San Juan, Party On The Beach Time

San Juan GarruchaThe Summer Solstice in Spain is celebrated on the beach, where else? At midnight on 23rd June, family and friends, young and old all head for their local beach with some wood for a bonfire, food and drink, a blanket to sit on and a pen and paper to write down their 3 wishes.

It’s common to see people jumping over fires which, according to legend, cleanse the body and the soul. Jumping in the sea at midnight is supposed to be a way to wash away evil spirits. It is ritual that rules San Juan. After midnight, for example, people wash their faces and feet three times in order to be granted three wishes to ensure a happy twelve months thereafter.

Whether you want to partake in the rituals or just have a great party it is far more fun than when we celebrated “Midsommar” in Sweden and normally we were huddled together to keep warm outdoors before heading in to thaw out with a large whiskey in front of a fire. (It was warm sometimes!)

If you are here on holiday head down to Garrucha, this is what you can expect.

 

Another Couple Living The Dream

We left the UK 14 years ago to start a completely new lifestyle adventure at Finca Arboleda. This programme on Channel 5 tonight features another couple making the leap. It’s always interesting for us to see how they get on but the main reason for watching this particular one is that the lovely Alex Polizzi is presenting. If you didn’t catch her “Spectacular Spain” series which finished a few weeks ago make sure you look out for it on one of the catch up options that are around.

Casa Cuevas Alex Polizzi lends her expertise to British expats Mark and Shirley, who have spent the past eight years living and working on the southern coast of Spain. A weekend break to a traditional Spanish cave house has inspired the pair to open their own. Setting their sights on a hillside in Granada, the duo plan to use their 25,000-euro savings and a £50,000 inheritance to set up a three-bedroom B&B, but an ambitious 10-week turnaround period could leave them struggling to open the doors on time.

Cuevas Helena

Maraú Beach Club Bar & Restaurant

Maraú Beach Club is all set to be a popular destination this summer. We haven’t tried the food but the menu is extensive and reasonably priced considering the beachfront location. They also have a pool and sunbeds. When we went it was reasonably busy and they were playing pleasant music, not too loud.

It looks like the place to be seen, I prefer a more traditional Chiringuito.

The restaurant is open from 13:00 to 16:00 and from 20:00 to 23:30. Reservations: 950 961 961
Their Facebook page says the bar is open from 11.00 till 06.00

This video does a good job of showing what they offer.

Restaurante Isabel Alonso

So we popped into Valle de Esta golf course, about 3Km from Finca Arboleda with friends yesterday.

When they had finished their appointment it was time for some lunch. Nothing at the course caught our eye, although we will go back and try what they have to offer. They are keen walkers and have met at what we call Truck Stop and is apparently called “Restaurante Isabel Alonso” just off junction 529 on the E15 but have just had a quick coffee there before. We have heard good things about it and decided to give it a try for a “Menu del Dia”.

Although it is at a filling station the decor is not too shabby, it has friendly staff and the obligatory TV blares away in the corner. We chose our table, ordered 3 pints of refreshingly cold beer and a large water which arrived promptly and the waitress recited the choices for starters and mains. We ordered 3 Paellas and a Sopa de Marisco followed by 2 Chicken dishes a Steak and Pork fillet all served with salad, fries and ratatouille. The Chicken Paella  was tasty and perfect texture, all the mains were well cooked and to our satisfaction. There was a choice of desserts which were a little uninspiring, fruit salad was fine but to honest we were already replete. We digested the meal over a coffee and requested bill, we had no idea how much it would be and should have played the Rob Brydon “How much is the bill” game, fans of “The Trip” will know what I mean. €40 and a voucher for 5 litres of fuel thrown in*, a bargain, we’ll be back!

 

*I lied about the free fuel!

Moros & Christians 2017 Vera

Moros & Christians 2017 Vera
Moros & Christians 2017 Vera

It’s almost time for this years Moros and Christians celebrations. It starts in Vera on  Friday 9th June at 20.00.

It is a celebration of their Patron Saint’s Festivities in honor of the Virgin of the Angustias,  Vera revives the tradition of the Moors and Christians, with an act that represents the capitulation of the city, occurred In the year 1488.

In recent years, the tradition of Moorish and Christian Festivals in Vera has been revived and the Town Hall  have wanted to turn this particular celebration into an important tourist attraction with its presentation at Fitur 2017.

The event was presented at the stand of ‘Costa de Almería’, with the presence of Isabel Maria de Haro, Councilor of Culture of Vera, Gabriel Amat, President of the Provincial Delegation, Alfredo Valdivia, territorial delegate of Culture and Tourism, and Members of the Association of Moors and Christians of the municipality.

The secretary of this association, Pedro Soler, explained that the recreations of the capitulations “are historical events that occurred in a similar way throughout the Almerian Levant and other points of the province of Almeria, when the Moors gave to the Christians, peacefully, the keys of their cities, just as it happened in Granada. ”

Soler has asked the administrations to collaborate with events of this type, which “recover the traditions of the towns and their historical and cultural heritage”, with the aim of “converting the month of June, to the month of the Moors and Christians in the Levante Almeria “.

 

Theater, Circus and Dance Show “Paper Worlds”

“Mundos de Papel”, a disturbingly funny, tender and daring story, combines humour and spontaneous circus techniques, theater and dance, where the spectators are witnesses to a continuous coming and going, where nothing is what it looks and everything looks as it is.

A man, alone and abandoned, walks the empty hallways of a place that was once full of strange and vibrant life. Now, all that is left are the dreams of the former hosts. From all the memories that dwell in this place, the man writes an epic poem where his imagination is queen. Here, now, war and adventure reign, ignorant of the outside world. The kingdoms rise and fall, characters are born out of nothing, and objects are molded to the needs of the narrator in a world where real life mixes with dreams.

VOL’E TEMPS

Created in 2012 after two years of working and training together in the School of Circus and Theater of Granada (CAU). Vol’e Temps is a trio of artists of different backgrounds and disciplines and consists of Albert Moncunill Ferrer (Igualada), Dario Dumon Swinkels (Granada) and Sara Ortiz (Narbonne, France)

They are in Vera on Friday, May 26, at 9:00 p.m., in the Plaza Mayor. Worth a visit I would suggest.

 

AQUAVERA, Water Park

AQUAVERA, Water Park opens May 20th.

Waterpark opening soon Vera Almeria Spain

AquaVera offers safe fun for everyone, both young and old, perfect for a day of water and sun, with family or friends.  The Kamikaze is for the most intrepid and brave who wish to experience the sensation of a fall into the void or the Aquodrome, to make quick races with family and friends.  The star attraction is the Black Hole where you slide down in darkness. The fun Zig Zag slides, twists and turns on two slides that crisscross and descend quickly. If you want something gentler try the Aventura River, in company or alone, a great channel that descends gently in the sunlight. You can relax in the Lake pool or at the wave pool.

Aqualandia, is for the little ones where new for this year is tree adventure, an interesting tree house with walkways, Tibetan bridge, sliding bar, slides … an endless series of adventures under the shade of the pines. Aqua Vera has plenty of places to relax where you can enjoy your own food, but they also offer something for most tastes as well as drinks and of course Ice Creams, it’s not a holiday without an Ice Cream!

Opening Saturday, May 20, 2017 from 11.00 till 18.00, 19.30 in July and August.

Tickets are from €15 to €23 depending on height, book on line for a 10% discount.

Visit their web site here http://www.aquavera.com/?lang=en

Tel 950 46 73 37   email   mk2@aquavera.com

It is located on the coast between Garrucha and Villaricos and it can be seen in the distance from our garden!


Plan of Aquavera

World Beach Tennis Cup in Vera

Beach Tennis VeraOn 27th – 28th May Indalo Beach Tennis Club in Vera Playa will be hosting the Spanish Grand Prix with a first prize of €1500.
For those that don’t know Beach Tennis is played on a standard Beach Volleyball court with a tennis ball and paddle or racquet.
It has really risen in popularity in the last 10 years and this athletic sport is quite a spectacle.

If you are visiting the area and looking for accommodation we are about 10 mins  away and an ideal relaxing base for you.

This official ITF video outlines the basics for you.