May Day holiday in Benidorm

Traditional May Day military parade in North Korea

Tomorrow, 1st May is a national holiday in Spain and across most of Europe. It is officially "International Workers Day" or "Dia del Trabajador" - also known as May Day and historically a day of street marches and demonstrations by labour unions and socialist, communist and anarchist groups. It is a very important holiday in communist countries such as China, North Korea, Cuba and former Soviet Block countries who use this day to parade their military power with huge parades in front of the party officials.

In the UK, the date is always moved to the first Monday in May - this year it falls on Monday 7th but across most European countries it remains on the actual date - regardless of which day of the week it falls on. Here in Spain many places take a "puente" - bridge, so that if the official holiday falls on a Tuesday they take Monday as a bridging day or if on a Thursday they take the Friday. This gives them an extra long weekend but rumours are adrift that the government is looking to stop puentes as it is deemed damaging to the economy. All schools are closed today - which makes it problematic to working parents who do not have "an extra day off". 

Tomorrow all banks will be shut as will major supermarkets such as Carrefour in Finestrat (beside the Marina Shopping Centre) and all Mercadona branches. Some smaller shops may operate Sunday opening times - until 2pm, but may possibly remain shut... best get your fresh milk in today just in case! 

Restaurants will be busy tomorrow as Spanish families will take the opportunity to spend time together. Terra Mitica theme park will be open specially from 10am until 8pm to capitalise on the extra bank holiday custom (they would normally still be closed during the week). Most Spanish people will use it as a chilling out day - possibly in the major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona you may see some demonstrations, but overall its viewed as an extra day off.

I remember the UK back in the 70's when we use to have May Day celebrations which entailed dancing around the Maypole ... such a shame that no-one seems to carry on these traditions - but in this age of high tech gadgets would todays children really take any interest - or perhaps "Health & Safety" will deem it as a hazard as someone may get tangled up in a ribbon!

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Mother & baby at Terra Natura

In their continued efforts to instigate a breeding programme for endangered species, Terra Natura in Benidorm have succeeded yet again... this time with a "White handed Gibbon".
Gibbons are an endangered species due to many reasons but the primary cause is deforestation. The natural habitat of the "Hylobates Iar" better  known as the White Handed Gibbon is South East Asia, where rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate due to logging. In some areas they are also hunted for meat and in some Asian countries they are kept as pets. Laws protect them from live capture, but they are rarely enforced.
The breed is listed as an endangered species by the IUCN - the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which endevours to help the world find solutions to environmental and developmental challenges.

The White Handed Gibbon, like the gorilla, chimpanzee and orangutan, is an ape and NOT a monkey. They have long slender arms and the upper part of their hands and feet are always white - hence the name! The average weight of an adult is ap. 5.7kg and for the female ap 5.3kg.  Their diet is mixed - they eat both plants and meat, but approximately 75% of their diet is fruit. They drink water, often by dipping a furry hand into the water then slurping up the water for their their fur.
Gibbons are extremely acrobatic and agile, spending most of their time swinging from branch to branch - this is called "brachiating". They use four fingers of their hand to create a hook - they do not use the thumb. In fact, when they are in the standing position, the arms are so long that they have to raise them above their head to avoid tripping over them!

"Pau" clinging onto his mother Amy soon after birth

Amy came to Terra Natura having lost her partner and was in mourning for 3 years. The park then tried to introduce her to a new male mate, Shantou, but it was a slow and gradual process - much as it is for us humans! Eventually after a year long "courtship", Amy gave birth to a baby boy weighing in at half a kilo in September. The staff at Terra Natura named him PAU.
Pau was constantly attached to its mother at first - it was amazing that he didn't fall off as she swung from branch to branch! Shantou, the father keeps his distance (sounds like a typical father) but occasionally shows some curiosity and approaches them from time to time.
Recently baby Pau has began to venture off from his mother for short periods of time and is slowly gaining confidence and independence. However, at the slightest noise or change Pau races back to the protective arms of his mother. He still takes milk from her but is also now starting to take solid food such as fruit and vegetables. As time passes, the proportion of solid food will increase as his reliance on his mother decreases ... that's what growing up is all about.
Here is a link to a You Tube video showing the protective mothering gibbon http://youtu.be/tACKOTCJFrI


For the opportunity of winning 2 tickets to see Pau, valid until the 31st December 2012 answer the following two questions:
What part of the white handed gibbon is the longest?
What family does the white handed gibbon belong to?

Email your answers by Monday 14th May to: competition@benidormallyearround.com

The lucky winner of last months Rhino competition was David Counsell from Caldicot in the UK


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Local Police in Benidorm unhappy at proposed pay cuts

Guardia Civil Trafico

In Spain the police are divided up into 3 categories;  Guardia Civil, National Police and the Policia Local. All Police Officers in Spain carry guns.
Here is a really brief outline of the main responsibilities of each category ;
Guardia Civil - wear green uniform and are feared by all - especially "Trafico". They are often seen setting up road blocks, with machine guns and stingers at the ready! These are the ones that will pull you over when driving and usually find something to fine you for - and remember they issue on the spot fines. Be afraid, very afraid.... They answer to the Ministry of Defence and are considered to be part of the army therefore are not permitted to be in any unions or allowed to strike.
National Police - wear navy uniforms and their main responsibilities include terrorism,crime, immigration and drug enforcement. They are the ones that issue all identity documentation such as NIE numbers to foreigners. They answer to the Ministry of Interior.

Local Police outside a school directing traffic

Policia Local - these are your local bobbies and only have authority in their own towns - they answer to the council who also pay their wages. They are responsible for local low level crime- anything half serious and they call the National Police in, collecting Town Hall fees (such as stall holder fees at the local weekly market) and supposedly monitoring local traffic. However they tend to ignore the double parked cars with flashing hazard lights, causing a mile long jam as the driver pops into the bakery for a baguette or to buy a packet of cigarettes. What the Local Police are mostly recognised for is playing at being a lollypop lady at school time! Four times a day, you are guaranteed to see a pair of them, whistles in mouths stopping traffic to allow children to cross the street. In the mornings from about 8.45am until 9.10am then again at lunchtime at either 12 noon or 12.30pm - they start at different times in each town. Then out they come again at either 3.00 or 3.30pm when the children go back after lunch and finally at the end of the day - either 4.30 or 5pm. My advice to anyone is avoid school areas at all of these times - it will take you an eternity to get through. The Police stop the traffic when he or she can see a child approaching, but still 100 metres away - and you have to stop and wait until they have crossed. They will then wave and simultaneously blow their whistles at full volume for you to go. Its really rather comical to watch - once!

Policia Local station in Benidorm

But there is much discord and tension with the Local Police in Benidorm at the moment. Following a meeting at the Social Centre on Wednesday evening with the Mayor Agustin Navarro and his officials, tempers ran high as proposals were announced for cuts to salaries and withdrawal of allowances. The Mayor tried to calm the situation and explain the critical financial situation that the council were in, but it did not go down well. The cuts are being actioned from next month and in protest Police Officers will begin a campaign of protests and demonstrations, beginning on Friday. They have announced  that they will stop providing cover for special events such as concerts and fiestas, sporting events and crowd control during busy holiday periods. Fransisco Gonzalez, Chairman of the SPPLB Police Association and acting on the Police Officers behalf added that they will also stop repairing their uniforms if damaged and discontinue providing their own firearms (guns). Only about 40 are provided by the Town Hall and the remaining 200 odd officers have to provide their own as there are not enough resources.

In these economically strained times everyone is having to make cutbacks to salaries, and the Local Police force are no exception. But what of the "allowances" I hear you ask - what do they get ..... well this may shock you. They receive a bonus if they turn up for work every day and are "upset" that this is being withdrawn! In many areas of Spain, the Policia Local (as they are called) are often on higher salaries than the Guardia - but have know where near any of the same responsibilities. Im afraid that the gravy train has run out of bisto granules - they tend to keep office hours unless there is a local fiesta, when they can rake up abit more overtime and appear to have a rather cushy number. It will be interesting to see if visible policing in the town is reduced whilst this ongoing fracas is resolved!
 The 24 hr emergency telephone number for any of the police services in Spain is 112.


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All Inclusive holidays to Benidorm

 

Popular Flamingo Oasis hotel

Yesterdays BBC breakfast news announced that "First Choice" are going totally All Inclusive. First Choice and Thompson are both part of the larger "TUI" Group - a German multinational travel company and probably one of the worlds largest tourist organisations.
First Choice operate in five Benidorm hotels on an All Inclusive package - Levante Club, Melia, Flamingo Oasis, Flamingo Playa Apartments and Dynastic... the first 3 are virtually next to each other.
I popped by the Flamingo Oasis hotel and chatted to one of the reps there to see if it will have any bearing on the holiday market here. I was told that there will not be any more All Inclusives but rather a re-arrangement, whereby First Choice will offer only the AI package and Thompson all other types eg Bed & Breakfast, Half board etc. At the moment it is rather confusing as both companies offer a mix of both therefore it will make it easier to differentiate for both the staff and customers.

Back in the early days when AI packages first arrived in Benidorm, on arrival you would be given a wristband to wear throughout your duration. This enabled you to basically eat and drink as much as you wanted. However, the hotels soon latched on to the deviousness of some people - they were carefully removing their wristbands at the end of their stay and passing them on to other holidaymakers ... sometimes even selling them! So they started a practice of changing the colour of the band every week to catch people out. Its incredible the lengths some people will go to for a free drink or buffet meal!

Well with the progress of technology they are now given photographic swipe cards, such as the one seen here. This has totally wiped out the "black market" as each card is registered into the hotel computer with an expiry date.
At the Flamingo Oasis, adults are given a purple card and  children (under 18's) are given yellow cards, this is to prevent them from obtaining alcoholic drinks at the bar.... smart move.

Most of the other All Inclusive hotels also have the swipe card system but the Sol Pelicanos, although not used by First Choice do still issue wrist bands - as seen on the ITV Benidorm series when the hotel was the ficticious "Solana Resort" and Mick could often be seen waving his wristband.

All Inclusive packages include all food, drink and entertainment so that there is no need to leave the resort complex. The wine is  generally flowing at both lunch and dinner - the hotels can afford to believe me. You can go to the wine bodega's and purchase reasonable wine at well under one euro a litre, so you can imagine how much the hotels are paying with the quantities they are purchasing - not a lot! They can therefore afford to be seemingly generous.

 But the consequence of the All Inclusive is that it is creating a ghost town around it. They are great in certain isolated locations but in built up resorts such as Benidorm and further down the coast on the Costa del Sol they are killing local businesses. Restaurants cannot complete with the mass purchasing power that the hotel groups can and also once clients are installed in their hotels they are unwilling to "pay again" to eat and drink out.

Two British bars next door to each other - both closed down

I can see the attraction of All Inclusives, especially for families who can budget exactly how much they will spend, but there are many drawbacks too. For one, you will be stuck probably eating the same "conveyor style" buffet food all week and not sampling the delights of the local cuisine, such as tapas in Spain. Many local bars and restaurants are therefore forced to shut down due to a lack of trade and ultimately it creates a ghost town.
In a hypothetical situation people will stop coming as there is nothing around except boarded up premises - not an uncommon site in some parts and so in turn bookings go down. As bookings drop tour operators will pull out and then the town will be left destroyed - its not only the bars and restaurants but others that rely on the tourist industry too. If you think that this sounds somewhat far fetched look at what has happened on the typical British High Street since the introduction of the "Out of Town" shopping centres - it has killed the High Street.
So just give it some thought when booking your next holiday ....

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Demolition on Avd Mediterraneo in Benidorm at a standstill

The one remaining building

Last summer I reported on the long awaited demolition of the "Edificio Las Terrazas" on the junction of the Avd. Mediterraneo and Avd Europa. Following years of complaints by neighbours and local businesses about the derelict buildings and its associated dangers, the courts gave approval for the demolition to go ahead. However, and there's always a however, a mere ten months after the first phase began one building still remains - with little prospect of any further progress.
The current holdup is caused by a dispute between the land owners and Iberdrola - the electricity company. At issue is who's responsibility it is to transfer the electric transformer which is located on the the remaining undemolished block, which serves the buildings in the surrounding area. Until an agreement is reached works cannot and will not continue.

According to Juan Angel Ferrer of the Town Planning department, the transfer of the transformer will cost in the region of 130,000 euros. However, in the absence of an agreement between the two parties, the Mayor has called upon the "Ministry of Industry" to rule whose responsibility it is and force them to start, by court order if necessary.

Works began last summer at the busy junction

So for now its a waiting game, which is unfortunate considering its on one of the busiest tourist routes in the town centre, leading directly onto the Levante beach. It has taken since the year 2000,  when it was condemned for demolition to get to this stage - lets hope that its not another 10 years before its completed! But as it is private property and not that of the council it may not be quite the quick solution everyone would like.

Benidorm City Council are certainly in no position to help, or pass judgement considering that they are 57.7 million euros in debt! To add further to the crisis, it was revealed last Friday that the City Council has continued to pay companies for services billed but not performed and was aware of this situation for over a year! PP spokesman Antonio Perez said that it is  "very serious and very worrying because we are talking about public money and therefore we could be facing a case of alleged misappropriation of public funds". Gosh are they all that bright at the Town Hall to come to that conclusion - just wish I could find someone that would pay me for doing nothing!

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Paying extra for airline seats - is it worth it when flying to Benidorm?

What to do - pay or skip?

Many budget airlines are increasingly introducing the opportunity of  allowing passengers to pre-book their seats in advance for a fee.... which varies depending on which airline you are flying. Up until today, Easyjet were one of those with  NO allocated seating, meaning a stampede at the boarding gate to try and nab the best seats - but they too have joined the rest.

Most airlines "suggest" that in order to be seated together you should pre-book your seats... obviously at a cost. Many passengers, especially those travelling with children are fearful of being sat separately and so pay the extra. But a word of warning ..... even if you do pay in advance for your seats there is still no absolute guarantee that you will be seated together!

Have you ever read through the terms and conditions when booking your tickets? Probably not, like most of us we just tick the box-  as its such a long arduous text, with page after page of sections and sub sections, I can't believe that anyone ever does - you need a law degree to understand most of it. Well, I decided to have a look at the clause with reference to seat selection terms & conditions. Guess what - they virtually all say the same! Here is a summary of the charges and T&C's of the main "Low Cost" airlines that serve Alicante.

Monarch - £5.99 standard seat / £9.99 extra leg room seat.
T&C's - "Seat requests will be honoured wherever possible, however they cannot be guaranteed. We also reserve the right to re-allocate any seat numbers should passengers fail to check in within 90 minutes of departure"

Jet2 - £3.99 standard seat / £7.99 extra leg room seat.
T&C's -  Fromtime to time, for operational, safety or security reasons we may need to assign or re-assign seats, even after boarding the aircraft. Therefore we cannot always guarantee your seat selection.

Ryanair - £10 to select row 1/2/16 or 17 or £5 for priority boarding.
T&C's - We reserve the right to assign or reassign seats at any time, even after boarding.

BMI Baby - from £5.50 standard seat / £11 extra leg room seat.
T&C's - In some circumstances it may not be possible to guarantee seat assignments.

Easyjet - £12 extra leg room Row 1 /  £8 "up front" Row 2-5 / £3 any other row.
What I did find peculiar with Easyjet was that they appear to charge different prices for speedy boarding depending on where you are flying from. An example is that they charge £9.50 from Manchester but £10.50 from London Gatwick? This was on the same departure date of 29th April  - do they think that Southerners can afford to pay more?
T&C's - We reserve the right to re-allocate seats for safety or operational reasons.

So having read through what the various airlines charge is it worth paying the extra?Only you can decide that - but it certainly adds a lot of extra cost for a family travelling on holiday. Remember, the above are one way prices only. Put it this way, I have never been on a flight, and I've taken many over the years to find a family scattered randomly throughout the plane with a child sat on its own - unless its at one of the parents request!

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Save your plastic bottles caps while on holiday in Benidorm

La Nucia Town Hall extension - collection box is in foyer

The Costa Blanca is doing its bit by recycling plastic bottle tops for charity. In these economically strained times many people find it difficult to make financial donations to charity, but would still like to do their bit to help.
La Nucia Town Hall run a permanent recycling scheme and have recently been collecting plastic bottle tops to help raise funds for a little 4 year old girl called Kiera, born to ex-pat mum Debbie in Benidorm. Due to medical complications at birth, Kiera was born with severe brain damage, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The various fundraising events which have been taking place are going towards sending her to Florida for intensive therrasuit therapy - which is not funded by any authorities.

Different types of plastic you can collect

I popped by and spoke to Bart Gommans, Councillor for the Department of Foreign Residents in La Nucia to see how residents can help in this scheme. They have collection boxes at several locations; The Town Hall Extention Office (nr roundabout No 5), Camillo Cano Sports Centre, The Youth Centre, Social Centre El Calvari and The Old Town Hall.
The council nominate a specific charity for each quantity exchanged in order to support as many different good causes as possible. For every 1000 kg weight of plastic tops, they receive 300€ from a plastics toy manufacturer in Ibi who recycle them.

Yorshire Pride Pub in Benidorm - accepts all plastic tops

Another person who collects plastic tops is Tad, owner of the Yorkshire Pride Pubs in Benidorm. He told me that he is only too happy to accept any plastic tops or lids from people at any of his 3 pubs (located on Calle Gerona, Calle Londres with KFC on the corner and Rincon de Loix, opposite Levante hotel) - "Its all for a good worthy cause" he told me. He, together with Stuart from the "Geordie Bar Tat" have been collecting for the Childrens home in Relleu.

Considering that it takes no effort to wash and put aside any plastic tops I think that its something that everyone should consider taking part in. Plastic does not decompose and landfill sites are already at maximum capacity in many places - its something that affects every one of us and the futures of our children.
If your local Town Hall does not already take part in a similar scheme then why not take the initiative and suggest it?

Also holidaymakers, don't throw your water bottle tops away - put them in your pocket or handbag and pop by the collection points in the Yorkshire Pride pubs. If a family of 4 drank 2/3 bottles of water each per day, then after a weeks holiday they would have amassed nearly 100 tops! Doesn't that give you a feel good factor at no extra cost to yourself!

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A motorbike tour on the outskirts of Benidorm

Harley Sportster XL 883R

If you are fed up of lounging by the pool all day and fancy a bit of an adrenalin rush then I may have the answer. However this little isn't for little girls and boys ... its for the real grown up's (you have to be 30 years or over) and have a valid type "A" drivers license for motorbikes of 650cc/50hp.... welcome to the world of motorbiking!
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to experience the vibrations of a Harley Davidson between your legs then this is your chance - yes, here on the outskirts of Benidorm you can fulfill that dream.

I came across it quite by accident - I was actually doing my shopping in Mercadona opposite and was intrigued by the Harley Davidson sign outside so went in to find out what they offered. I am not a biker at all - I stick to 4 wheels but can see what attracts people to biking. The thrill of speed and freedom....

Federico, the owner and tour guide speaks perfect English and is an experienced biker with expert knowledge of the surrounding area.
They have 3 BMW 650's, 2 Harley Davidson 883R's and 1 Ducat - for the very experienced biker Fredrico told me - that is obviously a real mean machine! The bikes are all fairly new with low mileage and are always thoroughly inspected before each tour goes out - they have a their own on-site garage and workshop.

Shop where you can hire accesories

They offer 2 different guided tours - a half day tour lasting 2.5 hrs and covering ap. 100km and a full day tour lasting over 5 hours (inc lunch) and covering between 150-170km. Both of them will take you through the spectacular mountainous roads behind Benidorm which have over 1000 curves and superb tarmac... that's quite important  for bikers by all accounts. All the bikes can take a passenger - but they have to be over 12 years of age. One very important point Fredrico made was that every driver has to take an alcohol test which MUST show 0.0% otherwise you will not be allowed out - so if you have been out on the lash the night before don't even bother... NO allowances are made (and rightly so).

They offer a free collection and drop off service to and from your hotel in the package and helmets are also included in the tour price. Jackets, trousers, boots and gloves can all be hired from the on-site shop at an additional charge if desired - as you probably wouldn't have thought to pack them for your beach holiday.. strange that!

Happy tour group up in Guadalest

It certainly looks like it would be an unforgettable day and experience for those that are into biking .... prices start at 79€ for drivers and 25€ for passengers. Contact us for further details

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Seville Feria comes to Benidorm

Seville's April Fair - La Feria de Abril, is a huge annual event that takes place 2 weeks after Easter (Semana Santa) and is a week long fiesta of flamenco dancing, processions and eating & drinking. It is the highlight of the social calendar and locals dress up in their traditional costumes - the ladies will have on beautifully colourful flamenco-style dresses called "farales" and the men will have on their "traje de corto" consisting of short jacket, tight trousers and boots! This year it takes place from 24th -29th April but don't worry if you can't make it down to Seville, after all its over 500km because a little bit of Seville is coming to Benidorm!

Taberna Andaluza - one of the participating restaurants

From Monday 23rd until Saturday 28th five restaurants have got together to organise a mini Feria to bring you a taste of Seville. Each night you will be able to sample some traditional Sevillian food and drink and also be entertained by performers who have come all the way up from Seville.

There are 5 to see in total and each night they will be at a different venue. Between 5.30pm and 7pm you can have a FREE Sevillian dance lesson at any of the 5 participating restaurants then between 9.30pm and Midnight they will be performing. All of the restaurants are located in the Old Town, but 2 are just off the Plaza Triangular. The Taberna Andaluza is almost opposite the Madeira Centro Hotel (the blue hotel with the glass lift on the outside) and the Isla Cristina is on the Calle Gerona (pedestrianised street).
The other ones are Angelino on Avd del Rey Jaime 1; Restaurant Esturion on Avd de Panama and Cazorla on Avd de Beniarda.

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Jet2 increases flights to Benidorm

Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy with red microphone at conference

The CEO of Jet2.com, Steve Heapy attended the "Invattur" conference in Benidorm yesterday which was organised by Hosbec - the hoteliers association. He was delighted to be able to announce that in the frenzy of bad news for the tourism sector and rise in fares, Jet2.com was increasing its flight capacity between the UK and El Altet by 20% this summer - bringing the total number of direct flights per week to 47.
The airline aims to become the major air link between Alicante and Northern England - a likely prospect  with the ongoing dispute between Aena and Ryanair. The Leeds based tour operator has direct flights from 8 UK destinations; Edinburgh - its newest route, Glasgow, Newcastle,Leeds, Manchester, Blackpool, East Midlands and Belfast equating to a total of 16,832 seats per week.

In addition to the the 20% increase this summer, Heapy also announced the company's intention of increasing the winter schedule by 6% - which is great news for those that come here to avoid the cold harsh British winters! They will maintain 4 weekly flights between Leeds/Bradford and 3 between Manchester and Blackpool. This year the Manchester route will stay active between December 20th and January 6th to facilitate travel over the Christmas and New Year period.
Other seasonal routes will continue until 18th November, enabling British travelers to attend the hugely popular Benidorm fiesta - which this year is scheduled to start on Saturday 10th November and finishing on Wednesday 14th November with as usual a spectacular firework display on the Levante beach. The day after is traditionally the "British Fancy Dress Parade" - which last year was attended by thousands in all manner of "attire"

Director General of Tourism Sebastian Fernandez and  Lola Johnson, area councilor are both delighted with Jet2's positive promotion focusing on tourism between the north of England & Scotland and Benidorm. After Mallorca, Alicante and in particular Benidorm is Jet2's second most important destination.

Jet2 have one of the most generous luggage allowances of airlines flying with 10kg of free hand luggage and 22kg of checked-in costing £14.99 each way. Seat reservations are also cheaper - £3.99 for a standard seat and £7.99 for an extra legroom seat. They also have an in flight meal promotion whereby if an adult pre-books a hot meal which is £8 then kids eat for only 1 pence!

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Pensioners in Spain to pay for prescriptions

Prescription medication

The Ministry of Health has put forward several cost saving proposals to save money allocated for the already strained health budget. Following consultations with regional health directors it is expected to be adopted on Friday by royal decree, with an estimated annual saving of 7,000 million euros.
The first of these is to start charging pensioners 10% of the prescription cost - currently there is NO charge. However, there will a a cap to the maximum a pensioner will be made to pay - 8€ per month for those on incomes below 18,000€ and 18€ for those above that amount.
This will certainly affect many ex-pat pensioners living in Spain who are on long term repeat medication for conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol - it could technically add between 16 and 36 euros to a couple who are both on daily medication.There could potentially be a situation whereby pensioners feel they cannot afford to collect necessary prescriptions and their health could then suffer! The health department have not yet decided how the lower income or unemployed, receiving no benefits will be protected though - perhaps this is something which should be decided BEFORE it is approved.

Health Minister Ana Mateo said that Spain is listed as the second highest user in the world for medication  and that last year alone 3,700 tonnes of unused drugs where thrown away wasting 1,200 million euros.
Those not entitled to free prescriptions currently pay 40% of the price of the medication and a further proposal is that this should increase to 50%, with those on "higher incomes" paying 60%. The higher income threshold has not yet been agreed but it has been suggested those earning in the region of 100,000€ and above would fall into this last category.

The thorny issue of "Health Tourism" was also raised and the authorities have decided to crack down on foreigners who are not entitled to receive treatment and healthcare in Spain. Last year alone it cost the  Spanish health service 1,000 million euros for treatment that it could not claim back from the recipients country of origin.
A bit of an argument has broken out regarding accusations of British health tourists and HM British Ambassador in Madrid, Giles Paxman sent a letter to Spanish daily paper ABC which was published on Tuesday. In it the Ambassador rejects suggestions that the British Embassy is encouraging "health tourism" following the papers article about advice on the British Embassy website regarding access to healthcare in Spain and the work of the NGO Age Concern Espana. Part of the letter is summarized as follows:

 "There are many British nationals resident in Spain and the aim of the website is to ensure that if they need to access the Spanish healthcare system, they do so in full compliance with the Spanish legislation. Registration on the "padron" facilitates this and is a requirement of Spanish law. British visitors make up approximately 24% of the total number of tourists visiting Spain. It is in the clear interest of both the UK and Spain that they should receive medical attention if they urgently need it. By ensuring that they know how to access the Spanish healthcare system, we can avoid unnecessary administrative costs for both Spain and the UK, and ensure that the UK can reimburst Spain accurately and efficiently in line with the specific provisions set out in the EU legislation. The Embassy website advice makes it clear that the European Health Insurance Card does not cover those who come to Spain for the specific purpose of health treatment.
Age Concern Espana provides a fundamental lifeline for elderly British residents who are isolated, in poor health and in urgent need of help. The charity closely collaborates with Spanish authorities via the British Consulates, taking on cases where language is a barrier, thus reducing the demands on the Spanish social services. In addition, a significant part of Age Concenr's work involves helping to repatriate British nationals, who for one reason or another can no longer financially support themselves in Spain and have to return to the UK. It is NOT part of their work to help British citizens access benefits to which the are not entitled"
It will be interesting to see if anything further develops following receipt of the above.

Essential holiday buddy!

For those travelling to Spain on holiday it is therefore imperative that you have your EHIC card with you - they are FREE to obtain and can be done online. If you present yourself at the local "Centro de Salud" or Villa Joyosa hospital (local social security hospital that serves the Benidorm area) without an EHIC card you WILL be charged for any treatment received. Waving your British passport will not help - you will then have the arduous task of claiming the money back once you arrive back in the UK.

The same technically applies to any ex-pats travelling back to the UK - make sure that you take your EHIC card with you too. I know it seems unfair that a recently arrived illegal immigrant, who has paid not one single penny into the NHS would be entitled to receive treatment, but you, as an ex-pat who all your working life paid into the system but chose to spend your twilight years in the sun would not be eligible .... but that's the way it works back in Blighty now! Aren't we lucky that we're out of it.....

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How to save money on beauty treatments in Benidorm

In these economically strained times everyone is trying to save money and cut down on un-necessary spending. However, for us girls its difficult to cut back on certain things such as hair and beauty - its what gives us a boost in our self confidence and everyone wants to look good don't they?
Back in the hey day of the 80's I remember going to the Vidal Sassoon hair academy on South Molton Street in central London to get a cheap hair cut. Well ladies (and men) I can announce that there is such a thing here too - and best of all, its in Benidorm. Located at the Old Town end just off the N332, almost behind the Molinas club and not far from the Plaza de Toros approaching the huge roadabout is "Lasvi"- a hair and beauty training centre.
It is open Monday to Friday from 10am till 2pm then again from 4pm until 8pm. Customers/clients seem to start queuing at least 15 minutes before opening time as there is obviously only a limited amount of places at each session.

They offer a wide range of services for both hair and beauty. You can get a haircut for 4€, Highlights from 8€, Manicures for 3€ in addition to other treatments such as waxing, massage, facials etc. They are all performed by final year students about to qualify but under the supervision of a teacher. However, the only down side is that you need to allow the entire morning or afternoon - if you have plenty of time great but if time is of the essence probably best to avoid. Its a nice way to be able to treat yourself without breaking the bank...

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Discount vouchers for Benidorm's Theme Parks

Well it can be said that the season has officially started as the theme parks have all started distributing a variety of discount vouchers available across the resort. But do look carefully as although they all look similar, they offer different monetary values depending on where you pick them up from.
There are no vouchers yet available for either of the two water parks, Aqualandia and Aqua Natura as they do not open until the end of May - but I am fairly positive that they will also be offering money off vouchers, as they do every year.

The first theme park is Terra Natura - a wildlife park which is divided into 3 zones; America, Asia and Europe. The park is beautifully laid out with plenty of shady areas and interactive activities going on throughout the day. You can even help the keepers feed some of the animals.
The best place to get your discount vouchers is at McDonalds, who are giving away 2x1. The normal entrance price is 25€ for adults and 20€ for children.
They are currently open till 5pm during the week and until 6pm at the weekend. They then gradually extend the opening times - In May till 6pm weekdays and 7pm weekends; June till 7pm weekdays and 8pm weekends and throughout July and August until 8pm everyday.

Look carefully at the discounts offered

The next theme park is Mundomar - a sealife and animal park similar to seaworld, where you will get to see dolphins, penguins and sea lions as well as tropical birds. There are a variety of shows throughout the day with start times at the entrance to the park enabling you to plan your route.
The two places handing out discount vouchers are McDonalds and Carrefour Hypermarket. At first glace they look identical but take a closer look at the discount offered. The McDonalds voucher offers 10€ off the adult price plus a child goes in FREE. With the Carrefour discount you only receive 5€ off the adult price and 4€ off the child price!
The normal entrance prices is 26€ for adults and 21€ for children. They do offer a discounted afternoon ticket for entry after 3pm - adults are 19€ and children 15€ BUT you cannot use any discount vouchers with this type of ticket. It actually works out cheaper to use the McDonalds voucher even if you are only going for part of the day. The park is open daily from 10am till 6pm.

The third theme park open is Terra Mitica - full of rides, attractions and shows to keep everyone in the family entertained, regardless of age. Currently they are only open from 10am till 8pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday but extend the opening days as the season progresses. In May they open from Thursday to Sunday then from 18th June until 9th September they are open every day. McDonalds and Carrefour offer the same discount - 6€ off the adult prices and 4.50€ off the child price.... unfortunately there are no 2x1 vouchers like there were last year - at least not yet.
The normal entrance price is 35€ for an adult and 26.50€ for a child.

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Road safety on Mobility scooters - especially in Benidorm

Not enough wall sockets to charge all the scooters!

Ever since Madge, the chain smoking matriarch of the Garvey clan hit our screens on the ITV series Benidorm, rentals of mobilty scooters have gone through the roof in the resort. She was always depicted permanently sitting in her mobility scooter, generally whizzing around the pool area of the fictional Solana resort (which is actually the Sol Pelicanos hotel).

 Step onto the streets of Benidorm and you are never more than 10 metres away from a scooter - you will see them double parked outside bars and cafes, often obstructing the pavement for pedestrians. In fact, it has become such an issue that many hotels are now forced to charge a daily rate for recharging your scooter due to the volume of them. Enter the lobby of any of the hotels and you will see dozens parked up. And the situation will probably get worse with the increase in petrol prices.

Many residents are trading in their cars and exchanging them for a mobility scooter as there is no road tax or insurance to pay... potentially saving hundreds of euro's per year. At least you would imagine that car drivers have some wits about them, but currently mobility scooter users require NO training or insurance meaning that anyone can hire one.

Common site in Benidorm - a mobility conga

It has become such an issue in the UK that many councils are now offering crash courses in how to drive them and the associated risks. South Yorkshire police are so concerned about accidents that they are offering free training lessons! A spokesman for the force said that in the last 5 years 28 incidents involving mobility scooters were reported - 17 of which resulted in people being killed or injured, but they know that many further cases go unreported.

An average scooter weighs between 44-50kg and can reach a top speed of  between 8-10mph, so imagine being mowed down by one. But its not only injuries caused to passerby's - last year a 79 year old man in Cornwall was killed when his mobility scooter overturned and pinned him against a wall.  With an increasing aging population, action needs to be taken to ensure that standards with regard to health and safety and basic training  are undertaken.

Madge upon her chariot

But not one to shun her responsibilities for the craze that she created, actress Sheila Reid - who played Madge in the series, will be giving tips to Norfolk residents at a course being run on 24th April in Kings Lynn by PACT. Those attending will have the opportunity to tackle slopes and crossings on a specially designed course at The Corn Exchange and to take part in a road safety quiz. Many people would agree that some sort of proficiency test should be made compulsory before being let loose on one and that taking out a third party insurance policy would also be a good idea.


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Plenty of room for more sunbeds

In the lead up to Easter, "Hosbec" the hoteliers association claimed that hotels rooms in Benidorm were 90% full over the Easter week, but several businessmen have disputed this claim. Sergio Gambi, in the tourism sector said that "these numbers are mathematically impossible - the Holy week is classified as 5 days - Thursday to Monday and the 90% claim actually only applied for Saturday and Sunday". Many Spaniards from Madrid descended on Benidorm for the "Semana Santa" but  although Monday was a holiday here in the Valencian community it was not in Madrid, therefore most drove back on Sunday evening. Booking were apparently one of the weakest in years - in the past hotels only accepted booking for four or more days over this period but many were taking one night reservations this year in order to fill up rooms. There is a consequence to these claims made by Hosbec Gambi stated. "Hosbec's strategy of unwarranted optimism is wrong because the Department of Tourism will tell us that if we are doing that well there will be no need to invest more in promotion of the area".

An unusually quiet Tapas Alley

To back these claims up made by Gambi, figures released by the Town Hall showed that less waste and less water was consumed compared to 2011 indicating that there were indeed less visitors- 8.3% less waste was collected and 5.3% less water was used. Benidorm's tourism Councillor Juan Angel Ferrer said that the data left no doubt as a reliable indicator that there was a lower influx of visitors to the town than the previous year.  However, despite these somewhat disappointing figures he said that Benidorm was "well above" other Spanish seaside resorts. However, despite this optimistic statement, many tourism related businesses are struggling from shops to bars, restaurants and taxi's.

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Benidorm's beaches safe despite non-payment to staff

Protest posters along Levante Beach

Lifeguards and First Aid Workers belonging to "Rojuser" - the company responsible for Lifeguards & Health Care on the beaches of Benidorm, have been protesting over non payment of wages for over 4 months by the Council.
They have been sticking up posters around the town to highlight their plea to the residents and holidaymakers of the town but have now been threatened with being "denounced" for their protest. A "denuncia" is an official complaint which the police are obliged to investigate.

The local government spokesperson, Socialist Natalia Guijarro announced that it will report to the prosecutor damage caused by the lifeguards who have "broken street furniture, hung posters and stickers and stenciled with paint on council property, as this is a crime". The PP quickly responded with Jose Ramon de Zarate stating it was "outraged that workers are threatened despite continuing to provide an excellent service even though they have not been paid".  He also pointed out that the City Council is therefore also breaking the law as they have been putting up posters on Council property to announce the bullfighting over the Easter period!

"Yellow & White" First Aid station on Levante beach

Representatives of the Lifeguards had a meeting with the Mayor last November, at which he promised to settle the debt before the end of 2011. However, at the end of March 2012 the situation had not been rectified and the rescuers  feel "deceived" therefore took the initiative to demonstrate by putting up banners and posters. This action did not go down well with the Socialist Mayor Augustin Navarro and he sent City staff and local police to remove them.... good use of already restricted funds eh!

The Lifeguards of Rojuser are eager to point out that they will not stop providing cover as this would firstly be dangerous in the case of an emergency and secondly damage the image of Benidorm, but at the same time cannot go on with this situation. It is common knowledge that Benidorm City Council are up to their eyes in debt and have failed to pay worker and suppliers for many months, but this mis-management needs to be resolved before it really does cause irreparable damage to the town.

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Transfer from Alicante's El Altet airport to Benidorm

If you are arriving on a package tour then your transfers are generally included. Those hiring a car are also sorted - but what about the remainder?
You can get the very reliable ALSA coach transfer - Alsa is the equivalent of National Express. They run an almost hourly service but it is not a 24 hours and the journey takes aprox 50 minutes.

The first buses departs the airport at 9am and there are two drop off points in Benidorm - the Avd Europa and the bus station - which is a touch further out if you are heading for a hotel so opt for the first stop. The following buses depart from the airport on the hour every hour until 5pm then after that there is one at 7pm, 9pm and the last one is at 11pm. So if for instance you arrive just after 5pm you have rather a long wait! Also, if you arrive "out of hours" then you will need to find an alternative unless you don't mind waiting. The cost is a very reasonable 8€ for a single ticket and you purchase them as you board.

The buses also go up to Calpe for the same fare ... seems strange that there is no extra charge to me! However, it is not a direct route. You go to Benidorm bus station then have to transfer onto another bus with an half hour wait. This bus then goes via Alfaz and Altea and takes just under an hour. If you are not in a hurry its a very pretty scenic route and you get to see the area, but bear in mind that this transfer will take a total of two hours.

Another alternative is to take an airport shuttle bus such as Travel Republic, Shuttle Direct or Resort Hoppa. These can work out a lot cheaper - sometimes costing as little 5€ BUT it can be a long and arduous journey as they do drops at various hotels and apartments in Benidorm. If you are lucky it may only be 1 or 2 but you may have up to 8 making it a marathon 2-3 hour transfer.

So if neither of those options appeal or fit in with your arrival times the last alternative is a private taxi transfer.  Now a word of advice - the Department of Safety of the City of Elche in collaboration with the  Guardia Civil are cracking down heavily on illegal taxi drivers and touts at Alicante airport (the airport comes under the jurisdiction of Elche). These drivers are not insured for "hire and reward" ie. to transport paying passengers. If you are involved in an accident neither you or the driver will be covered.

There are many people doing airport runs for cash in hand - they meet at the cafes to try and avoid being caught but the airport have number plate recognition camera's. If a particular car is spotted a little too often then they will be visited by the police and investigated and the passengers could also be fined for using an unauthorised method of transport. Taxi's and private transfer companies have to pay taxes and  insurance making them fully legal and accountable - these illegal touts are taking the livelihoods away from honest people and companies as they DO NOT pay.  Please think carefully when booking your taxi - is it worth the risk to perhaps save 20€ by getting into an illegal uninsured car? Two fully legal and reliable companies operating a transfer service between the airport and Benidorm (and further afield) are Costa Blanca Private Transfers and Alicante Private Transfers.


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Spanish coffee for beginners to Benidorm

Typical Benidorm sign

For those coming over on their holidays, or even those fortunate enough to live and enjoy this beautiful place you may be baffled as to the vast choice and selections of coffee available at bars and cafes. The Spanish drink a lot of coffee but not much tea - this is especially evident if you ever go into an electrical store to purchase an electric kettle. There will be row upon row of coffee machines but probably a choice of two kettles. I came upon this issue in Carrefour last month - the choice was white plastic or stainless steel - and only 1 design of each! Still, as the saying goes, when in Rome ....
So, when you pop out for a coffee you may be baffled by the huge choice available... here are the most common and what they are:

Cafe Solo - equivalent to an expresso...small and very strong black coffee.
Cafe con Leche - is half cafe solo and half hot milk.
Cafe Bombon - is a small glass containing condensed milk with cafe solo - very sweet!
Cafe Americano - large black coffee.
Cafe Cortado - is cafe solo with a drop of milk.
Cafe con Hielo (pronounced Yello) Mostly drunk in the Summertime, this is cold iced coffee. You will be served a normal coffee and be bought a separate glass with ice and then you pour the coffee over it.

Cafe con Hielo - Spanish iced coffee

Cafe Sombra or Cafe Manchado - mostly milk with a few drops of coffee.
Cafe Carajillo - is a cafe solo served with a shot of brandy... obviously a very popular choice! You will witness most builders having one for breakfast and the price is far cheaper than a Starbucks frothy milk concoction in the UK!

If you want de-caffeinated then ask for descafeinado - most places will have it. So off you go and enjoy!

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New airline takes off - or not

National Spanish carrier Iberia have launched a new low-cost carrier "Iberia Express" adding to the already overflowing market. However, pilots union SEPLA says Iberia Express is a threat to jobs and conditions and have started a series on strikes.
Iberia and British Airways merged last January creating Europe's third largest scheduled airline and the new company is called International Airlines Group - but the BA and Iberia brands continue to operate as normal.
The strikes by pilots and cabin crew, who plan to strike every Monday and Friday until July say Iberia's new low-cost service contravenes deals struck when Iberia and British Airways merged. SEPLA says 8,000 jobs will be lost as Iberia moves a few dozen airplanes to the low-cost subsidary.
At present the newly formed Iberia Express operate out of Madrid - one of the routes offered is Madrid to Alicante but if successful they may expand its network. Many years ago BA use to fly direct between London Gatwick and Alicante, so with the expansion to compete with other low-cost carriers such a Ryanair and Easyjet it may resurrect this route.
 Back in those days you were even offered a free newspaper, drink and hot snack ... maybe that is the way forward. British Airways now offer "all inclusive" flights across Europe, whereby the price already includes a piece of hold luggage. With the ridiculous maze of luggage prices perhaps this would be a welcome to many passengers - at least you know the bottom line price straight off. Perhaps the likes of Monarch and Co may re-look at their prices, which can only be good news to us travelers.

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Ryanair queue... will luggage soon become a luxury?

Travelling on holiday to Benidorm this summer could be costlier than you think - especially if taking hold luggage. Eager to cash in, "Low Cost" airlines are increasing the charges over the peak summer periods, thereby hitting families hard which are forced to take holidays when children are on school holidays.

Ryanair, already the airline with the lowest hold allowance have split their charges into Low season - Oct to May but excluding the Xmas & New Year period) charging £15 for 15kg or £25 if you pay extra for 20kg and High season - June to September charging £25 for standard 15kg allowance or £35 for 20kg. These charges are per bag each way so you obviously need to DOUBLE that charge for a return flight! So for a return flight in July, assuming you take the standard 15kg allowance it will be an extra £50 per case.

A family of 4 going on a 2 week holiday with 2 children would easily need 2 cases so straight away its an extra £100 on top of the basic fare - not mentioning the credit card or "admin" fee as some airlines now like to call it! Remember, Ryanair DO NOT allow you to pool luggage allowance - that means that each case must not be over the 15kg. If 2 of you are travelling with 2 hold cases therefore giving you a total allowance of 30kg, you cannot have 12kg in one case and 18kg in the other. You WILL be charged for 3kg excess weight unless you re-distribute the contents. Many a time have I seen this happening at the check-in desks with knickers and bikinis flying out of one case and shoved into the other!

Everyone's gone hand-luggage only!

Easyjet allow you 20kg of hold luggage but their charges are extremely difficult to work out. There is no reference guide on the website like for Ryanair and you do not see the price until you are booking. I went through the booking procedure for each month and the charge varies... in May it was £28 return; July £30; August £32 and September £31.  The main advantage with Easyjet, apart from price and the more generous standard allowance is that they allow you to pool weight.

Monarch charge £15.99 for a 20kg allowance each way so a return flight would cost £31.98 - they did not appear to increase the charge in July or August.

Although Ryanair always boasts about its "low fares" it is one of the most expensive in terms of baggage fees. But you also need to take into account the credit card or admin fees when booking and if you want to pay for priority/speedy boarding.
Always one to reduce costs, Ryanair are implementing other cost saving initiatives. With the rising cost of fuel the airline has found ways of reducing the fuel bill by reducing the weight it carries on its flights. They will be shrinking the size of its in-flight magazines from A4 to A5 size, carrying less ice on flights and believe it or not, "encouraging" staff to watch their weight - with the motivation of appearing in the annual Ryanair calendar!

But Ryanair are only following in the foot steps of other airlines ... In the 1980's, American Airlines claimed that they saved $40,000 by taking out one olive from every salad in first class and more recently, Japanese airline All Nippon Airways started asking passengers to go to the toilet before boarding in a bid to reduce carbon emissions! Without fuel you cannot fly, but I think that's taking things a step too far !

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Ex-pat residents provide Easter treat for Children of Emaus

A group of big hearted local Albir residents gave up a few hours yesterday afternoon, Good Friday,to entertain the children of Emaus at one of its homes in Altea (including me and my son). The organisation have 5 children's homes along the Costa Blanca and receive adequate funding from local government to cover the basics, but not enough to treat the children. Ex-Pat club "Companians" in Albir raised funds to purchase Easter Eggs for the children in all the homes (120) and one of its members Rada, who has a charity stall at El Cisne Rastro bought mugs from takings, having been made aware that the homes were short of them. Elsa, who owns and runs a restaurant "Bistro Maya" in Albir provided a delicious lunch for all the children and helpers. She bought her chef and staff down to the home to help out ... all willing to give up their free time for such a good cause. Every Christmas Elsa also puts on a party at the restaurant for all 120 children - in fact last year there were 150 of them. 

After lunch they were entertained by Shaun, a musician who came with his guitar and sang to every ones delight. He also presented a stunned Monserat, President of Emaus over 600€ which had been collected at Pavaroti's Bar during an evening of fundraising to spend on the children. David the Clown then mesmerized the children with some magic tricks whilst Pete had a disco and karaoke session going on. After that everyone raced down to the brand new football pitch which had been recently installed thanks to a visiting Scottish football club who funded the entire project! It was a girls V boys which included all the helpers - no real rules were adhered to but a great time was had by all. After the match the children all tucked into chocolate pudding and each chose a mug and Easter Egg then played pass the parcel to finish the day off.

Everyone left happy but tired knowing that they had helped put a smile on the children's faces! There are many fundraising events going on in support of this very worthy charity - for more information on Emaus go to: http://www.fcemaus.es

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