Costa Tropical Gazette News » club

Radio-Controlled, Buggie Racing

Editor — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:54:31 +0000

Did you know that Almunecar has a Radio-controlled buggies club? Well, it has and not surprisingly it’s called Club Radiocontrol Los Arcos. The club, which has its ‘race track’ where the old municipal rubbish dump used to be, has just held its I Torneo Radiocontrol Ciudad de Almunecar.

The club chairman, Daniel Toboso, thanked the 16 competitors, as well as the Almunequeros in general for their support.

The competition, which was comprised of quarter finals, semi-finals and finals, had six competitors from other townships taking part, as well as the ‘local lads.’

First Place was won by Manuel Sanchez from Velez Benaudalla. Second place was also taken by a competitor from Velez Benaudalla, calling himself, Stallone.

8-year-old, Alex, also from the same town, won the best junior prize. As for the local lads, Daniel Tobos took the ‘best local competitor’ with his finishing place of sixth. Hey, the chairman’s got to win at least one prize, Guys!

Anybody that is interested in learning more about this budding club can visit their website at www.losarcosrc.com.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)

July 4th in Spain!

Editor — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:17:31 +0000

The American International Club of Nerja (AICN) has rapidly grown from 38 members to 100+ in just a few years. The Club’s democratic procedures and motto may account for much of that: “If it isn’t fun, we don’t do it!”

Again this year, the American Club of Nerja will celebrate the unique American holiday of separation from Great Britain on July 4th, with a multi cultural American-Spanish BBQ explosion on the Playazo Beach, Nerja!

This American-Spanish celebration makes sense since the Spanish discovered Florida in the US… they are really as American as Nina, Pinta and Sangria!! So starting at 8PM we enjoy two libations along with many Spanish delicacies and traditional American BBQ meats side-dishes and dessert, then the FUN continues with live music, dancing, fireworks display and competition for Best Pirate Fancy Dress attending. As in past years celebrations – all are invited to attend, dress up fancy and have FUN on July 4th.

American Club member’s price is 22.50 euros, 27.50 euros for guests. Those joining before July 4th, benefit from member’s discount. More details of this Club’s events throughout the year, this special July 4th Explosion and to make required Reservations with exact location/driving directions – see the Club’s web site at: http://www.americaninternationalclub.com/events, call Club President, Arthur Knighton at: 627 168 943.

The American International Club is a social club serving from Almunecar to Torrox with a philanthropic focus raising funds for Spanish charities. Every year a significant donation is given to a local Spanish organization/s as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to our host country.

The membership has donated over 1,000 Euros, to the Ciudad de los Niño’s, Taller de Amistad , A.N.A.B.E. and ANAC which supports the Nerja Cultural Center. The club hosts monthly outings, petanque, walks, tapa tours, dinners, travel and informal coffee meetings. ‘Resident’s Day’ in Nerja they generated charity funds by selling coffee, cake, sangria and hand-made crafts.

(News/Events: Nerja, Costa del Sol, Axarchia, Malaga, Andalucia)

Asociación Española Contra el Cancer

Editor — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:54:07 +0000

The AECC is the second club/association to have its own corner on on the Seaside Gazette Internet edition. If any other club would also like to be able to post their news directly on the online version of the Seaside Gazette, please get in touch with the Editor.

La Herradura English Library

David Darby — Sun, 02 May 2010 13:53:20 +0000

In celebration of the Day of the Book, the volunteers who coordinate and make the English section of the La Herradura Library possible posed for a photo.

There are now over 900 titles fully catalogued on the library’s computer that contains all the English language titles from every library in Andalusia. Even if you can’t find the title you want, the computer can be checked, and if it is held at another site, they will despatch it to La Herradura free of charge. What an excellent service!

The English library is situated in the Civic Centre in the village, and now has one of the best collections of English titles in the province, and all donated by the English speaking peoples of the village and the surrounding towns. And the library is increasing in size every day as work continues to catalogue the remaining 300 books still to be registered on the computer.

The English Book Club meets every Wednesday between 11.00 and 13.00 hrs, although you can borrow books anytime Monday to Friday from 09.30 to 13.30 hrs and 16.30 to 19.30 hrs, so pop in and check it out.

The International Club of Salobreña

Dave Nichols — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:23:43 +0000

On to more important things. The International Club of Salobreña has seen a great deal of activity since our last column. Firstly, the club is now about to attain legal status, as a charitable institution. Which means that it can qualify for national and local government grants.
Secondly, the club is co-sponsoring, with the Cultural and Environmental Department of the Town Hall, a ‘Car-Boot Sale’ to be held on the first Saturday of each month in the Parque de la Fuente. If you would like to have a stall, just email Mila at milarami@gmail.com. or call Helen on 958 617 104.
You can also donate ‘stuff’ that you no longer need, to be sold for a good cause. This is another example of the extranjeros working for the general benefit of the local society. The first ‘good cause’ is to take the proceeds and spend them on improving the equipment in the children’s playground.

Night Club Sanctioned

Editor — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:25:09 +0000

Two men that run a nightclub-cum-knocking shop in Almuñécar were up before the magistrate in Motril last month. They were found guilty as charged and sentenced to two years in the land of striped sunshine and 1,800 euros in fines, each, for employing five women in a less than legal manner. It isn’t that what they were doing was illegal but that they were doing it without sufficient official paperwork.
The establishment was raided just after midnight on the 13th of April 2005 – it’s taken this long to works its way through the legal system. On the said night, the Guardia Civil, accompanied by a work inspector. According to the court finding, at the moment of inspection, there were several people with all their papers in order, besides the five ladies whose alleged horizontal activities were unbeknown to the tax office…
The original article does not mention the name of the night bar, nor the names, telephone numbers or schedule of five ladies…

International Club of Salobreña

Dave Nichols — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:12:50 +0000

The International Club of Salobreña concluded its program for the year with a pre-Christmas lunch at the Hotel Salobreña. In acknowledgement of economic times, all the food and drink was provided by members, proving that culinary skills are alive and well in the International community.

Comestibles were consumed, libations poured down thirsty throats, games played and Christmas Carols were Carolled. And a thoroughly good time was had by all.

Next up, there’s a social meeting at the Hotel on January 13th, and the all-important AGM on January 27th. With over 150 members now, the Club represents an important segment of the International Community, so come along.

International Club of Salobreña

Editor — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:59:50 +0000

Is your New Year’s resolution to get out and meet new people? Then the International Club of Salobreña could be just for you! They’re a friendly group; they meet throughout the year on Wednesdays…some weeks for social meetings at Hotel Salobreña and others for a variety of cultural, sporting and historical activities in and around the area; the club is a mix of ex-pats from countries including the UK, Holland, Belgium, Australia, America, Poland and (not forgetting) our host country, Spain – some live here full time and others commute back and forth.
You can join them for the club’s first meeting after the holiday break on Wednesday, 13 January at 11am at Hotel Salobreña for a social meeting. Just look for a group of people having a coffee and a chat! (There are also signs pointing the way to where they are!)
In the past the club activities have included visits to a winery, a rum bodega, Port of Motril; guided walks in the surrounding towns/countryside; trips to Seville, Gibraltar, Jerez and talks by members, local business people and world-renowned authors/photographers, among other things. This coming year the International Club of Salobreña is also offering a weeklong trip to Morocco, including stays in Casablanca and Marrakech!
And, although the club’s name says ‘of Salobreña,’ its membership spreads throughout the Costa Tropical from the Lecrín Valley/Alpujarra to the sea and from Castell del Ferro to La Herradura, so you’re sure to find someone from where you live! Subscriptions for the year are only €10 per person.
If you’d like more information about the International Club, you can visit their website at www.icsalobrena.com or if you have a specific question, send an email to icsalobrena@hotmail.com or call Arlene on 666 76 34 78. We hope to see you at a meeting soon!

Charity Bridge Tournament

Mette Owens — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:46:19 +0000

It’s heart-warming to hear when businesses in the community get together to help a great and worthy cause. This is what happened on Oct. 21st when The Language Tree and Alcoholum joined forces to host and support a Charity Bridge Tournament organized by the Costa Bridge Club. More details will follow shortly about the heart-crushing story behind the fundraising event. First, I want to give credit to these two neighbouring businesses for joining forces and tell you a little about them if you haven’t heard of them before.
The Language Tree: If you are looking to learn or improve your Spanish or English skills, the Language Tree is the school for you. The school opened in August 2008 and has just begun its second academic year. The highly qualified instructors offer classes every day, except weekends, for all ages and levels. The school also offers the preparation courses for Cambridge ESOL exams. Currently they have a waiting list for other languages, and these will start up when there is enough interest. They are located at Edificio Delfin local 7, Paseo de Cotobro, Almuñécar. Tel. 958 882 196, e-mail: thelanguagetree@gmail.com www.thelanguagetree.es
Back to the most import part, namely the Charity Bridge Tournament and the cause of the fundraiser:
I stopped by at the event and had a chat with Julia Asbury, owner of the Language Tree, and David Leake from the Costa Bridge Club. They told me the very sad story of 3-year-old Fletcher Michael Falvey, who was diagnosed with an aggressive, malignant, brain tumour (an anaplastic ependymoma) in August. On Aug. 14th he underwent 7 hours of brain surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. However, this just buys him time, as it will grow again. What he needs now is radiotherapy to deal with the remainder. Conventional radiotherapy is not an option for him as it is can be very damaging to a young brain – there are just too many side effects that could cause Fletcher problems for years to come.
For, this reason, he and his partents have had to go to America where he is currently undergoing a new and safer treatment called proton therapy, which in not available here in Europe. Unfortunately, as this treatment is relatively new, it is very expensive and will cost about 150.000 E. This is the very reason why the Costa Bridge Club organized the Charity Bridge Tournament. Julia from The Language Tree supported the event by generously donating her language school premises so the tournament could take place there. Pia Leissner from Alcoholum sponsored wine during the tournament itself and futhermore dotated 2 boxes of their Chilean Viña Maipo Bag-in-Box wines for their raffel. All the proceeds go directly in aid of Fletcher’s cause. After the tournament was finished, Alcoholum opened it´s doors to 32 players for wine-tasting.
Fletcher´s story has touched people´s heart and if you want to follow his story, he has an online diary at www.friendsoffletcher.com. If you would like to contribute with a donation (big or small) or organize your own fundraiser to help him please contact: friendsoffletcher@gmail.com

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Back again

Marianne Lindahl — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:08:32 +0000

Nice to be back here again. We have been enjoying a month of temperatures above 30 degrees, which is quite enjoyable when you’re on the beach, but uncomfortable for gardening or playing golf. But after a sweaty round at Los Moriscos you can at least blame the heat for finishing 10 up. When writing this, the heaven opened up, and the rain is pouring down. Good for the garden!
The new bit of motorway to the Taramay roundabout has been tested. Not that it shortens the way from Málaga to us up here in Citalsol, but it feels grand to drive on this fine example of Spanish road construction. Another good thing with the motorway is that we got rid of most of the life-threatening lorry drivers doing 100 km/h through the Taramay tunnel.
A stroll through the town shows many signs of the present crisis; a lot of shops have shut down, houses that were for sale three years ago still linger on the market, construction works have stopped and workshops have reduced their staff to a minimum. Expensive restaurants have given way to more economic ‘Menu del Dia’ bars, where people can eat a good meal for seven euros. Bars were you get generous helpings of tapas, like sardines and papas a lo pobre with a glass of beer or wine are crowded at midday. If I had to choose where I would prefer to be jobless, I definitely would pick this corner of the world!
Meeting our Scandinavian friends at Asociación Hispano-Nórdica after several months up North was a lively and joyful affair. On October 7th, we met and mingled in the club at Edificio Mariote. The bar was absolutely crowded with people, exchanging experiences and commenting on the latest ‘talk of the town.’
Many opinions were heard on the latest gossip about fines being given several times for the same offence against the decree regarding garbage handling. Most people agreed that the only way to keep our town tidy is to punish people who do not comply with the rules. As it is now, you see bottles, cardboard, batteries and whatever put in the bin for general household waste. And plastic bags containing all and sundry just put on the ground near the bins. Too lazy to get out of the car and put the rubbish in its rightful place?
The same attitude probably exists among the trades people, so a fine is OK, but only once for the same offence. Let’s do what we can to keep our town neat and tidy. Doing it right is gratis.
This year La Fiesta de Europa was held on October 17th. The usual venue, Parque Majuelo, being under repair, the event took place in a marquee at the Plaza Kuwait. All the foreign associations of Almuñécar gathered together, offering specialities from their home countries.
The Nordic associations, Asociación Hispano-Nórdica (AHN) and Club Nórdico had a joint stand, where meatballs and wafers with cloudberry jam and whipped cream were served to the public.
The event was successful and well organized in spite of the somewhat temporary arrangement. The Mayor, Juan Carlos Benavides, visited all the stands, accompanied by Eva Gaítan, Councillor for Institutional Relations, who has done a great job organizing the event. This year the ‘European of the Year’ award on behalf of the Nordic associations was given to Lola and Björn Rajalin, a Finnish couple from la Herradura, as a recognition for their valuable work for AHN as board members during many years, outstanding organizers of events and trips and for their loyalty, good humour and helpfulness.