home.

Little Bianca was re-homed with a lovely couple who have a house with a large garden. They came to look at Bianca and decided immediately that they wanted to adopt her. Marianne says Bianca is a lovely dog with a great personality who is very trusting.

By Nina Blaafjell

Scandinavian Scene

Cultural Evening

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Horoscopes

ARiESMar 21 - April 20

There’s not much comfort in your world right now but nor can we really say that what’s challenging you is bad. Soon, a process that has lately demanded a lot from you will begin to bring rewards.

TAURUSApril 23 - May 21

This weekend, with no wand, no spell, no potion... you can still work wonders in this particular area of life. Have faith. Give it a try. 2011 is nearly here.

GEMiNiMay 22 - June 21

Stress is what we experience when we think things should be one way and it turns out they are another. You have a choice, this weekend, about whether to let stress into your life!

CANCERJune 22 - July 23

The book of tomorrow is locked away in a hermetically-sealed container. Nobody can write in it. Nothing can permeate its pages. Until it becomes the book of today, tomorrow is a clean sheet.

LEoJuly 24 - Aug 23

How easy is it to decide that someone else has made a big mistake while your point of view is far wiser? Very! How likely is it that neither of you will be fully right or wrong?

viRGoAug 24 - Sept 23

Go, this weekend, where the rainbow takes you. Follow the colour, the variety, the mystery in your life. It’s time you got out of a Kansas frame of mind!

LiBRASept 24 - oct 23You need to be your own best friend. If that’s proving tricky, you could at least make an effort not to be your own worst enemy. There are ways, now, in which you are undermining your own authority and doubting your own judgement.

SCoRPiooct 24 - Nov 22

Some mysteries will lead to even greater mysteries this weekend, no matter how hard you strive to solve them. But that really need not be a problem.

SAGiTTARiUSNov 23 - Dec 22

Gone are the days when spontaneous magic ruled anyone’s life. Or, er... are they? It looks, this weekend, as if it may just be coming back, for you at least!

CAPRiCoRNDec 23 - Jan 20You can make a problem appear to go If life is not complicated, how can it have meaning? If it is not frustrating, how can it spur us on to learn? If people don’t irritate us, how can we ever rise above our own reactions and experience the sublime transcendence of forgiveness?

AQUARiUSJan 21 - Feb 19

What about the issues you face this weekend. Which of these are small enough to matter? If it’s out of sight and out of mind, maybe that’s the best place for it.

PiSCESFeb 20 - Mar 20

Don’t give yourself a headache this weekend. Don’t give one to anyone else, either. There are two good ways to avoid or reduce headaches. The first (and most powerful) involves water. Drink more of it. You’ll be glad you did.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “ Every challenge in life is a stepping stone to a greater height. It’s the refining funnels towards making us the person we are

created to be to attain our destiny. ”

CHRISTMAS SEATS

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Language Exchange – Part twoMaking small talk

Whether you organise a language exchange using the ideas from last issue, or simply aim to chat to your neighbours, here are some ideas to get you talking. (You can read more sample dialogues and tips for making conversation in lessons 8, 15 and 18 – also available from [email protected] )

Lo BÁSiCo (the basics)

Hola ¿Qué tal? [keh tal] - Bien/más o menos/ocupado… ¿Y tú?Hi, how are you? Well/okay/busy….and you?

¿De dónde eres [Deh DoN-deh EH-ress] y dónde vives [ee DoN-deh BEE-bess]? Where are you from (lit: from where are you) and where (do) you live?

- Soy de [deh] del norte/sur/este/oeste de inglaterra pero vivo en Puerto Rico.I´m from from the north/south/east/west of England but I live in Puerto Rico.

¿Cuántos años tienes? [KWAN-toss AN-yoss tee-EN-ess]How old are you? (Lit: how many years you have?)

- ¡Es un secreto! [es oon seh-CREH-toh] - or if you want all the numbers, see lesson No. 21.

EL TiEMPo (the weather)

¡Qué calor! [keh cal-oR] Hace mucho viento ¿No? [AH-seh Moo-choh bee-EN-toh, ¿noh?] - - - Sí, pero en inglaterra hace mucho más frio. Me gusta más el clima aquí.

What heat! It´s very windy (lit: it makes much wind), no? - Yes, but in England it´s much colder (colder = more cold = más frio). I prefer (lit: I like more) the climate here.

Remember: The weather verb is ‘hace’: it MAKES sun/wind/cold.

LA FAMiLiA (the family)

¿Tienes hijos? [Tee-EN-ess EE-hoss]Do you have children?

- Sí, tengo dos hijos y dos nietos [nee-EH-toss]. Yes, I have two children and two grandchildren.

¿Cómo se llaman? [KoH-moh seh YAM-en]What are their names? (Lit: how they call themselves?)

- Pues, [pwess] mi hijo es Juan y mi hija es Natalia. – Well, my son is Juan and my daughter is Natalia.

¿Tienes fotos de tus nietos? (Do you have photos of your grandchildren?)

- Sí, mira. José tiene tres años, y Maria tiene ocho años. (Yes – look. José is three and Maria is eight).

¡Qué guapos son! (How – or literally ‘what’ good-looking they are!)

vivo con mi marido - ¿y tú? (I live with my husband – and you?)

- vivo con mi mujer y mi suegra.

¿Suegra? Perdona, pero no comprendo ‘suegra’. ¿Qué significa? (Sorry but I don´t understand ‘suegra’. What does it mean – lit: what signifies it?)

- Bueno, mi suegra es la madre de mi mujer. “The mother of my wife” … ah, you realise: the mother-in-law!

EL TRABAJo (work)

¿Trabajas? (do you work?)

- No, estoy jubilada [hoo-bil-AH-doh] ahora. Pero solía ser [soh-LEE-ah sair] policía…o solía trabajar en una tienda. (I´m retired now. But I used to be a policeman…or I used to work in a shop). ¿Y tú?

- Soy camarero en un restaurante italiano (I´m a waiter in an italian restaurant).

¿Te gusta el trabajo? (Do you like the job?)

- No mucho. Paga mal y pocos clientes dan propinas. (Not much. It pays badly and few clients give tips).

¡Qué pena! (what a shame/pain).

‘Twitters from the Atlantic’

Lesson 30

by Barrie Mahoney

If you have any questions or comments relating to this column or the Spanish language in general: Please email [email protected]

MANY RESiDENTS and holidaymakers are well aware of the recuperative properties of the Canary Islands, yet few know of the strong links between the popular novelist, Agatha Christie, and these islands.

Agatha Christie visited the Canary Islands in search of a tranquil and recuperative environment to help her calm a troubled mind. In February 1927, at the age of 36, she visited the Canary Islands to recover from a number of events that had taken place in her life and were having a serious impact upon her mental health. She mysteriously disappeared for eleven days in a ‘fugue state’, a rare psychiatric disorder characterised by amnesia of identity, memories and personality. The state is usually short-lived - sometimes a few hours, but others may suffer for a few days or even longer.

Agatha Christie’s mother had recently died after a serious illness, her husband was in love with another woman and Agatha was having serious financial difficulties. Each of these problems, particularly when combined, could be a recipe for, what most of us would call, a mental breakdown. It is this series of events in her personal life that led Agatha Christie to the Canary Islands.

Agatha and her daughter, Rosalind, together with her secretary, Charlotte Fisher, arrived in Tenerife on 4 February 1927. They stayed at the Gran Hotel Taoro in Puerto de la Cruz, which was the best hotel in Tenerife

and the centre of the British community. It is believed that in Puerto de la Cruz, Agatha Christie completed one of her novels, ‘The Mystery of the Blue Train’, which sold well and put an end to her financial worries. There is now a bronze bust of Agatha Christie and a street named after her in Puerto de la Cruz.

Having completed her novel, she decided to stay one more week in the Canary Islands to relax. Agatha longed for white sandy beaches rather than a sloping volcanic beach, and on 27 February decided to leave Tenerife and complete the remainder of her holiday in Gran Canaria, before returning to England by steamship on 4 March 1927.

Agatha Christie stayed at the Metropole Hotel in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which is opposite the beautiful Santa Catalina beach. Agatha described Las Palmas as the ideal place to go in the winter. Sadly, the Metropole Hotel is no more and is now part of Las Palmas Town

Hall, and is where I recently paid my fine for illegal parking! The British Club and their tennis courts were nearby and Agatha Christie began to write ‘The Companion’, included in her collection of short stories, ‘The Thirteen Problems’, which has strong links to Gran Canaria.

The Canary Islands made a clear impression upon the mind of this prolific author, and feature in a number of her stories such as ‘The Man from the Sea’ in the book,‘ The Mysterious Mr. Quin’, which also takes place on an island.

It is a compliment to the Canary Islands that it was in these islands that she found the peace and tranquillity that she was looking for. The last word, and recommendation, must go to Agatha Christie with an extract from ‘The Companion’:

“I had had a breakdown in health and was forced to give up my practice in England and go abroad. I practised in Las Palmas, which is the principal town of Grand Canaria. In many ways I enjoyed the life out there very much. The climate was mild and sunny, there was excellent surf bathing...”

So there we have it. If you are in need of a recuperative break, sun and relaxation, you know where to come!

© Barrie Mahoney

Agatha Christie and the Canary islandsBarrie Mahoney was a teacher, head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the

Canary Islands as a newspaper editor. He is still enjoying life in the sun as a writer and author.

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest novel, ‘Journeys and Jigsaws’ (ISBN: 9781843865384). © Barrie Mahoney

Spanish Lesson With Theresa Coe


Restaurant & Cafe Guide 2010


Restaurant & Cafe Guide 2010Fresh olives! What do we do with them?THE TiME of year has come when olive trees around the island are full of the much appreciated fruit, which not only gives us that wonderful oil which we have all learnt to love but also the appetiser which almost all of us appreciate. Olive trees around the island are now loaded with this fruit, and agricultural markets and some supermarkets display them for sale to the general public. However most of us don’t know what to do with them, how do we treat or prepare the raw olive to make it into that wonderful appetizer? Well this is what you do!

Obviously start by picking the fruit, or simply buy them if you happen to come across it, once at home it is important we ‘sweeten’ the olives. This is simply done to get rid of the characteristic bitterness of the olive; especially the Canarian variety, which even after going through this process still retains quite a bitter taste. To do this you have two options, either you cut into the fruit with the aid of a small knife, or simply gently bash the olive so it ends up a little bit squashed, leaving it with several cracks for the treatment to work.

You then place them into a container which can be sealed and cover them completely with fresh water and a very generous serving of salt. The quantity of salt will determine how sweet the olives end up, however over salting will cause them to be very salty, so be careful!

The mixture of salt and water will ‘sweeten’ the olive over a period of two weeks to one month depending on how much bitterness you want to get rid of. It is important to remember to ensure that the container you use is completely full of water and no air gaps are left, as these will cause the olives to rot in contact with the water.

When the period of time has passed, the olives need to be drained and washed in plenty of fresh water, then left to one side and dried. Ensure you eliminate all the water residue as this can cause the olives to rot when put them into the preservation sauce.

Once dried it is time for us to use our imagination in terms of creating our preservation sauce; you may simply use extra virgin olive oil with a few garlic cloves,

bay leaves, black pepper corns or even dried chillies. Or you may opt to make a red Mojo”, cumin, paprika, oil, vinegar, garlic, touch of chilly, and even tomatoes all blended into a thick paste. Use your imagination, mix tastes that make you tick, however always remember to use plenty of extra virgin olive oil which will act as you preserving agent, and obviously add to the quality of your finished product.

Leave the olives plenty of time to absorb these flavours and keep in an air tight jar, you do not need to leave it in the fridge as they will perfectly conserve at room temperature. Once ready simply sit down and enjoy this wonderful tasty and healthy product, with the satisfaction that you have made it!

By Tito Cabral


Restaurant & Cafe Guide 2010

The Real Greek ExperienceWE HAvE previously featured The Greek Taverna in The Canary News, interviewing their staff who with open and honest views told us how they love working in the restaurant, but did you know that Mihail and wife Leena also own The Greek Village in Playa del Ingles?

Situated within walking distance from the Yumbo centre on Avda Sargentos Provisional, The Greek Village is smaller and more intimate yet serves the same high standard of food by happy, cheerful staff.

The Greek Taverna in San Agustin is Mihails’ flagship restaurant and as he proudly says, ‘it was the first, original and authentic Greek restaurant on Gran Canaria.

Established in 1998 its’ priority is to offer their customers delicious food, made with the best ingredients and served in a friendly and courteous manner.

He says that many of the ingredients are specially imported including a wide selection of wines and spirits.

So why not join them and see for yourself; a real Greek Experience you won’t forget in a hurry.

Mihail, Leena and all the staff at both restaurants wish to thank their regular customers for their continued support and wish each and everyone of them A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Mihail & Leena Zacharias


Restaurant RiminiPlaya del inglesAwarded 4 stars (out of a possible 5) ****

Oh! You just caught me by surprise! And what a lovely surprise it is to see you again. Is anyone else listening in though, you know how I like to keep what I say strictly between you and me? OK

now (let me sip my lemonade quickly), speaking quietly, whilst you’re here you’re going to have to give me the once over as I am really not happy with my two piece today and I am convinced my saddles have grown another inch – I must cut down on all those delicious desserts I keep tucking into.

So what do you think? Hmm Just as I expected, I’ll change into my black all in one with matching veil, gloves, gown, and messenger bag studded with bits of my dear friend Carla Bruni’s broken Swarovski Vase – very avant guard isn’t it?

Oh there goes the phone… hello Spit Speaking, nnyessss, nnnooooo, nnyyyesss, oh Gloria can’t you go on your own I’m busy today darling, it’s my big day. No not that big day, no nor that one, no no no I’m going to review a heavenly eatery, well that’s what they’ve been saying anyway hmmm. Oh really! Well if you’re sure, you’re paying though, well in that case see you at 7pm.

Time for me to hop skip and jump out the front door and bounce down singing for joy as I head off for belly filling madness once again!!! I arrived at the road heading off near the CC Jardin del Sol. I sang for glory and joy as the white Roman looking pillars came within my view lalalalala!!

Inside the restaurant is a beautiful array of nice tables with real cloths! They have an electric pizza oven – not as good as the wood burning ones in Italy but a fair substitute.

It was time for me to slide my way to the table and sit back with flicked up tootsies and hold on for service to arrive. And indeed the waiters were fabulously delightful and I have to say were fast with the service. The Canarian owner either has Italian roots or has been to Italy and looked carefully at what they serve…

Have to say my beady eye wondered over the menu and was impressed with all sorts to choose from including pastas, pizzas,

typical Italian starters, meat dishes, fish and salads.

There were three of us and we left it to Gloria to chose as she has eaten there many times before (and had offered to pay), however after I tasted the first course I just had to see how their pasta was cooked and so I sneaked into the kitchen, pulled up my veil and inspected the goings on with a squint.

For first course we ordered ‘Bruschetta with cheese topping (really crispy, warm and tasty), Caprese, which is a typical Tuscan starter of fresh Buffala mozzarella, fresh sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil, wonderful! And sliced, battered courgettes. We all shared and it was plentiful!

Main course had to be a simple margarita pizza and spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams). Both were fabulous especially the spaghetti as the vongole were fresh!!

We had rose wine, Marquese de Cacere, which was a disappointment as it’s Spanish. The best wine here would have been a chilled white Sicilian wine – Duca di Salaparruta. We had one orange drink and bottled water.

Dessert was shown to us on a large plate and all looked great, but we settled for tiramisu and pannacotta with summer berries. Both tasted great but the tiramisu was quite substantial

We finished with ‘cafe coretto’ which is black coffee with grappa liquor, white coffee with milk and one normal black coffee.

The bill came to 88€ for three. A little pricey considering we all shared, but trust me this is the best Italian food I have eaten outside Italy!!

Pizzas average price 9.50€, pasta dishes around 8.50€, main courses around 15.00€, starters around 4.50€ and desserts around 5.00€

Ambiance, great, service good, food exceptional, you really must try this fabulous restaurant and do tell them that you were recommended by meeeee, International Super-Mega star Food Critic extraordinaire.

Exclusively for The Canary New.

Buona Sera e ciao, ciao.

Restaurant Critic with Simon Spit Sponsored by

Simon´s GuideGreek Taverna *****(San Agustin)Saffron *****(Puerto Mogán)Il Duomo di Milano ****(Veril Playa Hotel)Taberna Bulgaria III ****(Yumbo Centre)Restaurante Centrum ****(Yumbo Centre)Rimini ****(Playa del Inglés)Subway ***(Playa del Inglés)Grand Italia ** (Meloneras)Ciao Ciao Italian Café *(Playa del Inglés, Anexo II)Hard Rock Cafe *(Paya del Inglés)Restaurante Columbus *(Playa del Inlgés)

Merry christmas and happy new year !

Mes Triana 61C.C.Las Arenas

Mesa y lópez,32

Vecindario ( opposite to Victor Jara theatre )

Francisco Gourié 57 (Triana area )


ingredients: 160g cooked, peeled prawns100ml olive oil300g sliced mushrooms12 eggs100ml cream2 cloves finely chopped garlic3 sprigs finely chopped parsleyOreganoCuminSalt

Method:Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the garlic. Fry gently over a low heat, add the mushrooms and sauté. Throw in the prawns and season.

Break the eggs into a dish and beat, then add the cream and chopped parsely, along with the oregano and cumin. Pour the mixture into the frying pan and cook until the eggs are lightly scrambled. Serve with hot toast. (Serves 4)

ingredients: 2 bottles Red wine 150ml green ginger wine 150ml water 50g Sugar 1 small orange 3 tsp Cloves 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 a nutmeg

Method:Pour the wine, ginger wine and water into a large saucepan. Add the sugar and mix in well.

Stud the orange with cloves and add to the wine with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Heat gently for about 15 minutes without boiling. Serve the hot mulled wine in heat-resistant glasses.

Cookery

Revuelto de Setas y Gambas– Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms & Prawns

Mulled Wine


Gran Canaria Weddings And Celebrations Marks 5 Successful Years Of Weddings On The Island.

Gran Canaria Weddings and Celebrations {GC Weddings™} was established in 2005 at a time when the island was lacking any formalized wedding market or organizer by Paul Gibson and Mark Burrows.

Paul and Mark had both been involved in Events Management in the UK, so between them brought a wealth of experience with them.

After securing the support of Gran Canaria Tourism and the Gloria Palace Hotel group, their company started actively to promote the island as an idyllic overseas wedding destination.

Travel companies throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe began to take notice and very soon requests to celebrate these special ceremonies began to steadily increase.

Couples arrived on the island for Thanksgiving of Marriage ceremonies, wedding vow renewals, together with many members of the gay community wishing to have their union blessed at one of the many scenic and romantic locations across the island.

The market for Renewal of Vows has seen a significant increase in recent years with couples coming from Russia, America, Italy, France and more recently Croatia.

GC Weddings™ has become a truly international company which has brought thousands of new people to the island, for the first time, to celebrate in style, and many of these have subsequently returned to our shores after falling in love with the island and its’ people.

Over the past 5 years more than 600 couples have celebrated the love they share with each other here on the island; a wonderful achievement which puts GC Weddings™ firmly in the driving seat as a market leader for overseas weddings.

Their international reputation grows daily and with collaborative partners like Gloria Palace Hotels, Lopesan, Marina Suites, Cordial Mogan Playa, Seaside Hotels and San Agustin Beach Club, clients can be assured of a good choice of venues in the most romantic settings.

As a fully registered company, GC Weddings™ is a sole supplier for wedding services which has been backed up by numerous Travel Agents across Europe who now

refer their clients direct – a great achievement in the current climate and one that will continue for many years to come.

One of the biggest difficulties has been the complicated marriage laws in Spain, which GC Weddings™ has continued to challenge and they are currently working with the Government and Tourist Industry to make it much easier for legally binding weddings - although couples have been able to have Thanksgiving Services here and then sign their legal documents at home, which saves a lot of time and money.

During their 5th anniversary year, Paul and Mark finally ‘tied the knot’ themselves and were legally married here on the island.

The ceremony was outstanding and the venue of Gloria Palace simply breathtaking, expertly organized by their own team of wedding planners and Gloria Palace Hotels, it was a perfect way to celebrate their long-standing partnership and an equally successful 5 years in business on the island.

Continued in Edition 37

Fashion

5 Successful Years With More To Come


A BRAZiLiAN Blow Dry that is. Prior to being asked to try this treatment I had no idea what it was or how it worked. I went for an initial consultation at Elegance to find out what the treatment was, the process and benefits. The Brazilian Blow Dry is a process whereby keratin (the primary protein found in skin, hair and nails) is applied to the hair and sealed in using a hair dryer and straightening irons. The result is shiny, smooth hair that stays that way for up to four months.

Before my appointment I did some research on the internet and found the treatment to be super popular with celebrities. I also found many accounts from people who claimed to have had previously unmanageable hair and as a result of the Brazilian Blow Dry now had the hair they always wanted. At the appointment my hair was initially shampooed with a special shampoo to strip the hair of excess oil and styling products. The hair was then towel dried and the keratin applied. The keratin used was pale green and smelled of mint, which was lovely, and apparently it is also available in Strawberry and Chocolate. The keratin was then brushed through the hair and any excess

product removed. My hair was then blow dried section by section and then sealed with a straightening iron. And the result ? My hair has never looked this good! After the appointment my hair was shiny and straight.

It looks healthier than it ever has and it looked like my hair had been professionally blow dried by a top London stylist. However, the absolute best bit was when I woke up the next morning and it looked exactly the same as before I had gone to bed. Normally I wake up in the morning with a bit of a birds nest so this was a revelation. Two days after the treatment my hair still looks exactly the same.

It is important that you look after your hair for the first few days after the treatment to give the keratin a chance to work. This means no tucking the hair behind the ears, tying it back in a ponytail and no washing for four days. When you see the results you definitely want to do everything you can to keep it that way so it was not a problem to comply with this.

After the first four days you can wash and style your hair as normal but even then it will return to the sleek, soft hair you had after your initial appointment. Furthermore, as the treatment actually adds nourishment to the hair it is suitable for all types of hair including coloured or damaged hair.

It is important to make sure that the salon you choose for your treatment uses formaldehyde-free products. Some salon’s offer this treatment, but use products containing formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause serious health problems and most reputable salons use formaldehyde-free products, but make sure you ask if in doubt.

Personally even though my hair is mostly manageable I would definitely go back for this treatment again. The

condition it leaves your hair in is amazing and it makes it much easier to style. However, for anyone with frizzy or damaged hair this treatment would be a revelation.

Elegance is located under the Portonovo Apartments in Puerto Rico and is open seven days a week. There are a great number of other treatments available at Elegance too in a very friendly and comfortable environment . Get down to Elegance for a Brazilian, you won’t regret it !

By Nina Blaafjell

Beauty

Gone for a Brazilian !

TheCanary Islands’ most successful

FREE Newspaper

THE

NEWSCanary

Mihail owenr of the Greek Taverna & Greek village is delighted with the special Christmas

pullout for Restaurants and cafes. He knows how invaluable

advertising is to his businesses and says The Canary News is the only place to be.

BEFORE

AFTER


THERE iS an unbelievable amount of waste of food – a recent US study indicated that

nearly 40% of available food resources are wasted in the Western World! We are all too ready to throw away foods with only the slightest blemish. A little bit of mould or discolouration won’t make you sick. It is perfectly safe to cut this away and eat the rest. Reducing food waste could result in savings of billions of $ or £ or € in our country´s economies, and of course could save you a packet too!

Understand the labels

One of the first things you should start to do is to understand the real meaning of the labels on foods:

Sell By Date – this is a date for retailers telling them when they should remove food from the shelf. The food is still perfectly safe to eat, although it may not be at the peak of freshness.

Best Used By, Use Before, Use By – this again is another indicator of freshness, not of safety. It is safe to eat foods past their Use By Date

Expiration Date – this is the one that you must take note of because this one is about safety. You should not eat the food after the expiration date.

Hints and Tips to Avoid Waste

Here are my top tips to reduce the amount of waste in your own home – but there is a great UK website that you must check out – www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Plan ahead and buy proper portions - if you plan your meals in advance, you can buy only what you need at the store.

Learn to store your food so that it stays fresh (see the storage tips below)

Learn how to use leftovers. Dinner leftovers can be eaten for breakfast or lunch the next day and are probably a better choice than your normal breakfast foods and it will help avoid the temptation of grabbing for fast or processed foods.

Be careful at restaurants. Portions at restaurants are sometimes too big for one person to eat. To avoid waste, share a main dish or bring a container for your leftovers.

Rather than toss your peels and rinds, compost your vegetable scraps and use in your garden

Buy your food locally – the fresher the food is to start with the longer it will last. Don’t forget that a lot of foods that are in our shops have already travelled half way around the world to get there!

Cook in quantity and store the extra in glass containers for the next day

Storing is Key!

Keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees centigrade.

Get your foods into the fridge as quickly as possible – within two hours of purchase!

If you have a lot of leftovers, split into smaller quantities and store in smaller containers as quickly as possible

Don’t store your fruits and veggies in the same crisper compartment. Some fruits give off gases which speed up the ripening process in vegetables

If you need to store a portion of a red pepper (or green, yellow or orange), keep the stem, seeds or membrane intact and attached and the pepper will stay fresh longer.

If you buy anything in quantity, wrap and freeze what you don’t plan to use immediately.

Transfer your food to your own packaging when you get home from shopping.

Get the air out of your produce bags, either using a vacuum seal or by manually pressing it out. An air-tight produce bag can double the life of your produce.

Leave enough space in your fridge for cold air to circulate. If your refrigerator is too tightly packed, your food will spoil faster.

Use your freezer more – for leftovers and as things reach their use by dates freeze them (e.g. yoghurts and cheese) or make salsa´s, ratatouille or vegetable juice – and freeze it

When Does Food Go Bad?Health

By Ann Mather, Celebrity Nutrition Advisor, Famouslyfit.com


Kay owen, Comfort Corner

Community

AS PRE-CHRiSTMAS ‘food for reflection’ I thought it would be a nice change to write a

story for the children ... tho’ of course, there are also lots of grown- ups who like children’s stories- especially if they have a ‘happily ever after’ ending. I have enjoyed this one myself, and think you will too.

THE ANGEL WHO COULDN’T SING

Once upon a time there was a little junior angel, Private Angelo, who lived with his squadron in God’s Royal Air Force at No7 Heavenly Heights.

All the other flying officers could fly at the speed of light and all of them could sing like...well like angels- except Angelo. He always got his tongue twisted around all the Hallelujahs and kept hitting wrong notes.

One day a notice appeared on the choir notice board. Auditions would be held for singers to join a special celestial choir to go to earth to announce the birth of a new born King. Angelo’s heart sank. The biggest event of all time and he would be the only one left out!

Wing Commander Flapping, a kindly old archangel, asked him what was the matter. “I want to join the choir but I can’t sing. I can’t hit the high notes and I muddle up the words.”

‘Fear not, said his new friend, I will help you ... if you’ll first help me .I would like you to be my cleaner’ Angelo’s face fell. He hated cleaning. (Anyone could tell that by the state of his bedroom!)

“There’s more to being an angel than just being able to sing” she said.

Look down through the clouds. Angelo did so and saw way down on earth a man trudging along with a young woman on a donkey.”Is she a singer then?” asked Angelo.

“She once sang a great song, but what makes her even more special than singing is that she is prepared to be obedient, even though it may mean getting her hands dirty” said the Wing Commander.

So Angelo and WC Flapping practiced scales and arpeggios, as the would- be- chorister polished her halo and brushed her wings.

He quickly came to take a pride in his work. Soon the other angels were bringing Angelo their halos for polishing, their harps for re-stringing and their ruffled feathers for smoothing. He had no time to practice his Hallelujahs. Instead he sang to himself as he worked. Angelo so wished he could sing beautifully to welcome the expected new-born baby.

Would this baby change the world? Would he grow up to be a powerful king? Peering through the clouds he saw the very man he had seen before, now lifting the woman off the donkey. Breaking into his thoughts came the voice of WC Flapping “Time for one last practice” she said, the day before the auditions as she struck a note on her harp. Suddenly Angelo panicked. All he could think of was how scared he was to be singing in front of the other angels. The notes just swam before his eyes.”Yellow- loo- ha” he squeaked. “Lally- ya- hoo” He wiped away a tear. “I am a rubbish singer and this is a load of bally-hoo-yah” he cried.

“Fear not. Finding out what makes you a good singer is the same as finding out what makes you a good angel” soothed WC Flapping.

“What makes a good singer?”Well it helps to have a good voice”, she laughed, “but more important for me is that I am singing to someone I love and who loves me. If He’s happy I’m happy.”

Angelo went home - wings a-quiver .He polished his halo and sang all the while. In the kitchen, in the shower; even when he brushed his teeth!

Before the auditions Angelo looked down to earth once more and saw the man and women in a ramshackle stable, the donkey feeding at a manger full of straw.

Was this really where it was all going to happen? Suddenly he burst into song; he couldn’t help himself. “Hark, the herald angels sing, Glory to the new born king...”

There was a shocked silence. Then a huge cheer suddenly erupted from the other angels, and there was the most deafening applause that seemed to go on for eternity.

“Private Angelo”, said the Wing Commander “I have been watching and listening to you all this time...not only can you sing but you can serve too, and that’s what makes you an angel of the highest order. I am giving you a place in the choir and I’ve got a special job for you.”

Angelo’s face flushed first red then pure gold, as he was directed to fly straight to Bethlehem. He flew over the little town and as he came to the ramshackle stable he heard a baby’s cry.

The force flew on to a hillside where there were just a few shepherds minding their sheep.

Angelo smiled at the shepherds, who looked as scared as he had been when auditioning for the choir!”Don’t be afraid” he said , “I have good news for you which will make everyone happy”. The shepherds looked nervous. Angelo’s lovely voice rang out, “Good tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind”.

That’s our cue, hissed the Wing Commander, tapping her brightly polished halo.

So with one accord all the angels in the heavenly choir broke into song as “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill to all men” rang out over all the world.

And Angelo sang the loudest and proudest of them all.

This Christmas story is adapted from ‘Spurgeons’ –a charity which exists to create opportunities for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people both in the UK and overseas.

And....

THE ANGELS WHO CAN SING

Enjoy mulled wine, mince pies and cakes Canario served in the church garden at 7-30pm prompt - before the concert which starts at 8pm in the church itself on Saturday 11th December.

Tickets 8€ inclusive.

Proceeds to main benefactor The Josephine Charles Foundation with donations to the Lions Club Gran Canaria South, and Spurgeon (UK).

Together we can move mountains to accomplish the seemingly impossible, and give these dear little children not just a better Christmas but a brighter future.

Tickets from [email protected]

SEE YOU THERE!

Stories of Angels...


Mark McGeehan, PGA Golf Professional, Lopesan Meloneras Golf

CoNFiDENCE iS a positive state of mind and a belief that you can meet the challenge

ahead - a feeling of being in control. It is not the situation that directly affects confidence; thoughts, assumptions and expectations can build or destroy confidence.

High self confidence• Thoughts - positive thoughts of success• Feelings - excited, anticipation, calm, elation, prepared• Focus - on self, on the task• Behaviour - give maximum effort and commitment, willing to take chances, positive reaction to set backs, open to learning, take responsibility for outcomesLow self confidence• Thoughts - negative, defeat or failure, doubt• Feelings - tense, dread, fear. not wanting to take part• Focus - on others, on less relevant factors (coach, umpire, conditions)• Behaviour - lack of effort, likely to give up, unwilling to take risks (rather play safe), blame others or conditions for outcome.

ControlIdentifying when an athlete feels a particular emotion and understanding the reason for the feelings is an important stage of helping an athlete gain emotional control. An athlete’s ability to maintain control of their emotions in the face of adversity and remain positive is essential to successful performance. Two emotions that are often associated with poor performance are anxiety and anger. Anxiety comes in two forms - Physical (butterflies, sweating, nausea, needing the toilet) and Mental (worry, negative thoughts, confusion, lack of concentration). Relaxation is a technique that can be used to reduce anxiety.

When an athlete becomes angry, the cause of the anger often becomes the focus of attention. This then leads to a lack of concentration on the task, performance deteriorates and confidence in ability is lost which fuels the anger - a slippery slope to failure.

CommitmentSports performance depends on the athlete being fully committed to numerous goals over many years. In competition with these goals the athlete will have many aspects of daily life to manage. The many competing interests and commitments include work, studies, family/partner, friends, social life and other hobbies/sports Within the athlete’s sport, commitment can be undermined by: • a perceived lack of progress or improvement• not being sufficiently involved in developing the training program• not understanding the objectives of the training program• injury• lack of enjoyment• anxiety about performance - competition• becoming bored• coach athlete not working as a team• lack of commitment by other athletes

Setting goals with the athlete will raise their feelings of value, give them joint ownership of the goals and therefore become more committed to achieving them. All goals should be Smarter.

Many people (coach, medical support team, manager, friends, etc) can contribute to an athlete’s levels of commitment with appropriate levels of support and positive feedback, especially during times of injury, illness and poor performance.

Successful emotional statesThe following are emotional states experienced with successful performance: • Happy - felt that this was my opportunity to demonstrate an excellent performance. Felt I could beat anybody. • Calm and nervous - Felt nervous but really at ease with these feelings. I accepted and expected to be nervous but felt ready to start.• Anxious but excited - Felt so ready to compete but a little nervous. Nerves and excitement come together• Confident - I remembered all the successful training sessions and previous best performances

Psychology Skills TrainingTraining for the athlete should aim to improve their mental skills, such as self-confidence, motivation, the ability to relax under great pressure, and the ability to concentrate and usually has three phases:

• Education phase, during which athletes learn about the importance of psychological skills and how they affect performance

• Acquisition phase, during which athletes learn about the strategies and techniques to improve the specific psychological skills that they require• Practice phase, during which athletes develop their psychological skills through repeated practice, simulations, and actual competition. If you would like to learn out more about the mind training then please contact Mark at Meloneras Golf on 928145309

Golf

Golf Mind Training – Part 2

PUERTO RICO PUERTO DE MOGAN PLAYA DEL INGLES LAS PALMAS Tlf: +34 928 561667 Tlf: + 34 928 565162 Tlf: + 34 928 760155 Tlf: + 34 928 373033

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]


FiRST UP thank you Miss Zandra for giving me a rest in the last article what a great job

you did. Not as good as me but you know I am a big head ... so it’s been a really good two weeks for music, meaning not a lot has come out.

Now you may say what he talking about (he’s working in radio and music is his life blood) well yes it is but it also gives me time to look at what’s been around and missed out on (not a lot, not a lot).

First up I loved the single firework by Katy Perry but did you see MTVs’ self love show where they tap themselves on the head for making a lot of money?

Now was I the only one who was looking at MTVs’ Awards?

As the next day in the papers on TV they were saying that the show was great and all the artists had done a great job, mmm. I think that Katy Perry (or is it Miss Brand as she keeps saying my boyfriend not husband), she sang like an old cat and the show was like (am I really looking at this) what a load of old rubbish . OK that’s my nasty words of these 2 weeks so let’s get to why I am here - music but first let’s talk about X -factor, no, no only joking to the music haha.

Robyn: ‘indestructible’

An old friend left us a pretty incredible voicemail the other day. “Do you know what,” she began, before fuelling herself with a hefty intake of breath, “I think my favourite pop music sub-genre might just be what they call ‘heartbreak disco’ - that’s why I’m so obsessed with Robyn.” - strange people we know but we couldn’t fault her in the slightest.

With the likes of ‘Be Mine’, ‘With Every Heartbeat’ and this year’s ‘Dancing On My Own’, the Swedish (not again) electro-popstrel has established herself as pops’ foremost purveyor of tunes that tease your tearducts and your tippy-toes in equal measure.

She’s at it again here, telling us she “never was smart with love” while Klas

Ahlund’s synths and strings dovetail exquisitely behind her.

This time, however, there’s hope too, as Robyn promises to love her new flame “like I’ve never been hurt before”, making ‘Indestructible’ not just touching, but utterly, utterly life-affirming. I think Swedens’ best right now and KISS also thinks that - love this voice.

Kylie Minogue: ‘Better Than Today’

There’s no set formula for becoming a first-rate female popstar. Taylor’s relatable, KP works a nice line in being provocative-in-a-cartoony-kinda-way, K$’s mere existence makes you feel that bit more clean and sober than you really are, and Kylie, well, she’s got what that Irish chappie with the dodgy dye job who sits alongside her sister every Saturday and Sunday night calls “The Likeability Factor”. (Told you I would talk about X- factor!)

And that’s something this latest single taps into brilliantly. ‘Better Than Today’ isn’t the freshest confection you’ll sample this party season, nor the flashiest, but it’s sweet, seductive and pretty much impossible not to succumb to over and over again - call it a dance-pop macaroon!

Oh, and kudos to co-scribes Nerina Pallot and Andy Chatterly for coming up with probably the Kyliest Kylie lyric ever: “What’s the point in living you don’t wanna dance?”

Someone stick it on a T-shirt NOW, or play it on KISS, out on December 6th and I love it.

Willow Smith: ‘Whip My Hair’

When we were nine years old, the closest we came to forging a pop career was performing an on-point routine of Spice Girls’ ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ or

me Marvin Gaye ‘Lets get it on’ ...at our school talent show.

We were only awarded the obligatory competitor’s ribbon, so to see Willow Smith releasing her debut single and mingling with R&B royalty at such a tender age was always going to make us jealous maybe.

That said, one listen to this track and it’s all too easy to forgive her.

“Hop up out the bed, turn my swag on,” she boasts over beats as vicious and hectic as a finals match of schoolyard jump rope, before commanding us to ignore “them haters” and party on.

We don’t usually take the word of a pre-teen as gospel, but when their remedy to life’s woes is to indulge in copious amounts of hair whipping, we’re more than happy to oblige.

Just don’t let us try it after we’ve had a few - if the music video is anything to go by, we wouldn’t be able to afford the cleaning bill, and we have been playing this at KISS for 1 month now, tap ourselves on the head there ahah ...

So my loves have a wonderful two weeks from us at KISS 102.5 and keep on, keeping it on KISSSSSS.

Entertainment

Music SceneBy Gary Melling


LAST MoNDAY while browsing through the freshly printed paper, The Canary News, my eyes fell on an advert of a company called Blend offering 12MB high speed internet connection.

In desperate need of a proper internet connection and never reaching more than 2 Mb on my home ADSL connection from Telefonica in Puerto Rico, even though they promised me a 6 Mb connection, I was a bit skeptical about the 12 Mb internet connection offered by Blend.

Having switched operators several times during the last 7 years, because of ‘false promises’ I didn’t really believe that this could be true, but tempted by the offer: 12Mb internet, line rental and free calls to landlines in Europe for only 39,90€ a month, half of what I’m currently paying, I gave them a call to find out more.

I was greeted by a nice English-speaking girl called Laura, who after dealing with other companys’ so-called English speakers was a real relief.

As I had changed provider already 3 times and felt cheated several times, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to fall into the same trap again and prepared myself with a list of questions to make sure I got things straight this time.

The first question on my list was the key question: How can Blend provide a 12Mb internet connection in Puerto Rico if Telefonica can’t?

Laura explained to me that Blend uses a high speed wireless network using ‘Wimax’ technology and is not depending on the old copper cables in the streets which are used by Telefonica and other providers.

This new technology combined with a high speed fibre optic network allows Blend to supply a much higher speed connection than other providers for a lower cost.

As I like to talk for hours on the telephone, I asked Laura what Blend means exactly with the free calls to Europe included in the 39,90€ deal.

Laura explained to me that 1,000 minutes of calls to landlines in UK, Europe, USA and Canada are included in the offer. She also told me that Blend offers much cheaper rates than other providers for calls to mobiles in Spain and abroad and that calls from your Blend landline to your Blend mobiles are charged at 0€ per minute.

Getting more excited about the offer from Blend I just wanted to check if the

quoted 39,90€ was correct and that I didn’t need to pay for necessary services like line rental on top, as it just sounded too good to be true.

Laura confirmed to me that the price was 39,90€ a month which includes the 12Mb internet connection, line rental and 1,000 minutes of calls to land lines in Europe, USA and Canada.

She also told me that if I signed up before the end of December I would receive a free Blend Mobile SIM card with 10€ of calling credit and 20€ of calling credit on my landline to mobile phones.

Completely convinced that this was the right deal for me I wanted to sign up as soon as possible.

Laura told me that I could be connected 4 days later and apologized for the delay, as the aim of Blend is to install customers within 2 working days after signing up, but due to the big demand there weren’t any installers available until Friday.

Not that this mattered to me, as I was used to waiting anywhere between 7 days and 2 months when I had previously changed providers.

On Friday at the agreed time a Spanish installer showed up at my apartment, but

luckily for me he spoke fluent English, as even after living here for 7 years my Spanish is still terrible.

He installed a very small white antenna on my balcony pointing at one of the Blend base stations and connected this antenna with a cable to a wireless router and telephone box. He then connected my computer, wireless, and within the hour I was connected to Blend.

I spent the entire evening in front of the computer, glass of wine in hand, enjoying my new purchase, as I was finally able to surf the net at a decent speed, watch movies and see my family on the MSN webcam without the image breaking up.

Finally, a service which does what it says, so it’s bye bye Telefonica and happy days with Blend!

See their advert below for contact details and opening times.

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Sport

THoUSANDS oF people lined the north east shores of Gran Canaria to see the start

of ARC 2010 as 233 boats set sail at the same time, to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The 25th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) started in spectacular style on Sunday 21st of November as the 233 yachts from 26 nations sailed across the start line off Las Palmas heading for their final destination, 2,700 nautical miles away in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.

The morning of the start did not look promising with rain and dark clouds adding extra ambience to the already tense and excited atmosphere in the port as the competitors hurried around doing last odd jobs and saying goodbyes to loved ones. Almost as if scripted, the dark clouds were replaced by bright sunshine once the boats were out around the start line. It was almost like the weather lifted the tension away; the days of preparations, lists and decisions were finally over and the crews were ready to do what they came to do; sail across the Atlantic. Light north east wind filled to provide a reaching start (wind from the side making for a fast but stable point of sailing). For

the thousands of spectators ashore and afloat, it was a picture perfect start to the historic 25th ARC.

Racing Yachts Start First

The Spanish naval ship, Vancedora, started the race in three parts - first the faster racing boats (19 in total) then the Invitation Racing Division, followed by the rest of the cruising fleet (still racing but far less competitively; most of these boats’ objectives are to cross the ocean in safety, company and shore based support that the ARC offers).

Excitement, Emotion and a touch of Canarian Carnival spirit As the yachts prepared to leave the docks, The Banda Guayadra (provided by the Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas) marched around the marina serenading every pontoon to add to the festival atmosphere.

The harbour was filled with loud music and spectators cheering the yachts on as they left the docks and all the competing yachts were bid farewell from Las

Palmas via loud speakers around the port. The atmosphere was ecstatic.

Before making their way to the start line the yachts passed through a ‘gate’ so each could be identified.

This year the boats provided their own entertainment to the crowd - a Mexican wave from Albatros (GER), bagpipes on Caduceus (GBR), and most popular of all, Croatian yacht Dora left the marina and passed through the ‘gate’ in reverse, while singing Croatian songs accompanied by guitars and maracas! The Canary News wishes each competitor a safe and happy crossing and looks forward to hearing the stories from the other end. ***Stop Press*** One boat returns to Las Palmas: just 24 hours after the start, one boat has returned to Las Palmas citing the ill health of one crew member. It is understood by the organisation that their condition is nothing serious but being still close to Gran Canaria, the crew thought it prudent to return.

By Danny Alcock

FAULTY PUMP to Blame for Sewage being Pumped Directly Into the Sea in Arguineguin With the beach being closed by the Ayuntamiento de Mogan for a month and now the other side of the bay closed by the Ayuntamiento de San Bartolome, we decided to take a closer look at why these beaches are closed during the peak season of tourism in Arguineguin. Walking over towards the factory (where a big area of white foam can be seen from a distance) the first noticeable thing was the unbearable stench. There appears to be two problems - one is a river of sewage flowing into a hole (and then onto the rocks into the sea) and the other is a pipe which pumps out a brown liquid. Both outfalls create large amounts of foam, it really doesn’t look good! We must point out that it is not the cement factory itself creating the problem, it is the white pump house located next to it that appears to be the problem.

A month after this breakage, there appears to be very little action with regards to fixing the problem and the sewage spills out day and night. The beach is used regularly by fishermen, surfers and hundreds of campers from the nearby campground.

This was the response when we called the Ayuntamiento de Mogan: “The Ayuntamiento has been informed last week of the problem and taken preventative measures to keep people out of the water (by putting up the signs). The official line from them is that the responsibility lies with water company Aguas de Sur Oeste.”

The above article was sent to us by one of our readers.

By Danny Alcock

ARC 2010

Arguineguin Beach Closed


PROPERTIES FOR SALE AGENTSPUERTo RiCo, CENTER Duplex, 3 bed(s)Family house - Excellent opportunity!155.000 Euros, 21470-LM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comPUERTo RiCo, CENTER Duplex, 2 bed(s)159.000 Euros, 21587-CG***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comMoNTAñA LA DATA Single-family house, 4 bed(s)280.000 Euros, 21601-LL***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980****Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comPUERTo RiCo, BARRANCo AGUA LA PERRA Guanabara ParkApartment, 1 bed(s)59.000 Euros, 21742-CG***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comPUERTo RiCo, EAST HiLL Apartment, 1 bed(s)Magnificent opportunity!!!!55.000 Euros, 21763-LM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comEL SALoBRE GoLF Duplex, 2 bed(s)350.000 Euros, 21841-OM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comARGUiNEGUíN, PATALAvACA Apartment, 2 bed(s)Complex on first line on the sea !!!380.000 Euros, 21851-OM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comMASPALoMAS, SoNNENLAND Duplex, 3 bed(s)

398.000 Euros, 21861-OM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comARGUiNEGUíN, LoMA DoS Single-family house, 6 bed(s)Very spacious and great location!890.000 Euros, 21865-OM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.comPLAYA DEL iNGLéS Bungalow, 1 bed(s)126.000 Euros, 21883-OM***CARDENAS REAL ESTATE, SINCE 1980***Call now 928 150 650 or visit www.cardenas-grancanaria.com----------------------------------------

PLAYA DEL iNGLéS, LARGE BUNGALoW WiTH PRoPER GARAGE.Plot: 250 m². Livingarea: 110 m². Consisting of: living, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, seperate built-in kitchen, study, terraces and garden. Completely furnished and in perfect condition. Price: 410.000 euro.Europa Real Estate928 765 [email protected],BEAUTiFUL BUNGALoW, iDEAL FoR PRoPER USE.Quiet, one-bedroom bungalow with two bathrooms, two large terraces and private garden with whole-day-sun. Very good and tastfully furnished and with high standard equippement. Private parkinglot. Monthly communityfee only 80.- euro.Price: 144.000 euros.Europa Real Estate928 765 [email protected] RiCoBungalow with panoramic

seaview over the beach and harbor of Puerto Rico.100 m² Living-area, 3 bedrooms and 2 large sunny terraces. Parking-lot and Pool.Price: 330.000 EurosEuropa Real Estate928 765 [email protected] DEL CURA, EXCLUSivE APARTMENT WiTH PANoRAMiC SEAviEWThis apartment has 72 m² livingarea and a large very private terrace of 36 m² with whole-day-sun. Bedroom and bath are ensuite. Situation and the use of only the most luxurious materials make this real estate to an unique exquisity.Price: 290.000 EurosEuropa Real Estate928 765 [email protected] DEL iNGLéS, oUTSTANDiNG BUNGALoW WiTH GARAGE AT THE BEACH PRoMENADEThis unique dreamhouse with aprox. 100 m² living area and large private garden consists of living-diningroom, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large terrace and solarium with spectacular view to the dunes of Maspalomas ans ocean. The bungalow is equipped with all luxury. Heated cummunity swimmingpool.Price: 588.000,- Euros.Europa Real Estate928 765 [email protected] AGUSTíN, DREAM BUNGALoW with beautiful view over the ocean. 64 m² Living-area, 2 bedrooms, full-fitted kitchen, bathroom and 32 m²-large sunny terrace. Parking-lot and Pool. Monthly communityfee only: 78,- Euro. PRICE: 290.000,-- €Europa Real Estate: 928 765 [email protected] DEL iNGLéS, ToPFLooR.Bright, furnished two-bedroom apartment with balcony. Central. Quiet. Near Yumbo. Only three minutes walk to the beach. Heated pool !Price: 114.000,- Euros.Europa Real Estate: 928 765 [email protected] SAN FERNANDo, LARGE APARTMENT With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, seperate kitchen and a balcony with seaview. Parkingspace in garage included.Price: 144.000.- Euros.Europa Real Estate:

928 765 [email protected] PLAYA DEL iNGLéS, BEAUTiFUL CoMPLETELY RENovATED APARTMENT.It consists of one bedroom, livingroom, full equipped kitchen, bathroom and terrace. Tastfully furnished. Complex with large pools and parkinglots. Price: 96.000,- Euros.Europa Real Estate: 928 765 [email protected] PLAYA DEL iNGLéS, QUiET CoRNER-APARTMENT WiTH PRivATE PARKiNGVery centrical located spacious two-bedroom apartment consisting of: livingroom with amarikan kitchen, bathroom and large balcony.The complex offers 2 large swimmingpools, 2 tennis courts and private parkinglots ! Low community fees. Price: 168.000,- Euros.Europa Real Estate: 928 765 812info@europa-immobilien.com-------------------------------------

Playa del InglésBeautifully refurbished one bedroom apartment for sale in Playa del Inglés. The apartment is close to the CC Kasbah and only a few minutes walk from the beach. The complex has a communal swimming pool and Pool bar.Ref. PI657. Price: €80,000. Tel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comPlaya del Inglés Two bedroom apartment situated on the top floor of a very popular complex on Avda. Tirajana in Playa del Ingles. Very near the Yumbo centre, shops and restaurants. Nicely kept complex with a communal swimming pool. The main bedroom has fitted wardrobes and there are

sea views from both the bedroom and the livingroom balcony. Very well priced!Ref: PI704 Price:€140,000. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comPuerto rIcoFantastic opportunity! Spacious apartment in excellent condition for sale. Complex has heated swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, reception, supermarket, childrens park and minigolf. Ideal location for families. Rental system in place already in complex.Ref. PR184. Price: €55,000.Tel: 928906890. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comPuerto rIcoNice one bedroom apartment with terrace and beautiful seaviews for sale in Puerto Rico. The complex was recently renovated and the apartment has a refurbished kitchen. Communal pool with pool bar.Ref. PR651. Price: €68,000.Tel. 928906890. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comel tableroRecently built two bedroom apartment for sale in El Tablero. Seperate kitchen equipped with fridgefreezer, dish-washer, microwave and ceramic hob. There is also a seperate utility room with dryer and washing machine. Fully fitted wardrobes and parking space included.Ref. TB645. Price: €169,000.Tel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.com---------------------------------------

PLAYA DEL iNGLéSEnjoy the nice balcony and the spendid view, 1 bed room apartment on 7th floor in centric, elegant complex, near to all amenities and beach, new electric instalation paid, buying now only 78.000 Euro (Ref. 1.006E) INMOBILIARIA KSR, C/. Escorial, Edif. Danubio, Tel. 928 766 684MASPALoMASNear the Golf Course and short distance to the light house, quiet terraced 1 bedroom bungalow in very well kept complex with heated pool and tennis, ample parking space, nicely furnished with all comfort. 135.000 Euro (Ref. 3.509K2). INMOBILIARIA KSR, C/. Escorial, Edif. Danubio, Tel. 928 766 684, [email protected] Duplex-bungalow in private complex with beautiful pool area in tropical gardens, 1

bedroom, 1 bath, separate WC, front and rear terrace, small fenced garden,the property comes fully equipped (washing machine etc.). 125.000 Euro (Ref. 3.810B). INMOBILIARIA KSR, [email protected], Tel. 928 766 684SAN AGUSTiNHillside bungalow aprox. 130 m2 livingspace, include guest apartment with sep. entrance, plus large terrace of aprox. 50 m2 with panoramic view, carport, quiet complex with tennis and nice pool, 325.000 Euro (Ref. 5.505I). INMOBILIARIA KSR, C/. Escorial, Edif. Danubio, Tel. 928 766 684PLAYA DEL iNGLéSBeautiful 1 bedroom Apartment, very private balcony with sea view, luxuriously fitted, quiet location and well-kept complex with pools, private parking, 24-hour security etc. 93.600 Euro (Ref. 1.004U). INMOBILIARIA KSR, www.ksrgrancanaria.com, Tel. 928 766 684SoNNENLANDVery cosy duplex bungalow with covered terrace recently reformed, bedroom with fitted wardrobes and balcony, small garden, nicely furnished and equipped, 122.000 Euro (Ref. 3.800I). INMOBILIARIA KSR, www.ksrgrancanaria.com, Tel. 928 766 684MoNTAñA DE LA DATAExceptional Villa with lots of possibilities on 1.300 m2 fenced ground, peaceful and quiet place with amazing views towards Maspalomas and the Atlantic, 384 m2 living space (plus enormous terraces), include 2 separate apartments, each with 2 bedrooms, wonderful garden, pool, BBQ house, 1.100.000 Euro (Ref. 6.300C). INMOBILIARIA KSR, Tel. 928 766 684, www.ksrgrancanaria.comSONNENLANDSpacious family house, built 2006, aprox. 130 m2 living space + 115 m2 basement and garage with own entrance; terraces, balcony, BBQ, whirlpool; high quality material and newest technology. 594.000 Euro. Method of payment negociable. (Ref. 8.009C). INMOBILIARIA KSR, Tel. 928 766 684, www.ksrgrancanaria.comBAHiA FELíZNear beach, luxury penthouse with amazing terrace (view!) and balcony, 122 m2 living space + 73 m2 terrace, 2 bedrooms, 2 bath, high quality equipment, complex with heated pool and priv. parking, 24-hours security service. 354.000 Euro (Ref.

To place a classified advert, simply fill in the coupon on page 31 and drop off at Property Abroad, Aladdins Cave, Cafe Florin. See ads for locations. Email: [email protected] or Tel: 928 774 818

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INSURANCE,MORTGAGE

&FINANCIAL

ADVICE Tel:

(0034) 928 562 467Fax:

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BRITISH MEDICAL CLINIC Bungalows Martinica 19 , Puerto Rico

(0034) 928 56 00 16 DR PAUL BERESFORD-‐JONES

Clinic Hours: Mon -‐ Fri 9-‐1.30, Tues and Thurs 4-‐5.30 Phone lines open: Mon -‐ Fri 8.30-‐5.30

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30 The Canary News - Friday 3rd December - Thursday 16th December 2010 - Issue 36 www.thecanarynews.com

2.505C). INMOBILIARIA KSR, [email protected], Tel. 928 766 684PLAYA DEL iNGLéSBest time to by: Comfortable Maisonette-Bungalow in quiet, residential complex, 95 m2 living space, 3 bed rooms, 2 bath, spacious terrace partly covered, roof terrace with fantastic view, large storage room, fully equipped, off-road parking. 275.000 Euro (Ref. 4.008O). INMOBILIARIA KSR, C/. Escorial, Edif. Danubio, Tel. 928 766 684SAN AGUSTíNFront line to the Atlantic: top-quality apartment (52 m2) with bright rooms tastefully, modern designed, fully equipped, lot of storage space, complex with heated pool and direct access to the promenade, low maintenance costs. 168.000 Euro (Ref. 1.507D) INMOBILIARIA KSR, [email protected], Tel. 928 766 684---------------------------------------RoCA REAL ESTATE928 561667www.inmobiliaria-roca.comSTUDio WiTH A ToURiST RENTAL CoNTRACT. Very good location, recently refurbished complex and apartments. Ref: 20083. Sale price: 50.000.-€oNE BEDRooM APARTMENT, PUERTo RiCo, central location, quiet residential complex with a pool. Sale price: 60.000.-€. 1 BEDRooM APARTMENTS iN PUERTo RiCo, excellent complex, very central, fantastic sea views. Ref. 1004. Sale price from: 63.000.-€1 BEDRooM APARTMENT iN A RESiDENTiAL CoMPLEX One bedroom apartment in good condition, complex, with fantastic views over Amadores and the ocean. Ref. 10013. Sale price 89.000.-€ 2 BEDRooM APARTMENT, GRoUND FLooR, LARGE TERRACE.Beautifully refurbished apartment in a residential complex, with a large terrace, very central location. Ref: 10064A. Sale price: 180.000.-€FANTASTiC 3 BEDRooM HoUSE iN RESiDENTiAL CoMPLEX. Corner house with excellent sea views, totally refurbished and furnished. Large terraces, community gardens and heated swimming pool. Ref. 10070. Sale price 395.000.-€.RoCA REAL ESTATE

928 561667www.inmobiliaria-roca.com

PROPERTIES FOR RENTPRIVATEPRIVATE RENTAL Pasito Blanco: Quiet two-bed, two rec-room modern apartment, CLUB CAMPING. Terrace, bills included. 375e p/m ONO. [email protected] or 662045990. 5 mins Maspalomas.

PROPERTIES FOR RENTAGENTSoNNENLANDExcellent apartment with lovely views over Maspalomas, the sand dunes and the sea. Lovely communal pool area with childrens park. The apartment is fully furnished including washing machine and is available for long term rental only.Ref:SN713.Price:€440 /month. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comMASPALoMASLovely 1 bedroom apartment located in a privileged area just 3 minutes from Maspalomas Beach and the Dunes. Air conditioned included, private garage and spacious garden. Recently refurbished with brand new modern furniture .Ref:MP313.Price:€500/month. Tel: 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comPLAYA DEL iNGLéS The Bungalow is situated in the tourist area of Playa del Ingles, around two kilometres from the beaches and close to the shops, bars and restaurants. The

complex has a pleasant open-air swimming pool with pool bar. The bungalow has two bedrooms (one double and one single), one bathroom, a living room, kitchenette, a terrace with a small garden and off-road parking. Television includes all german and english channels.Ref. PI502. Price: €650/monthTel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comSAN AGUSTíNLovely and spacious apartment with two bedrooms in San Agustín. Breathtaking views over San Agustín and Playa del Inglés with the sand dunes in the distance. The kitchen is equipped with oven and 4 ring hob. Parking directly infront of the house.Ref. : SA723. Price: €750/monthTel. 928141202. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.comPUERTo RiCoImmaculate 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa in the quiet zone of Puerto Rico, located on the West Hill. This well maintained villa is set in a complex of 4 other villas with communal tennis courts and swimming pool. The 3 bedrooms all have built in wardrobes and the master boasts an ensuite bathroom. Two of the bedrooms have access out to a terrace which has amazing views over the West Hill, Atlantic Ocean and Mount Telde in Tenerife on a clear day. Ref. CPR14R. Price: €950/monthTel. 928906890. DREAM HOMES www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.com---------------------------------------

RoCA REAL ESTATE928 561667www.inmobiliaria-roca.comSTUDioS, oNE & TWo BEDRooMS APARTMENTS AND BUNGALoWS, in Puerto Rico, & Playa del Cura, long term lets. Prices from 440.-€ / month. STUDio iN PLAYA DEL CURA. Beautiful studio in an excellent location, very close to the beach. Long term rental only. Ref. 15206. Rent 450.-€.BAR FoR LEASE iN PUERTo RiCo SHoPPiNG CENTRE. Small bar for lease in Phase IV, Puerto Rico Shopping Centre. Rent per month 1.000.-€, traspaso 8.000.-€RESTAURANT iN PUERTo RiCo SHoPPiNG CENTRE, PHASE iii.Restaurant for lease, fully fitted and open, including all fixtures and fittings. Traspaso 30.000.-€, rental on the premises 1.750.-€ a month. RoCA REAL ESTATE928 561667www.inmobiliaria-roca.com

CHARITIESFREE TANDEM bike rides for blind people or people with any other physical disability who are unable to ride a bike by themselves. Also free excursions into the mountains in my car for people in wheelchairs together with a companion. Minibus trips can also be arranged at an agreed reasonable cost. For more information call Franz at 699 124 985.WANTED. Second hand books, in good condition, to be sold in support of Registered Childrens’ Charities 1) RUBBISH DUMP CHILDREN in Cambodia 2) ORPHANS/ SCHOOLprojects in China. Please drop books off at Original Designs, Ancorra C. Arguineguin. donations gratefully received. Contact [email protected] Together we can make a differenceDRiNKiNG PRoBLEM?International, Englishspeaking AA meetings everyFriday at the church in theKasbah (door on the lefthand side) Playa del Inglés,8.30pm. Monday 12pm inSan Fernando, behind Market Maspalomas and Tuesday 7pm at the Catholic Church (enter by the stairway on the right hind side),Behind the taxi rank next tothe police station.Do you believe that you havea problem with alcohol?Perhaps you are looking orsome help? AlcoholAnonymous meet in Telde onMondays and Thursdays from20.00 until 21.30.Call 928 202 638TARA ANiMAL CHARiTY SHoPSBig & Beautiful - In Arquinequin 63 & 67 c/Tanausu across from Pino Seco Park. Monday thru Saturday 10am till at least 4pmAll Kinds of Second Hand Items ON OFFER! 607 671 617 or www.tara-animales.orgTARA ANiMAL WELFARE CHARiTYAdopt or Foster Dog/Pups, Cats/Kittens. Human Companions Needed for Life. Call – 607 617 671 or www.tara-animales.orgTARA ANiMAL WELFARE CHARiTYNeeds Donations To Save Animals. Pick-up Service Available For Big Loads Call – 607 617 671 or www.tara-animales.orgTARA ANiMAL RESPECT ASSoCiATioNTARA Telephone: +34 607 671 167. WEBSITE: www.Tara-Animales.orgFACEBOOK: Tara Animal RespectTARA BLOG: http://Tara-

animales.blogspot.com/ARGUiNEGUiN CULTURALSoCiETY meets everyThursday at Tío Pepe barfrom 20.00 at the C.C. Ancorain Arguineguín. As mentionedpreviously in TCN, the groupwere looking for a place tobuild up our string puppetstage and to train people inthe making and operating ofstring puppets. The group hasnow found a suitable placein Arguineguín and if anyoneis interested in joining themplease call Peter on 639 229414 and go to the meetingson Thursdays.JoiN THE LiBRARY inMaspalomas with your NIE number and passport and picture or residencia. No charge. English books and other European languages too. Also free internetaccess.!! The library hours are 8.00 am till 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm to 10 pm Monday toFriday. Biblioteca Municipal Maspalomas, Casa del Cultura Maspalomas, Avda De Tejeda 72 Phone 928 720 035AMiGoS CoNTRA EL SiDA is a charity that provides supportfor people with HIV and Aids and has information about sexually transmitteddiseases Amigos contra elSida - Friends against AidsAv. Alejandro del Castillo,Mercado Municipal, 2º floor San Fernando Maspalomas Contact: 695578004. Timetable: Tuesday and Thursday - 9:00 to 15:00 hour. Amigos contra el Sida Calle El Escorial nº 7, VecindarioTeléfono: 928 149 570Timetable: Monday to Friday- 9:00 to 14:00 hour. Website:www.amigoscontraelsida.orgSUPPoRT MARiA TEMPLEMAN’S DoG RESCUE. You can find Maria’s stall in Arguineguin market on Tuesdays

and Mogan market on Fridays. You can also find Maria in Maspalomas market next to the big, main flood light on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Money raised from Maria’s stall goes to funding dogrescue in Gran Canaria,including vet and kennel feesand re-homing dogs.

MON TO FRI 10am to 8pmSAT 10am to 1.30pm

For appointments please tel 928 561 771


We Buy and Sell

Second Hand and New.

Call Mandy: 637 163 434

Ancora Centre No. 82

Arguineguin. Classi�edsSpecial O�er

6 Editions for the price of 4(Adverts must run concurrently)Hand into any of our drop o points

Property Abroad Puerto RicoAladdin´s Cave Arguineguin

Café Florin Opp. Hard Rock CafeParaiso Jewellers Mogan

The Print Shop San Fernando(See adverts for locations)

Cafe FlorinCalle Alfreces

Prov. 29(opposite

Hard Rock cafe)

Text (print in Block Capitals). Lineage, 32 centsper word inc 5% iGiC.

Name: .........................................................................................................................................................

Address: .....................................................................................................................................................

Tel No: ........................................................................................................................................................

Number of inserts: ................................................. Date from: ...............................................................Private classified adverts must be pre-paid cash DEADLINE 12 NOON FRIDAY. Simply fill in the coupon above, drop off and pay at

Property Abroad, Aladdins Cave, Paraiso Jewellers, The Print Shop or Cafe Florin. See ads for locations.

Tick as appropriateBoXED ADvERTs

1 mod = 17€(40 x 42mm)

2 mods = 34€(83 x 42mm)

3 mods = 50€(126 x 42mm)

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(prices inc. iGiC)

PLEASE TICK APPROPRIATE BOX

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGTo place a classified advert, simply fill in the coupon below and drop off at Property Abroad, Aladdins Cave,

Paraiso Jewellers, The Print Shop or Cafe Florin. See ads for locations.Email: [email protected] or Tel: 697 724 949

The Canary Islands’ most successful FREE Newspaper

THE

NEWSCanary

32 The Canary News - Friday 3rd December - Thursday 16th December 2010 - Issue 36 www.thecanarynews.com

For Rent

For Sale

Beautifully refurbished one bedroom apartment for sale in

Playa del Inglés. The apartment is close to the CC Kasbah and only a few minutes

walk from the beach. The complex has a communal swimming pool and Pool bar.

Beautiful refurbished dúplex for rent in San Agustín.

Only a few minutes walk to the beach in San Agustín.

Very secure and gated complex. Streetball court and three

communal swimming pools. Rental price includes all bills.

Air conditioning included.

San Agustín

Price: 600€/monthBedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1

Sonnenland

One bedroom duplex in quiet residencial area in Sonnenland. Air-conditioned.

Communal swimming pool and private garden.

Rental price includes all bills. Only for long term rental.


Maspalomas

Price: 80,000€Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1

Playa del Inglés


Very nicely refurbished bungalow in Playa del Inglés. Very light property with direct

access from the street. Air-conditioning can be installed

easily. Complex has a communal pool and tennis court. Viewing

strongly recommended!

Playa del Inglés


Salobre Golf


Fantastic bungalow for rent in Campo de Golf. The bungalow has two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes and a attic with a

single bed. Mosquito nets and aluminium shutters in the

bedrooms and air-conditioning in the master bedroom and the

living room. The bungalow is in a quiet complex of 18 bungalows with communal swimming pool.

Beautiful luxury home in Salobre Golf. Outstanding views over the

Salobre Golf course. Two double bedrooms, two

bathrooms, private swimming pool and private garden.

Private parking also included. Must be seen!

Dream Homes , C.C. Yumbo Local 411/10 , 35100 Playa del Inglés and Avda. Tomas Roca Bosch Nº 28, Puerto Rico G.C. Tel: 928 90 68 90

[email protected] www.dreamhomesgrancanaria.com

Telephone: 928 141 202 Mobile: 676 406 679

The Canary News Edition 36

Documents

Transcript of The Canary News Edition 36